Tech for parents
28 August 2006. Inspired by what at first seemed stupid.
Technology is a funny thing - one end pushes the boundaries, while at the back people work on using that same tech to give users less freedom, less funcionality, fewer options (and lots of DRM badness built in - though it does strangely encourage sharing). But you know what? My mum could use this without needing to phone me. And so it has a place.
In my day job, I spend a fair amount of time explaining what advances in high-end tech could mean for the everyday streetwalker. These guys do the same thing, only in three dimensions. We're both gleaners/bottomfeeders/wakeboarders, one way or another.
The one thing still lacking is a truly simplified operating system. Like Safe Mode, but a bit more usable. My mum wants internet, word processing, image processing, printing, all in an instinctive interface that requires no explanation. She just turned Mac, but it's still not enough. Every year we move forward, every year we add more things that confuse people who can't keep up. Every major soft- and hardware company should have a Department of Simplified Tech.
Meanwhile, the tech types get on with building fully functional and programmable fun. API! API! (which makes me wonder what tool my mum would create for the Chumby...)