Why are some people intimidated by technology?

My Quora answer to: Why are some people intimidated by technology?

I work with a lot of new technology users, usually older people who are just diving into the tech world. For them, not knowing, appearing ignorant, can be a very strong emotion. They have to be able to get around those feelings and realize that the benefits of technology are much more useful than the minor discomfort of the learning process. Fear is one of the strongest emotions we can feel and it can overwhelm other very strong desires, like learning.

That said, I also treat my clients as if they can learn anything and do anything with their technology. I truly believe that anyone can learn to use technology. No one is incapable. I don't allow them to engage in heavy "negative talk" about how they can't do this or that. I expect them to be able to learn and I think it helps to approach the learning in a better fashion.

Another component of fear of technology is fear of not being in control. I often hear people talk about how they "have" to do this or that, as if the technology is controlling them. I remind them often that technology still has an off switch. If they are not getting value from the technology, turn it off. Don't become a "Tool of your tools" as Thoreau once said. Helping people exercise choice and control over their technological choices can go a long way towards relieving their fear.

Comments

Microsoft release Outlook.com email services to replace Hotmail

Today Microsoft released its new email service Outlook.com to replace its Hotmail brand. This new streamlined Metro interface design looks good and functions well so far. You can use your existing Microsoft account to log in and then choose an email alias (i.e. douglaswelch@outlook.com) for your new email address. Here are several articles that discuss Outlook.com... Goodbye, Hotmail; Hello, Outlook.com [REVIEW] Outlook Is a Completely New, Feature-Filled Webmail Service from Microsoft Go Get Your @Outlook Email Address Quick Before Someone Else Does I will post links to more articles and reviews as they appear.

Shared calendars are one part of an organized family

by Douglas E. Welch , techiq@welchwrite.com 206-338-5832 Reader/Listener Line As a parent with a school-age child, I often hear other parents bemoaning their disorganized existence. Along with the busy schedules of two working parents you might have art classes, karate classes, Little League, soccer and more. Add in more than one kid and organizing your life can quickly become a nightmare. This is exactly why one of my most important organizing devices is a shared calendar that reflects all the activities and events for everyone in the household...and I do mean everything. If someone -- is required to be somewhere -- at sometime, it goes into the calendar. If we are given a calendar that reflects all the events for a particular activity (say, Little League), all these events immediately go into the calendar, along with notations on whether we are providing the team snack, working in the snack bar, etc. Even events that occur anytime during the day, like family birthdays, and other rem...

Google Docs adds templates

I have started to move away from using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc) in favor of online tools like Google Docs . Even as a computer consultant, I find that I use probably less than 10% of the features in any of these projects. One feature I really like in Google Docs is the easy, online file sharing that also allows you to edit simultaneously with someone else. Today, Google Docs added some templates including business cards, brochures and more. At the moment, it looks like they are rolling out this feature over time, so you might not yet see the templates on your account. When available, you will find the templates under the New... menu item. From Open Loops ... Today, Google quietly rolled out a new feature for their Google Docs Applications: Templates! It's so new that it isn't even listed on the new features page at this time. When one opens their Google Docs account and chooses to start a new document, a new "From Template..." command is pre...

TechnologyIQ

Search This Blog