Do people over 50 use services like Fluther?

How do you define older people? Older than you? OK, I’m older than 50. I had an email account when I used to do work on a mainframe before most people heard about email. I designed a web site for a group I was associated with before most people had heard of web sites. I seem to be more computer savvy than my kids. I use facebook, myspace, grandcentral, youtube and obviously fluther. I know that proves nothing. What’s your interest in the over 50 crowd and why did you choose that age?

“They” are doing everything you are doing.

Fifty years ago I was a mathematics wunderkind in HS taking classes in this new thing called symbolic programming at the IBM Watson Laboratories. Yawn. Any answer is tautologically true.

Umm…well I’m over 60 and way into tech….more so than my adult children. I’m interested because I write a lot about the older consumer and am gathering info about where we all are in cyberspace. It’s good to hear from all of you!

nearly six decades on this rock. Aaa Fortran and punch cards. that was 1968. came back to computing kicking and screaming in the early 90’s with the proding of my Apple using son (he still does) office only had Microsoft stuff so that is where I still am. I use email, internet for Ebay (old car parts mostly), some internet searches. I do get freaked when a new version of anything comes out that makes the home screen look different or the command moves are “enhanced”, [another word for major frustration and confusion]. I appreciate new technology, but am really chicken to jump in and learn it. I truely wish that these gadgets, and especially their instructions, could be made pure and simple. Multitudes of functions are not necessarily a benefit. Off the soap-box I go.

Well, I am well over 60 and pretty savvy. Like Kelly, I first learned Fortran and if you dropped your punch cards, were you in trouble.

I teach my sister, who is ten years younger than I, all the Mac tricks she knows. And when I called my local ISP for tech support the other, I walked him thru the problem. It turned out that a local guy, (drunk, of course, had crashed into a telephone phone and turned off the dial-up folks- it’s rural here and no cable available.

edit:*the other day.

I’m 58 and have been on Fluther for a good long while.

I use technology all day long in my professional life and at home. I did Fortran in college, had one of the first Compaq luggables – that was fun on the subway – you can not exist in the business world without this capability.
It should be no surprise that there are older folks on Fluther. How can you tell?

Check the grammar and spelling.

SRM

My mum who’s in her early 60’s got her first PC and took ECDL (European Computer Drivers License) about 10 years ago. Today she uses Skype, MSN, email and general browsing and reading on the Internet. She wouldn’t use Fluther, but that’s due to language skills more than tech ability. She does use equivalents in languages she’s more comfortable with.

Brilliant answers! I’m glad to know there’s a broad range of ages on here. It creates a nicely balanced view on everything. (I’m ‘only’ 33 by the way).

Eeeayyyy…Could you speak a bit….

@boff: “speak a bit” of what?

I’m an old duff , sonny speak up I can’t hear you…
It’s a JOKE…I’m old not useless!