[WEB4LIB] Re: "Generation shifts" and technology

[Ryan Eby]

I still think it's true for most generations (not being inherently
tech savvy). While it may be more prevalent with younger generations,
it's far from 100%. I'd have to say that there is an even mix between
ages for the support line I work. While the majority of people I know
that are computer literate tend to be younger, there are plenty of
younger people I know that have difficulties. It's been shown in this
thread that there are plenty of people in all age groups that "defy
the norms". I think it just shows that at this point you can't make an
assumption based on age or "generation". People are still coming from
all sorts of backgrounds with technology. I, at one point, was a
secondary education major (last year), and helped teach a course on
web development and use of webpages as outreach to parents. Almost
none of my peers had the background in technology that most of the
people on this list has even though they happen to be younger. While
more and more are growing up with technology, it still can't be
"presumed".

Ryan Eby

On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 19:19:53 -0800 (PST), Chuck0 <chuck at mutualaid.org> wrote:
> 
> This may be true of the older generations, but the younger generations
> breathe technology. I'm 39 and happen to work mostly with younger
> people. Take the Internet service Friendster as an example. I was
> updating my profile yesterday and was thinking about the demographics of
> the people who I know on that service. Most of those "friends" who use
> it are in their teens and twenties. People in their 30s use it somewhat,
> while it's hard to find anybody over the age of 45 on the service.
> Perhaps older people see themselves as busy people with more important
> things to do, but that doesn't stop older people from yammering away on
> cell phones all the time.
> 
> And my 70-year-old mother refuses to touch a computer.
> 
> Chuck
> 
>