TSGL: Mail client for very old Oldies

[Tilman Brandl]

Mike,

maybe it's too early to commend her ... ;-)  Of course I've talked to her 
about it, her answer was ambivalent - she hasn't agreed yet to use a 
computer. But since I firmly believe that computers or the internet aren't 
for the younger people alone, I'll try to make it work. I've also read 
somewhere - and tend to believe this as well - that often old people 
eventually die of loneliness. What I'm trying is enabling more than 
phonecalls only. Maybe even a videophone ? Not sure about this. I do just 
skype myself for instance, but sofar don't know how to set up a camera with 
my internet access.

The problem with older people - ok,  not a problem, it's just how it works 
out for most of us after some decades: Most older people aren't too keen to 
really learn (and remember) a lot of new stuff. So what I try to put 
together is a device that doesn't take a lot of energy/time to use. And of 
course it must be easy on the eyes etc.

> good luck with your efforts to make her into a techie.

LOL. We'll see where we'll get with this.

Tilman

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Ferrell" <ferrellm at charter.net>
To: "Tech Support Guy Mailing List" <list at tsgserver.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 8:51 PM
Subject: Re: TSGL: Mail client for very old Oldies


> Tilman,
> I wish I could help you in this regard, but I just wanted to commend your
> mother for being willing (and able) to tackle some computer technology, no
> matter how simplified or basic it may be.  Just reaching 95 years of age 
> is
> a real accomplishment.  My mother made it to 96+ years and still had a 
> sharp
> mind to the very end.  Enjoy your time with your mother while you can and
> good luck with your efforts to make her into a techie.
> Mike
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tilman Brandl" <tbrandl2 at chello.at>
> To: "Tech Support Guy Mailing List" <List at tsgserver.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 11:08 AM
> Subject: TSGL: Mail client for very old Oldies
>
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> not sure whether this is a feasable project - I'm trying to set up a VERY
>> simple PC with Email and Internet for my mother who is beyond 95 years of
>> age.
>>
>> Idea is, she would have the box on her desk, and after pressing the ON 
>> key
>> a simple interface would come up, even with a few big buttons like 'Read
>> Mail', 'Send Mail to NNN', 'Send Mail to MMM'  etc. Perhaps also a simple
>> Internet Browser with as few options as possible, and maybe also a button
>> for dialing.
>>
>> This means the programs she would use should be VERY simple, adaptable
>> (mainly visually, i.e. big font characters) and with low maintenance 
>> needs
>> (I'm seeing her once a week and of course would prefer not to spend our
>> time on tech stuff).
>>
>> Preferably the OS would/should be Windows since this is what I know best.
>> Could I do this with Outlook Express + IE ? Any other mail client with
>> *simple* user interface?
>>
>> So far this all is preparatory + experimental only - I'm not sure that
>> I'll be able to make this work well enough....
>>
>> Any ideas you might have are welcome !
>> TVMIA
>>
>> Tilman