First post, sorry for the essay and number of questions.

Bit of background, I’m a Network Admin with about 15 years in the business but I am almost embarrassed to say I have absolutely no idea about iMacs. I’d probably struggle to know how to restart one. They just have never been part of my career/environment.

My 76 year old mother is having a go and using a PC at the moment running XP mainly answering Emails, surfing the web, downloading pics of the grandchildren etc, etc. Her Dell is becoming a bit long in the tooth and not really worth upgrading. She is still struggling with using XP, she can do the basics but anything outside the square has her lost and on the phone to yours truly. Case in point, she rings me up that she can’t Email the photos that she has downloaded from her camera. I go through all the solutions, right click Send To, what do you mean you can’t see a menu come up, did you right or left click yadda, yadda. To cut a long story short she was in HP Photo Imaging program as it had re-defaulted as her import software. Even after I’d asked numerous times was she in My Computer – My Pictures and she swore she was and that’s what she thought the HP software was.

Now I know the Mac’s are legendary for their ease of use and I’ve mucked around with one in JB’s. (iMac 21.5”) Which seems pretty straightforward once I poked around a bit. For me it’s fairly intuitive but is it 76 Y.O mother proof? Web Browsing, Emailing, Burning pictures/movies to CD/DVD, downloading videos from Digital Video Camera, printing, backing up etc, etc. Few simple games like Jewels, Scrabble etc. I think the problem with Windows is there are so many ways to do something and my impression of Macs is they put another layer on top and say this is how we are going to do it, get used to it, so the user isn’t confused about all the different ways to do something. i.e importing photos from a camera (My computer – Browse to photos, Windows Photo Gallery Import, Camera Software Importing software, Import via Windows Live Gallery, SD slot on computer etc, etc). Is this right for Macs? It just imports them one way that I can teach her, with no surprises?

The idea of viruses and Trojans being not so much of an issue is appealing to me. She is pretty vigilant about not opening anything but I always worry.

Can you take Remote Control of a machine to see her desktop remotely? If I set up necessary port forwarding/security on her router/modem? Or the ability to use a http based one like Webex/Live meeting.

So I guess my question is the iMac a huge leap in ‘ease of use’ over say Windows 7 that I could get one for her not knowing much about them myself (but could pick it up no doubt). Or should I stick with Win7 and just get another Dell.

I was looking at booking her into a Apple Store Workshop for Intro to Mac but am not sure if you already need to have a Mac to attend one and I think she’d be a bit intimidated in a workshop situation. Thoughts? Worth it?

Huge thanks for whatever answers you can provide.

Good advice, I'll have to take her to the Apple store but will end up saying click this, click that, she won't pick it up easily at first. Just want a feel for how far the Mac is ahead of Windows in terms of usability. I've sent through a few links of the Apple vids showing the Email client and OSX overview and Timemachine.

The tip on the single button mouse is spot on as she struggles with right button idea. She thinks once she clicks it once she has to keep using the right button.

Many thanks.

nothing is 76 year old proof!

my 50 year old parents can't figure out computers.
They just are too old and don't care.

Good luck though!!

Originally Posted by paronga

...
my 50 year old parents ...
They just are too old

Don't be rude. If 50 is too old I would hate to see what you'd say about me. I use multiple computers and operating systems. I dont think age has anything to do with it. Not caring does.

---------- Post added at 08:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:24 AM ----------

@ rockford: Your mum might be reaching a point in her life where learning anything new is going to be too difficult. I have a friend who is only a couple of years older than me. When her old laptop died (she was only 61 at the time) I tried to get her to switch to apple/OSX. I had an ibook I was able to take to her, so the trackpad and key functions were all there. She just didnt "get" it at all. We ended up going shopping for a PC with XP on board which she still uses and which she still rings me to ask why something doesnt work. I often have regrets about having introduced her to email because that causes her more grief than anything, and its almost always user error but sadly she is one of those people who can never see that she might be at fault. Its always about the computer, or the internet, or the email program, or someone is trying to steal her stuff via the internet. I've tried encouraging her to drop her net connection and go back to sending letters but she wont. I think she likes ringing me to complain.

I guess what I am saying is this: do as suggested, take her to an Apple store and see how she goes with the OS. If you dont know anything about it, thats good, because you will have to pretend total ignorance in order to see how she adapts. If she doesn't... take the Win7 path. Its close enough to what she might be used to, and as far as security is concerned is a lot better than earlier Win versions. It also comes standard on new machines. Maybe consider a cheapie laptop for her. You can get reasonable ones for under $500 now and really if she's only doing the email/web/pix thing its all she needs. And you, as sysadmin, wont be at sea when she cant do something.

I know some younger people who are pretty dumb with PCs too, it is not really age relevant but more if someone understands what they are doing to start with. Not everyone is savvy with PCs - you are either into it or not. I also had a customer at work who was in her 80s and just got herself a MBP and takes herself off to lessons at the Apple Shop - and she loves it and is fantastic on it.

The advice given is the best, take mum and let her decide if she will actually like to use one before outlaying the $$$

Been here.
Done this.

Get her the mac.
Tell her she can't break it by mucking about and muck about on it yourself.
Set her up with a static IP and let her rip!

The Mac Help menu in Finder has answers for you both and she may enjoy teaching herself using it.
Your main problem is that she has been using a pc, so has to undo that feeling that "surely this can't be the way . . . it's too simple." To import photos she sticks the memory card in the slot, counts to 10 and then hits return.

As I've said before, (Mactalk Link) you need to be prepared to go over the same ground with her again and again without a hint of impatience. She will get the hang of it by repetition, but it is important not to let that feeling creep in where she thinks she is stupid for not getting the hang of it. It's not stupidity. It's short-term memory failing and fear of doing something wrong. She has to be helped until her muscle memory does it all for her. It's unfortunate that you aren't mac compatible yourself, and can get her out of trouble with a flick of the wrist, but on the other hand, when she watches you learning on the job she may feel pretty good when she has picked up a few tricks she can show you.


I think a workshop will undermine her self-confidence, because there will be others there who may pick it up easily, and you can imagine how that would make her feel. You are the best person for the job of showing her the ropes because you speak her language and you love her and she knows it. If you chuckle at something cute she does it won't crush her spirit.

Go ahead and give her a new toy, and the sooner the better. She'll enjoy the time you spend learning a new skill together.

Originally Posted by krolly

As I've said before, (Mactalk Link) you need to be prepared to go over the same ground with her again and again without a hint of impatience. She will get the hang of it by repetition, but it is important not to let that feeling creep in where she thinks she is stupid for not getting the hang of it. It's not stupidity.

So true. Bought my 84 yo father an iMac after his pc died. It took a while before he became comfortable with the machine. He's amazed by what it can do and how easily it does it.

Originally Posted by entropy

Just a thought, what about an iPad? it would be enough for all the things she wants to do, and it is pretty intuitive. She wants to do something, she touches it. I find for older people you might want to lock the screen in landscape, but from there on it should be easy!

Thats not a bad idea. MY luddite friend loves my ipad and has no problems with it at all...

I’m thinking this is a set up problem, rather than an OS problem. Macs can behave in unpredictable ways. e.g. if I plug in a iPhone to different Macs (e.g. to charge the iPhone), sometimes Image Capture starts up, sometimes iTunes starts up. Sometimes nothing starts up (my computer is set that way).

I like Macs and all (that’s why I’m here), and my family uses Macs. But this bit isn’t correct:

I think the problem with Windows is there are so many ways to do something and my impression of Macs is they put another layer on top and say this is how we are going to do it, get used to it, so the user isn’t confused about all the different ways to do something. i.e importing photos from a camera (My computer – Browse to photos, Windows Photo Gallery Import, Camera Software Importing software, Import via Windows Live Gallery, SD slot on computer etc, etc). Is this right for Macs? It just imports them one way that I can teach her, with no surprises?

I’m fairly sure that (even) Windows can be configured such that it is fairly predictable. I’m fairly sure that Macs can also be made unpredictable depending on the setup. Either way, you may need to walk through tasks with her for a bit. I prefer doing this bit on a Mac, but YMMV etc.

I hesitate to recommend new software, because I think you would need to remove options rather than add them. But Picasa Windows seems quite sweet.

The older Classic Mac OS can be described as being considerably easier to use than a PC, since it was very straightforward turn on, turn off, click here etc.

The newer Mac OSX ditched a fair bit of that to get the security and reliability of UNIX. On the surface it may appear simpler but it has quite a number of quirks and gotchas. Still better than a PC but not markedly so.

The basic gain is the lack of malware and the very clear legibility on screen. Apple's support is excellent as well if your mother needs hand holding, as long as she has AppleCare.

Yes you can view and control her Mac remotely. You may even be able to do it from a PC if you set it up right. But definitely get her to try it for herself, my father would not be able to cope with the change. Too much to remember,

Originally Posted by Alex Morrow

I offered help of all sorts, and suggested he start by simply looking around some of the programs, however the iBook sat on his table for eighteen months without even being started. He really didn't care enough to make the effort.

It's quite right what Alex says. You don't need any computer programmes, just a browser. Alex, your friend may have been daunted by all that excess stuff. If you just have the browser ready to go, and relevant bookmarks and email, that's about all a mother needs. Even better, set up Chrome as the browser, so searching and typing urls are child's play.

As for the iPad, it's true that it may be all she needs, but to be perfectly honest, although I have used macs for 25 years, I am struggling to get my head around my iPad2. I've never had an iPhone, which I'm sure would make the transition easier, but I'm still all over the shop like a mad woman's poo! Of course, if you can use an iPhone, Rockford, you'll have a head-start on me, and that might make teaching your mother easy. Don't get her any apps until she begs you, or works out how to do it herself. The less bells and whistles the better!

Good responses all round. I took her to an Apple store which was predictably packed being the holidays, so that wasn't a good start. I managed to grabbed a machine once the kids had finished playing with iPhotoboth or whatever it's called. :-) We just went through the various things for about 10-15mins, her first question was where is the scroll wheel...oh so I just stroked the mouse and it scrolled, chalk one up for intuitive. I think it was a bit too overwhelming for her as nothing was in the 'right spot' for her (layout of Email etc, but I said we can configure that) we 'emailed' a photo to see how it was done and it seems pretty straightforward (for me). Then she was asking about her current emails and data and I assured her we could transfer them over. Then she was worried that no-one would be able to read her stuff since it was on a Mac but I said there won't be any issues there (Email, Letters). Would her printer work (I said yes, fingers crossed as I didn't know). She liked the full sized keyboard as she regularly uses the num pad so I said she can get that one as an option but it's not wireless. She liked the Launchpad and it’s big icons, as I suppose it’s close to what she is used to.

A few sales people sort of approached but could see I was teaching her stuff so let us be which was refreshing with no hard sell.

We didn't end up buying it, I could have pushed her but wanted her to be comfortable. I get the feeling it's more to do with what she is comfortable with (I told her Windows 7 is quite different also and she wanted to know if we could load XP on the new machine) which sort of confirmed to me her fears of something new.

I’ll probably get a month’s subscription to Lynda.com ($25 so not much) and get her to try out a few of the basic courses in both Mac and Win7 and see if she is any more comfortable seeing them in action.

From my perspective I noticed a few things. The screens on them are sensational. There are still a few gotachas as mentioned by someone in how things are done and it’s not as cut and dried as I thought. It takes a little while to get your head around the menu bar at the top while the main window with desktop showing is only taking up half the screen. I found the using of apps (once in them) a bit ‘mushy’ they didn’t seem as snappy as on a Windows machine, hard to explain just an overall feeling.

Once again many thanks for tips. Will report back once she decides which way to go.