Ask HN: How do your parents learn technology?

1 points by neilsharma ↗ HN
My parents often struggle with "basic" computer/smartphone skills and I begrudgingly become their IT guy.

What problems have you noticed they struggle with repeatedly, and what solutions have you discovered work best?

2 comments

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Here are some of the problems my 60-65 year old parents struggle with, despite living in the US for over 30 years and being highly educated:

Computers:

- Navigating the file system is confusing, esp on a PC with a lot of default folders that don't need to be touched

- Drag + Drop relocates local files, but copies if you're uploading to the web/external device. Same action but different results --> requires contextual awareness

- Setting up a new device with the essential software

- Debugging printer and wifi problems.

Web:

- Password recovery/management

- Figuring out google drive

- the concept of shared files vs attaching everything in emails

- using anything aside from google search, youtube, and gmail

- using product reviews to identify the best product is not how they shop in real life.

Smartphones:

- discovering your own number

- making text larger

- managing notifications / changing settings on an app to app basis

- uber/lyft. Large distrust of strangers

They ask me tons of questions.