It is interesting that on page 157 of the text it sited that in the 70′s most people thought that there was no reason for the individual to have a computer, they were for businesses and industry. About 3 years ago, Wells Fargo bank was promoting online banking with a billboard showing –their logo and advertising “Online Banking” the last statement on the billboard said it all- “and you said you would never use a debit card”. The computer and internet are here to stay- you will use them.
The three people I chose to interview included two people from work and my mother in-law.
Kevin from work is 25. At work, he uses the internet to research product for customers, ordering product, and email. At home, he uses it for news, gamming, banking, bill paying, and shopping. He and his fiancé are very comfortable using it; it is second nature because they have had it available to use their entire life. They utilize all forms of communication: email, text, chat, and web cam. When asked if it has changed his life for better or worse; both can be used to goof off and waste time and can also be a valuable tool for research.
David at work is 53 has owned his own business. Like Kevin, the internet is a valuable tool at work for research and customer service. At home, Dave utilizes the computer for home finances including banking, bill paying, and shopping. He does not use for entertainment at all. He is comfortable using the internet for communication as far as email goes by he does not utilize any other forms of electronic communication. He sees the internet as a double-edged sword- on one edge it can be a valuable tool when used correctly, a great source of information. The other edge- the unregulated side, it can be too easy to end up in areas that are inappropriate especially for young users.
My mother in-law Louise- Louise is in her 80′s and utilizes the internet for some financial uses- checking balances but no transactions. She utilizes email but only the basic functions, pictures (one at a time). She does use the internet for research for vacation plans but when it comes to booking, she still uses a travel agent. She thinks the internet has a purpose but only to the extent that you want to use it.
In comparing the three, Dave and Kevin utilize the internet to the level I expected; Dave has a little more technical knowledge. Most of this comes from being a business owner and spending more time developing tools for the business. Kevin is much quicker with the tools again this comes from having the internet available to him all of his life. My mother in-law while not using the internet a great deal I was impressed with skills and use. I would sum it up that regardless of the person and their age most people will accept the computer and internet and use it to the level they need and are comfortable with.
February 24, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Interesting post! I found very similar results with the people I interviewed. It seems the “older” generation uses the internet for basic “stuff” but lacks some trust especially finances. I thought the double-edged sword point you made is interesting point. It seems the younger generations don’t “see” the downfalls of the internet as the “wiser” generation may see. It’s going to be interesting 10-15 years down the road to see how the younger generation turns out with all of the Myspace culture etc. Good job!