# What is your reaction when someone says they "don't do computers?" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 14, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111 "2015-07-14T02:48:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/81 "2015-07-15T19:31:41Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Or to put it this way: > > When you’re about to die, and you’re thinking about your regrets in life, do you think you’ll be saying to yourself: “Oh, man, I wish I had spent more time in front of my computer”? Hell yes. I’m a compulsive programmer. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/82 "2015-07-15T19:40:02Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > And what’s a good snappy comeback when someone tells you they don’t do computers? Come over (or fire it up, lets go to one), and I’ll show you how. This assumes I really want to teach them, which means they sit down in front of the keyboard and do the typing and mousing - I don’t do it for them. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/83 "2015-07-15T19:50:54Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > My father reportedly worked at one time with a guy who’d save each and every one of his reports as “MyDocument.doc”. This was before Windows/Office automagically created parallel duplicates. > Ayup : he overwrote every. Single. Time. Then put the company in the shit every time it needed historical data. > > Some people make you feel there oughta be a computer driving licence. That’s even worse than an ex-coworker I had. Among many other sins she refused to save spreadsheets, instead she would fill in the data in a ‘template’ spreadsheet then print out and file the hardcopy. And then deliberately not save her changes. There were two reasons for this: 1) she thought that saving ‘extra’ files would clog up her machine and slow down its access to the server (but streaming radio on her computer couldn’t possibly have such an effect) and 2) it would push files off of the ‘recently accessed files’ in excel which was not just the only way she could find the files but she honestly believed that if a file was no longer on that list the computer had deleted it. Nothing me, our boss, or our IT guy said could convince her that she was wrong. Let’s just say it was ‘fun’ when a disaster wrecked half of our stored hardcopy files:rolleyes:. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/84 "2015-07-15T19:59:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The people I described certainly have experience, or at least the ones who had a working life do, but they have chosen to completely eschew having one in their homes. It seems odd to deliberately limit one’s world, and then to act all superior for having done so. > [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > I dunno. A lot of the time I feel like having a computer is limiting my world just as much. > > I’ve missed out on day trips to the countryside, enjoying my hobbies, adventures in the outside world, conversations with real people, heck, probably entire relationships and careers, because I’ve been sitting here surfing porn and playing games all day instead. > > Computers and the internet make my life a lot better, absolutely. But it seems like they’re making it worse in equal measure. Sometimes I wish someone would at least restrict my access to my computer, to, say, a couple of days a week at most. My life would be better. And I don’t seem to have the will power to do it myself. > > Maybe one day I’ll choose to simply not own a computer, since I can’t really use one responsibly. At least for a while, to see how it goes. I can certainly see why someone would do that. **Martian Bigfoot** – at times, I feel the way that you do, as set out above. More of the time, though, I don’t. I’ve been an Internet addict for about the past ten years; which have been a lot happier for me, than my preceding 55 or so. Porn and games, not my personal Internet “bag” – but basically, all comes down Net-wise, to the same thing. For a socially awkward, timid, thin-skinned character like me: life on the Net beats interacting in “meatspace” (which word I’ll repeat) with real people – with all their capacities for nastiness – hands down. You’re at several removes; and if it gets too unpleasant, you can just “bail” and go elsewhere, a good deal easier than you can in meatspace. It would quite likely be beneficial to me character-wise if, in meatspace, I were to be suddenly seized and thrust into the Gulag (depending on whether / for how long, I survived the experience); but that’s not something for which I’m about to volunteer. By the way, before people ask – I live not in my parents’ basement, but in a house which I rent from my brother and his wife. > [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Or to put it this way: > > When you’re about to die, and you’re thinking about your regrets in life, do you think you’ll be saying to yourself: “Oh, man, I wish I had spent more time in front of my computer”? I have so many other regrets about how I’ve led my life,and the screw-ups I’ve committed in it; that the above issue is for me, not even in the picture. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/85 "2015-07-15T21:15:59Z")
I think less of people who drive cars and can’t change a tire. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/86 "2015-07-15T23:39:55Z")
My dad, I love him dearly, but is just horrible when it comes to using a computer. Part of the problem is that he never learned to type, so it’s all hunt and peck for him. That and he’s really just not interested in doing all that much – it’s more of a case of him using it only when he needs something. (Like looking something up, e-mail, printing something out, etc) So because he doesn’t use it all the time, he tends to get annoyed when he can’t figure something out. But he’s really good at other things that would have me throwing up my hands, so I can’t say he’s stupid or or a luddite. My mother’s the one that drives me crazy. She keeps confusing memory and storage. On my last computer, she freaked when I installed The Sims, and told me I should put it on a zip drive, even though I told her it wouldn’t work. She was convinced it would take up the whole computer, give me malware, etc. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/87 "2015-07-16T01:02:02Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > If you don’t want to use a computer in your personal life, knock yourself out. But if you want to business without one, you’re fucked. I still occasionally encounter someone who will say: “Fax it to me, I don’t do email”. They don’t get my business. > [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > In the legal business, there exist a fair number of lawyers (who are older, but not _that_old, maybe in their sixties) who make a point of not using computers at all > > They’ll give their secretaries access to their email accounts, and their secretaries will print out emails for them, and they will hand-write a response, and the secretary will then respond to their emails. > > For other stuff, like conflict checking and billing and expenses and so on, again, they’ll turn it all over to their secretaries. “Honey, we don’t do the cloud. We don’t even do email. The boss gave us typewriters. The accountant wanted to start using a computer, so he fire her.” True conversation a few months ago. How the someone can run a law firm without computers is beyond me. It’s willful stupidity; deliberately retarding your entire business to make a point only you get. > [@kanicbird](#): > > This assumes I really want to teach them, which means they sit down in front of the keyboard and do the typing and mousing - I don’t do it for them. I realized a few years back that the reason Solitaire is on every Windows machine (except when IT deletes it) is to painlessly teach mousing skills. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/88 "2015-07-16T13:07:41Z")
My primary physician, a partnership of about half a dozen doctors, doesn’t communicate with patients by email. I’m a little astounded by that. My orthopedic surgeon’s office certainly does so I’m guessing there’s no specific regulations prohibiting it? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/89 "2015-07-16T13:18:05Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Or to put it this way: > > When you’re about to die, and you’re thinking about your regrets in life, do you think you’ll be saying to yourself: “Oh, man, I wish I had spent more time in front of my computer”? BUT, you are probably saving money by staying home! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/90 "2015-07-18T03:44:41Z")
I use cloud storage (Google Drive) AND a portable hard drive. Beat THAT! (Mainly because the last cloud storage service I used got shut down and I lost all my files. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/91 "2015-09-07T20:06:54Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > The point is already rapidly approaching where such an attitude is roughly equal to > > “I don’t like to read or write, learning these symbols is a waste of time” > “shoes? god gave us thick skin on our feet” > “soap? Naw, just use water…” It’s more like somebody who doesn’t drive, or carry a mobile phone. Or watch television. (A little more sympathy from Dopers on this one.) In any case, it is perfectly possible to not only get by, but have a full and interesting life, without embracing one of these generally pervasive technologies. _Your_ lifestyle may not work that way, but you are not everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/92 "2015-09-07T20:14:39Z")
Don’t drive: Check. No mobile phone: I leave mine at home a lot of the time. No television: Mostly check. Yeah, you’d be OK. As for soap, the Romans didn’t have it, at least for most of their history. Although I do use that. Come to think of it, the Romans didn’t have computers, either. Although I’m completely at a loss to explain how they got by without any. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/93 "2015-09-07T20:19:44Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Come to think of it, the Romans didn’t have computers, either. Although I’m completely at a loss to explain how they got by without any. Lower man-hour productivity, but they made up for it by have lots of cheap labor. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/94 "2015-09-07T20:25:33Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Lower man-hour productivity, but they made up for it by have lots of cheap labor. I wonder if a slave-powered computer could be a workable technology. How many hamsters equal one slave? ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/95 "2015-09-08T03:06:33Z")
I have 20ish relatives. They do not do the “internets” or “computers”. One wants to be a game developer. He does not know a single programing language and has no desire to learn one. I have no words. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/96 "2015-09-08T03:12:21Z")
I take it back. I found out recently that my dad has been hitting the power button after he shuts down the computer before he turns off the surge protector. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/97 "2015-09-08T05:22:17Z")
My problem is that computers do what you tell them to do, not what you want them to do. Big hands and small keys = ::: ARG ::::: I’m 72, HP-43 when they first came out, slide rules E6-B for flying, LORAN before GPS but the actual home computer I did not really even have until 1996. 14.4 Baud was really flying… I can’t write code but I can do HTML, that is where I got dealt the ‘tinny mistake’ = nothing works lesson again & again. Build my own computers, have strong opinions one what I like best, hate new cars because I can’t really do much to them other that regular maintenance items. I hope they get voice commands down much better before I clock out. Smart phone, favorite thing is voice to text. Cuts out my inability to spell and my fat fingers. Down side is people who can not survive without a computer. Can’t add or subtract. Can’t build a fire. Can’t drive without GPS. Can’t read a map. And especially the ones who do not realize that there are people out there that you do not say to their face what they say on their computer with the protection of it’s anonymity. ---
**Author:** ![Inna\_Minnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Inna\_Minnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inna_Minnit)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/98 "2015-09-08T13:49:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > If you don’t want to use a computer in your personal life, knock yourself out. But if you want to business without one, you’re fucked. I still occasionally encounter someone who will say: “Fax it to me, I don’t do email”. They don’t get my business. In my job email isn’t secure enough. We have to have fax. Or snailmail. Or hand delivery. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/99 "2015-09-08T18:51:36Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > I realized a few years back that the reason Solitaire is on every Windows machine (except when IT deletes it) is to painlessly teach mousing skills. And Minesweeper for a slightly different set of mouse skills.\* Part of my current job is to teach people (mostly 50+ in age) very basic computer skills - essentially enough for job hunting. A fair proportion of the ones who have never used a computer will say something like “Oh, they are too complicated for me”. My response to that is often “Can you work the remote control for your TV, because if so, getting on the internet is pretty easy in comparison”, and I’ve found that a good way to manage down the expectation of difficulty. - I’ve found Google Street View a good way to help with mouse skills too, and it’s also got enough “wow factor” to grab most peoples interest. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111/100 "2015-09-08T19:18:18Z")
Computer competency relies on an awful lot of abstraction, representation, and symbolic interpretation that is, frankly, a lot of work, and is a skill set that not everyone has in equal measure. I know plenty of bright, “normal,” talented people who are baffled by computers. I don’t fault them for it; true computer proficiency is a kind of dificult task, which involves not only the things I mentioned above, but regular shifting and developing of skills as the technology changes. It is an active learning skill that very quickly can deteriorate. Also, it’s people who are perpetually unskilled at computers who keep making me look good at work, so I can’t be too critical of them! 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-reaction-when-someone-says-they-dont-do-computers/725111.md?page=6)