YAPCVC Debate (usability) *spyawn

[joker454]

My girlfriend is a psychologist and I ran this past her and she tells me it very unusual for people to develop irrational fears of things with which they are familiar due to age. This isn't a normal or healthy change. Not wanting too still use or do things you used too, because there is a more appealing alternative, is something else.

I was born in 1971 and my parents embraced technology early on. We had an Atari 2600 then a Commodore 64, then a series of Commodores Amigas. When I moved out on my own around the age of 21, I bought a Gateway PC (I'd seen Half-Life) and learned how it worked then built and upgraded my next two PCs and then moved to Macs mostly for professional reasons.

While I still game on PCs (OS X and Windows under Bootcamp and Parallels) I've mostly gamed on consoles since the PlayStation appeared because, for the most part, it's a hassle-free box. When I was younger I had lots of time and little money so spending hours finding the cheapest parts for my next upgrade then spending a few hours disassembling, fitting a new motherboard and/or CPU, and reassembling the PC was not an issue. Now? Well frankly we have plenty of money but time is limited and therefore precious. Like a lot of people in this situation you look to find ways to reduce spending time doing mundane things so you can spend time doing the things your enjoy. Rather than fix something yourself you'll pay somebody to do it.

Because I game infrequently, I like that I don't have to think about updating the games and system software because the PS4 will do that when I'm not using it in low power mode. Resume/restore is a godsend for parents with young children. Some games work with the OSX/Windows sleep, many don't. Overtime I want to game on Windows I have a bunch of security fixes (and a restart or time), often a Steam client upgrade, plenty of Steam game updates.

That's all fine and dandy, and I was born 1971 as well. But none of that changes what advertisers already know, that younger people are more likely to try something whereas as you get older status quo becomes more normal. As you say, you feel a console is a hassle free box so you won't go back to pc even when someone like me tells you they haven't an issue on it in years. I'd never be able to convince you because, well, you're older and that's it, your experience is burned into your rom and that's that, there's no point in wasting anymore cycles trying to get you to go back to it. On the other hand I can easily get younger people to try pc gaming, they won't be scared of it.

If you Google "PS4 controller disconnects" just as if you Google almost anything, you'll get some thousands of hits. 31,000 PS4 controller disconnects (without checking how many are actually DS4's disconnecting from PS4s - actually looking at the results it seems to be a dozen people having issues) by pure Google stats is 31,000/22,000,000 == 0.14%. You can't expect hardware to be problem free, and 0.14% is clearly not a software nor incompatibility fault.

"PC Controller disconnects" in Google has 14,900,000 hits. Lots of people using controllers on their PC including 'official' MS XB360 ones and having issues.

If you don't understand what 14,900,000 hits for "PC controller disconnects" vs 31,000 hits for "PS4 controller disconnects" means and how those two search result highlight exactly the difference between gaming on console and PC, you never will. You'll just have to persist with the view that because you personally never issues, PC doesn't have issues any worse than consoles and those with experience to the contrary are plain misguided.

I never said pc has no issues. I said I never have issues on it, but I can understand that others might especially overclockers, people that hack game settings and so on. And by definition a fixed box should always be simpler than a variable one. However my point was that these things are less likely to scare away younger people, whereas guys like you and DSoup are done with it, in your mind pc gaming is forever burned in your heads as being one way and that's it. You are now more likely to believe anecdotal evidence supporting your claim than one that doesn't.

I think you guys are taking this personally. This really isn't anything new, as you get older you just become more resistant to change and less tolerant of trying new things. If that wasn't the case then every new product would target 50 year old people with their advertising since after all they are sitting on piles of money, yet instead they target the more cash starved younger people because they are the ones more likely to try x, y or z. In spite of you guys having more disposable income, you are still not the desirable audience.

I have had a PS4 since day one, my daughter has had a PS4 for a year - both PS4s get extensive use and not once have we had an issue.

PCs however are a daily occurance, be it the internet not working - things just going slow or an outdated driver. And I don't want to even start talking about the pain I went through to install a DJ mixing deck - using the supplied disk only to find out that didn't work so I had to download the latest driver - still no joy, so I used another laptop and hey presto! lol

I really scratch my head and wonder what in heck you guys are doing that gives you daily issues. I don't get it. Even my Macbook Pro that's been running Windows runs flawless for me. Man I would never be able to run my home business if I had y'alls issues. My machines just work, day in and day out. Are you guys maybe on Windows XP? You need to go to Windows 8, that version has worked flawless for me. Even the girls I work with, they aren't rocket scientists but they rarely have issues, unless a hdd dies or something like that. Ironically the only time I've heard them bitch and complain is on iPhones, especially on iOS8 which would fuck up regularly and they would have to reboot their phones. I think you guys are this bizarre extreme case where your machines are constantly failing on a daily basis and now you think that's what is considered normal on a pc is all about. It's not.

 

[Cyan]

I personally couldn't do without a PC because I code and video edit in a significant way and tablets aren't up to that

Have you ever tried Hyperlapse?

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/05/14/meet-microsoft-hyperlapse/

 

[Deleted member 11852]

As you say, you feel a console is a hassle free box so you won't go back to pc even when someone like me tells you they haven't an issue on it in years. I'd never be able to convince you because, well, you're older and that's it, your experience is burned into your rom and that's that, there's no point in wasting anymore cycles trying to get you to go back to it. On the other hand I can easily get younger people to try pc gaming, they won't be scared of it.

So you missed where I said I still game on PC. You seem to have some irrationality, which I have observed is a persistent them in your posts, where assume anybody who isn't gaming on PC has some fear. It's most odd.

I never said pc has no issues. I said I never have issues on it, but I can understand that others might especially overclockers, people that hack game settings and so on.

Not even that. You should have a read of the Witcher 3 thread in PC Games where Silent_Buddha says he had to dig into ini files just to change the key bindings. I've had to muck around with a few PC games too. Because, you know, I game on PC as well.

And by definition a fixed box should always be simpler than a variable one. However my point was that these things are less likely to scare away younger people, whereas guys like you and DSoup are done with it, in your mind pc gaming is forever burned in your heads as being one way and that's it. You are now more likely to believe anecdotal evidence supporting your claim than one that doesn't.

Reading failure. Again.

I think you guys are taking this personally. This really isn't anything new, as you get older you just become more resistant to change and less tolerant of trying new things.

Speak for yourself. I've felt a desire to try and experience more new things as I've got older than I did when I was younger. I'm always looking for new things, major and minor, to improve my quality of life.

There are two Witcher 3 threads on these forums. One is in Console Gaming where people are talking about playing the game, The other is in PC Games where people are talking about running the game. For me the technology is a means to an end - to game. For others, it seems from the focus on the posts, the technology almost feels like the end of the means. I've lost track of the number of PC gamers who have posted in various threads that they won't buy title X because it lacks technology Y, e.g. POM, tessellation, whatever.

 

[joker454]

So you missed where I said I still game on PC. You seem to have some irrationality, which I have observed is a persistent them in your posts, where assume anybody who isn't gaming on PC has some fear. It's most odd.

Strange considering I was a console gamer for 35 years. Most odd indeed.

Not even that. You should have a read of the Witcher 3 thread in PC Games where Silent_Buddha says he had to dig into ini files just to change the key bindings. I've had to muck around with a few PC games too. Because, you know, I game on PC as well. Reading failure. Again.

Keyboard bindings is an option not even available on consoles, so no surprise that it doesn't fail on them because, well, the option isn't even there. It's like complaining that a vegetarian restaurant won't sell you a steak.

Speak for yourself. I've felt a desire to try and experience more new things as I've got older than I did when I was younger. I'm always looking for new things, major and minor, to improve my quality of life.

And that's you, ie anecdotal. Not sure what relevance that has on the masses in general, perhaps you can explain how you represent everyone. If you want to talk about reading failure, then why will no one including you address the issue of advertisers not targeting you anymore. Are they all insane for not targeting older people with all that disposable money if they are so hip and willing to try the latest stuff? Seems like financial madness to me. Or maybe they know something you don't.

EDIT: Incidentally I wasn't speaking for myself but more about the masses in general. Personally I own a ton of tech gizmos and don't intend to stop, I'm not scared of platform hopping or device hoping either, I use whatever whenever, but that's just me. If it runs on a flow of electrons then I'm willing to try it.

There are two Witcher 3 threads on these forums. One is in Console Gaming where people are talking about playing the game, The other is in PC Games where people are talking about running the game. For me the technology is a means to an end - to game. For others, it seems from the focus on the posts, the technology almost feels like the end of the means. I've lost track of the number of PC gamers who have posted in various threads that they won't buy title X because it lacks technology Y, e.g. POM, tessellation, whatever.

That's this pc forum, which is the most dead pc forum in existence and hence why someone like me that plays games on pc (with no issues) doesn't post there. The console forums here nowadays are more often than not people complaining about bad frame rates and visual issues rather than talking about the game itself. It's always the same, new console game comes out and people bitch and moan about why it looks and runs like ass, or complaints on dlc costs and how its ruining gaming, or complaints on the latest bugs or online issues, or complaints that a game is not 1080p, etc, etc, with occasional comments on people actually playing the game thrown in on random occasion. Point being, you don't come to b3d forums to talk about games, this is more of a place to talk tech stuff. Talk about the games themselves in general is sparse here be it pc or console gaming.

 

[Nesh]

That's this pc forum, which is the most dead pc forum in existence and hence why someone like me that plays games on pc (with no issues) doesn't post there. The console forums here nowadays are more often than not people complaining about bad frame rates and visual issues rather than talking about the game itself. It's always the same, new console game comes out and people bitch and moan about why it looks and runs like ass, or complaints on dlc costs and how its ruining gaming, or complaints on the latest bugs or online issues, or complaints that a game is not 1080p, etc, etc, with occasional comments on people actually playing the game thrown in on random occasion. Point being, you don't come to b3d forums to talk about games, this is more of a place to talk tech stuff. Talk about the games themselves in general is sparse here be it pc or console gaming.

Eh? I dont see that complaining and moaning as extensively as you claim. Most of the time framerates are decent. Of course there would be exceptions were framerates are like ass, but this is no different from cases where we might get shitty graphics, bad game design and crap gameplay in general.
If gaming on a console was that crap we wouldnt be buying them in the first place.
People may complain though when some games that arent doing anything special appear to have significant framerate issues.

 

[joker454]

Eh? I dont see that complaining and moaning as extensively as you claim. Most of the time framerates are decent. Of course there would be exceptions were framerates are like ass, but this is no different from cases where we might get shitty graphics, bad game design and crap gameplay in general.
If gaming on a console was that crap we wouldnt be buying them in the first place.
People may complain though when some games that arent doing anything special appear to have significant framerate issues.

To see it more easily, just check out other gaming forums, they talk about games themselves there far more than here. This forum is more tech oriented so it's not surprising that conversations usually head in that direction though.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Strange considering I was a console gamer for 35 years. Most odd indeed.

And now you have switched to PC, it's clear that anybody who does not also favour your chosen platform is doing so out of "fear". Right, it's obviously fear. Fear is the number one reason consoles sell at all. Fear of PCs. Fear of Windows. Fear of the Ghost of Bill Gates.

Keyboard bindings is an option not even available on consoles, so no surprise that it doesn't fail on them because, well, the option isn't even there. It's like complaining that a vegetarian restaurant won't sell you a steak.

Ooh, another swing and miss for ex-console gamer. You can reconfigure PS4 DualShock controls. In any game.

And that's you, ie anecdotal. Not sure what relevance that has on the masses in general, perhaps you can explain how you represent everyone.

Of course, your experiences are fact and representative of the world, my experiences are anecdotal and representative of just me. I know people more senior than myself and more younger than myself who are set in their ways and content with how they live their lives. I know people who are open to new ideas as well. Age seemingly has no bearing on one's ability to maintain an open mind. As you seem to doubt the existence or ability of older people to embrace new ideas you might find it instructive to review the ages of nobel prize winners who have pushed the boundaries in their fields. These are not stacked in the favour of youth.

That's this pc forum, which is the most dead pc forum in existence and hence why someone like me that plays games on pc (with no issues) doesn't post there.

Actually if your look in the Console Games thread you'll also see PC gamers posting in there and, yes, they are posting about their ability to run the game. I understand that some PC gamers, seemingly enlightened enough to embrace the platform, can't find the PC Games forum.

The console forums here nowadays are more often than not people complaining about bad frame rates and visual issues rather than talking about the game itself. It's always the same, new console game comes out and people bitch and moan about why it looks and runs like ass, or complaints on dlc costs and how its ruining gaming, or complaints on the latest bugs or online issues, or complaints that a game is not 1080p, etc, etc, with occasional comments on people actually playing the game thrown in on random occasion

There are few such posts on console games but they are very much in the minority. I know this because I actually do read and post to the gaming forums here. You know the big game this week is The Witcher 3 and it may shock and dismay you to know that the overwhelming source of complaining about the game's quality on each platform isn't consoles but PC owners.

Point being, you don't come to b3d forums to talk about games, this is more of a place to talk tech stuff. Talk about the games themselves in general is sparse here be it pc or console gaming.

Clearly you don't but others do. You could actually take a look. Are you ready to have your preconceived notions challenged with actual facts?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

However my point was that these things are less likely to scare away younger people, whereas guys like you and DSoup are done with it, in your mind pc gaming is forever burned in your heads as being one way and that's it. You are now more likely to believe anecdotal evidence supporting your claim than one that doesn't.

No it's not. Why are you ignoring what I'm actually telling you? I have a Windows 7 PC I built myself a year or so ago. I've been looking at maybe going PC for a year or so instead of getting PS4. I've a Steam account and I try it out a little. I have had a few real problems within the last few years, which the PC has always had. It's not a case that I got burned in 1987 with .ini files and .bat files and trying to load the AdLib drivers high. It's the fact that I bought a new game on Steam instead of PS3 and on PC it has this dumb issue where it won't play at 60 fps unless I switch to windowed and back, and I know that's a rare issue created from the PC ecosystem. That's a real issue in the last few months. It's not an anecdote but a real life personal experience. And an experience that supports what the PC platform is - a mass of highly complex components running with crazy fine tolerances at ridiculous clock-rates on human-written firmware and software that has so many uncontrollable interactions that there will be issues.

Console games also have bugs. Borderlands on PS3 had crap voice-chat which annoyed no end. The devs also didn't do anything to fix it. But I knew it was the devs fault as that's the only explanation on console, and I didn't have to spend hours and hours trying to solve the issue on my end not knowing what the cause was. Had I had that issue on PC, I'd have been plugging and poking and editing and tweaking and posting on forums. That unknown on PC is one of the main factors discouraging console gamers from using it.

I'm also not at all averse to gaming on PC and continue to evaluate it as a platform and weigh its pros and cons against consoles. If Windows 10 does what we hope and expect it to, it's far more likely I'll switch. Though TBH I do so little gaming these days it doesn't matter much!

I think you guys are taking this personally. This really isn't anything new, as you get older you just become more resistant to change and less tolerant of trying new things.

That's patently untrue. People's attitude to change can vary all through their life. Some people are very resistant in their younger years and grow to be more adventurous, and some start adventurous and become more conservative, and some start one way and stay the same. How's about instead of taking a generalisation you actually listen to the comments in this thread and understand what's going on, where no-one's avoiding PC because they're getting older, and re-evaluate your clearly incorrect world-view? Perhaps you're too old to change it?

If that wasn't the case then every new product would target 50 year old people with their advertising since after all they are sitting on piles of money, yet instead they target the more cash starved younger people because they are the ones more likely to try x, y or z. In spite of you guys having more disposable income, you are still not the desirable audience.

Or we're not so stupid to be taken in by cheap advertising gimmicks and make our purchases and investments on more in-depth considerations and better credentials than some smiling models looking happy using said product?

How many 30 to 50 year olds (my assumed major demographic of B3D) do you know who refuse to use a mobile because they're scary? Who are writing that they're terrified of what VR is going to bring and want gaming to stop at TVs? Who don't even post on internet forums because they liked the good old days of talking to people face to face? Firstly people don't get like that till they're proper old. Secondly we're a generation that has grown up with unprecedented change and so accepting change is part of our culture, so the likelihood of us repeating the behaviour of our forefathers is greatly reduced.

Your argument is one of the most detached from reality I've read in ages.

 

[joker454]

You guys are creating strawmen so fast that I can't keep up. I'm not going to spend all day replying to posts that have nothing to do with what I'm talking about just to make your arguments work. Instead I'll try and optimize this reply in hopes you guys can again not take this personally and figure out what I mean

Ooh, another swing and miss for ex-console gamer. You can reconfigure PS4 DualShock controls. In any game.

I was talking about keyboard bindings.

As you seem to doubt the existence or ability of older people to embrace new ideas you might find it instructive to review the ages of nobel prize winners who have pushed the boundaries in their fields. These are not stacked in the favour of youth.

Sigh, no that's not what I'm saying. Read down below.

Clearly you don't but others do. You could actually take a look. Are you ready to have your preconceived notions challenged with actual facts?

I did and do, and we clearly see the same forum in two different ways. Apparently I'm supposed to accept yours as the factual and unbiased view though and all those posts that I see don't exist and are a figment of my imagination.

How many 30 to 50 year olds (my assumed major demographic of B3D) do you know who refuse to use a mobile because they're scary?

That demographic is more likely to go for an iPhone because they fear Android as being too complicated. Younger audiences buy Android in droves because they don't fear it or are willing to tolerate its idiosyncrasies because they want to try something new or they want what it offers. Or to word it in the simplest english I can possibly muster, the younger crowd are less likely to avoid something than the older crowd both because they have fewer past experiences to make them "fear" it and because they are more willing to try new things even if it sometimes means compromises. Or let me try and word this in an even more simple manner for those in the cheap seats.

CASE 1:
1) I talk to some old guy or gal about playing a game on a pc.
2) They immediately go on about drivers, Windows, this and that and have little interest in using a pc to play other than occasional gaming. They "fear" that something will just go wrong so they would rather just play on console even if downgraded.

CASE 2:
1) I talk to a young guy or gal about playing a game on a pc.
2) They hop on the couch with me and say "sure, let's play". They don't have any baggage preventing them from considering pc as an option, and even if they know there might some issues be they don't care because they are open to trying whatever and they are open to solving issues that come along to get a better or just new experience.

Here, one more case this one regarding phones so that any console bias can be removed.

CASE 1:
1) I talk to some old guy or gal about buying an Android phone.
2) They immediately go on about Android issues, quirks, reliability and have little interest in one and prefer to get an iPhone even if it means reduced functionality.

CASE 2:
1) I talk to a young guy or gal about buying an Android phone.
2) They know about it's various little quirks and that's ok, they don't fear Android phones and end up buying one for the perks and extra features it offers even if it means having occasional hiccups.

Is that clear now, or still too complicated and hurting y'alls feelings? Good god guys, the point was so simple and you guys dragged it out into this long rigmarole.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

More fear. Right.

 

[goonergaz]

I said I never have issues on it, but I can understand that others might especially overclockers, people that hack game settings and so on.

lol, Do you really believe that? Really? I certainly cannot believe you have NEVER had an issue with a PC. I mean, I might just save the company I work for millions by getting them to employ you.

Is that clear now, or still too complicated and hurting y'alls feelings? Good god guys, the point was so simple and you guys dragged it out into this long rigmarole.

Ah, so people don't buy Andriod because of cost, or because they don't like the licence restrictions of Apple or anything like that...cheers for clearing that up.

 

[joker454]

lol, Do you really believe that? Really? I certainly cannot believe you have NEVER had an issue with a PC. I mean, I might just save the company I work for millions by getting them to employ you.

Yup, no issues. It's my gaming pc and render box for videos and that's all it does. It works, day in day out for years now. It has Vegas Pro, Steam and games installed on it, that's it and it's currently wrapping up a 16 hour overnight render of yesterdays video shoot. I'm about to plop a second 970 into it after that. Same with my Macbook Pro with Windows 8.1, it works day and and day out. The last pc issue I ever heard of was because the girls hdd was dying, and her laptop was really old anyways and somewhat abused (she traveled a lot). Outside of forums like this where it seems like everyone has viruses and driver issues, I don't hear of pc issues at all.

Ah, so people don't buy Andriod because of cost, or because they don't like the licence restrictions of Apple or anything like that...cheers for clearly that up.

I didn't say that. Sigh, maybe I'm typing in greek and not realizing it. I'm sure some people go for cost or whatever reasons. But the perception that Android is more complicated, buggy or whatever still exists and will scare away some people. That's had little effect on the younger crowd that have bought it in droves.

Anyways I really don't know how else to word this.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Is that clear now, or still too complicated and hurting y'alls feelings?

It's not complicated or hurting - it's wrong. Your data is bunkum. Where do you get that 30+ folk won't use Android because it's scary?! Like...what stats have you got, and where do they make it apparent that the reason the younger kids have Android isn't because of price but because they are more courageous, and the reason the 40+ year olds have iPhones is because they aren't comfortable trying something different? To me, that's a completely absurd interpretation.

Especially when one takes a moment to get some data...
http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Data-Mine/iOS-App-Users-Skew-Younger-than-Android-Counterparts

Younger audiences buy Android in droves because they don't fear it or are willing to tolerate its idiosyncrasies because they want to try something new or they want what it offers.

What data is that based on? As of August 2014 in USA, 20% of youngest demographic have iPhone, 16% have Android. "Buy Android in droves." That's plain bollocks, quite frankly. Crusty old 35-44 year olds too afraid to game on PC because they're too set in their ways - 20% Android, 20% iOS.

It's not a view anyone who's lived life with eyes open could entertain. I can only think that your personal experiences are peculiar to Californian culture. About the closest I can come to agreeing with you is people who already have a solution not being interested in learning a new solution because it's quite frankly often a waste of time and, as DSoup has mentioned above, we have different priorities. Fear/anxiety of change doesn't come into it.

Look at this quick Google. http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/five-ways-i-survived-the-switch-from-iphone-to-android/.
Guy's been a tech journalist for 25 years. He makes the switch to Android. What was his concern?That he was used to iOS and already knew how to navigate it effectively, so there was an additional learning curve that impacted his use of his device. Fear doesn't enter into it. I present my Android phone to a 15 year old and she can't navigate it. I in turn had trouble getting around iPad after a few years' Android use because it's different and assumptions on my part don't work.

In short, you're presenting theories and conclusions based on make-believe, seemingly your only data being people you've bumped into. There's no reality to what you're saying, and your only reference are hypotheticals based on your anecdotes.

 

[goonergaz]

I had no idea it was more buggy, and I'll be honest I'm sure people who buy it are probably doing so because they are not as 'protected' as iPhones and cheaper, simples

 

[joker454]

It's not complicated or hurting - it's wrong. Your data is bunkum. Where do you get that 30+ folk won't use Android because it's scary?! Like...what stats have you got, and where do they make it apparent that the reason the younger kids have Android isn't because of price but because they are more courageous, and the reason the 40+ year olds have iPhones is because they aren't comfortable trying something different? To me, that's a completely absurd interpretation.

I didn't say won't use Android, I said they are more likely to fear it and hence less likely to use it. That's doesn't mean no one will use it, but they are less likely to choose it as their device of choice. Check this link for example:

http://www.statista.com/statistics/271228/android-vs-iphone-mobile-owners-age/

It's the first link I found because I have to bail, and I picked USA data because that's Apple's stronghold that way people can't say "Yeah but it's all Android owners in that country". It's 2 year old data but still you can see how android use drops compared to iphone as people get older. And from that article it says "Amongst younger cell phone owners it was more common to own an Android phone." That chart also shows generally speaking that as people get older, the less inclined they are to have such a tech oriented device like a smartphone even though they have more disposable income whereas young people are all over it. I presume the only thing stopping the 18-24 age bracket from having higher ownership percentage is money, at that age they are probably still cash strapped.

Especially when one takes a moment to get some data...
http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Data-Mine/iOS-App-Users-Skew-Younger-than-Android-Counterparts

That doesn't actually tell you anything because it's "app users" not phone users. If someone buys a phone and doesn't use apps (ie, old folk), they won't be represented in that chart.

Look at this quick Google. http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/five-ways-i-survived-the-switch-from-iphone-to-android/.
Guy's been a tech journalist for 25 years. He makes the switch to Android. What was his concern?That he was used to iOS and already knew how to navigate it effectively, so there was an additional learning curve that impacted his use of his device. Fear doesn't enter into it. I present my Android phone to a 15 year old and she can't navigate it. I in turn had trouble getting around iPad after a few years' Android use because it's different and assumptions on my part don't work.

That's just one guy voicing his anecdotal opinion. His primary concern was more likely writing an interesting article that will get people to come to the website and read it, or link to it.

 

[Sonic]

My experience with old people must be different than others, as long as they still have their wits about them. Both my grandmother and grandfather are in their 80's and have adapted to smartphones and tablets just fine. Those two have rarely ever been stubborn to new tech, especially if it makes their lives easier. They do need guidance from time to time, but nothing major. And my uncle well into his 60's still programs for a a big bank and constantly studying to remain competitive.

As for an 18 year old building her own computer and playing PC games on Steam....that's bad ass. Is that the norm? Most people in the 18-24 range I know have little to no idea how to build their own computers. A good portion of them do play PC games whether its FPS or MMO of some sorts or strategy. Even of those most of them can't build their own computers. I tend to think the vast majority of people, regardless of age, would rather not bother with the task. It's kind of like changing oil in a car. While the process itself is simple and easy most people can't be bothered because it can be a dirty mess or it's just super convenient to go to a garage sit for a few minutes and then go on about our merry way. For those that do change their own oil, it's either because they're cheap or they are an enthusiast on some level. That's not going to change. Sure more young people might get into it, but those building their own computers will still be a rarity.

 

[joker454]

As for an 18 year old building her own computer and playing PC games on Steam....that's bad ass. Is that the norm?

Definitely not the norm. More often than not they game on their phone, they seem to like "Geotagging" games a bunch, games that use the phones mapping feature and involve more social elements. For example one girl showed me a zombie game she played when she would go run, her phone would make noises if she was being chased by zombies, or it would show her on the map where to run to (real life locations since it uses mapping data) to pick up supplies, etc. Another girl played a game that would show her on a map where portals were that she could attack and take over and she would use that game when she went on walks. I can't remember the names of either game off hand alas but I had never heard of them before, they are not the types of games typically talked about on websites. To that point if the report that Shifty linked that trends app data only goes by typical popular games like Angry Birds, Flappy Bird or whatever, they those girls would not even be registered on that chart percentage at all. Aside from that the last girl I filmed was playing a game I think called "The Room" where you are in a room and have to figure out how to exit. And of course they all love Kinect games. On the more rare occasion you find hard core gamer girls that game on pc or console at Cod, Skyrim, etc...

 

[BRiT]

Ingress, thats the Google subdivision game using portals. Blue vs Green.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

My experience with old people must be different than others, as long as they still have their wits about them. Both my grandmother and grandfather are in their 80's and have adapted to smartphones and tablets just fine. Those two have rarely ever been stubborn to new tech, especially if it makes their lives easier. They do need guidance from time to time, but nothing major. And my uncle well into his 60's still programs for a a big bank and constantly studying to remain competitive.

As for an 18 year old building her own computer and playing PC games on Steam....that's bad ass. Is that the norm? Most people in the 18-24 range I know have little to no idea how to build their own computers. A good portion of them do play PC games whether its FPS or MMO of some sorts or strategy. Even of those most of them can't build their own computers. I tend to think the vast majority of people, regardless of age, would rather not bother with the task. It's kind of like changing oil in a car. While the process itself is simple and easy most people can't be bothered because it can be a dirty mess or it's just super convenient to go to a garage sit for a few minutes and then go on about our merry way. For those that do change their own oil, it's either because they're cheap or they are an enthusiast on some level. That's not going to change. Sure more young people might get into it, but those building their own computers will still be a rarity.

That to me isn't the norm. My father, my 2 aunts, and my uncle (all senior citizens) all have feature phones because smartphones are "too complicated." I've asked around my circle of friends and that's generally how things are in their families as well.

Going back to when my grandparents were still alive. They didn't buy their first VCR until the 2000's. Well, they didn't buy it. But they finally kept one that was given to them as a gift. As long as that other person set it up. And then promptly never used it.

Unlike with smartphones that wasn't quite the norm though. What was fairly normal was a lot of people in that age group not knowing how to program their VCRs. Having to have their sons/daughters/grandsons/granddaughters program the VCR to record something or set the clock.

Computer use mirrors that as well. I spend a lot of my time working with the elderly. I like to volunteer my time to help them out as they often have lots of interesting stories to tell (the 1920's, 1930's, and 1940's were O.O, not to mention the first hand accounts of WW1 and WW2) and lots of interesting things to teach. And they tend to be lonely as well since people don't visit them that often. Such a shame. Anyway, I get a lot of exposure to older people ever since the early 90's when I started doing this.

By and large the vast majority of them experiment with thing less and less as they get older. Sticking with things they know. Experience teaches us to not repeat the errors of our past and all that. Once something gets stuck in their heads when they are younger (under 35-40), it's very rare for them to change their minds when they are older. With effort you can sometimes get that to change, but that's the exception rather than the norm. Which means, yes there's still some adventurous elderly people open to change. And it's always a joy to see one because it's so rare.

Because of that I work very hard to keep an open mind. But even with that. I don't experiment as I did in the past. It's been over a decade now since the last time I "customized" Windows, for example. I don't see the point in smartphones as another example, but at least am open minded enough to see how other people value them.

Regards,
SB

 

[joker454]

Ingress, thats the Google subdivision game using portals. Blue vs Green.

Yup, that was it.