
Ask HN: How do your parents learn technology? - neilsharma
My parents often struggle with &quot;basic&quot; computer&#x2F;smartphone skills and I begrudgingly become their IT guy.<p>What problems have you noticed they struggle with repeatedly, and what solutions have you discovered work best?
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neilsharma
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

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joshmn
They ask me tons of questions.

