Forum Moderators: buckworks
One was my in-laws, on was my in-laws parents and one was my friend's parents. All older people, all only vaugly familer with this whole internet thing. It was incredible what I learned from them.
1. I set up my IL computer with the default homepage to Google. Thought it was a good choice. Good results, simple layout, easy to use. My sister-in-law promptly changes it to Yahoo, "'cause it's better". IL go with it without even trying either out.
Lesson: Trusted source will drive a newbie over knowledgable source. I'm not saying G is better than Y!, I just figured for a newbie, G was easier. Didn't matter a bit when it came down to it. They were willing to take the opinion of a grade school art teacher who was their daughter over an internet professional.
2. Friend's father is explaining that with his new connection, MSN search is required. When I try to explain that it's only a suggestion, not a requirement, blank stares and arguments are produced.
Lesson: Newbies have no clue what is allowed on the internet nor do they want to take you opinion over what they think.
3. IL's parents are afraid to hook up the computer. The internet is filled with "bad" things.
Lesson: Perhaps the reason people are not all connecting to the internet is not because the can't afford it or they are not interested, but because they are afraid.
Are these new lessons? No. But boy does seeing them in action reinforce what we are up against in building a site. When you consider that less than 50% of the US is online, this is kind of scary.
Having the opportunity to stand over the shoulder of an average user is, I think, one of the great levelers for us.
[webmasterworld.com...]
(I still recommend the thick leather strap clenched firmly between teeth when witnessing such events, HL.)
A family member stated that they refuse to buy anything over the internet because it's not safe to transmit information like that. I asked how likely it was someone magically grabbing their information out of everything else as it went across the net, or just tapping into an ATM machine's phone line and knowing that all information going across it is usable. That freaked them out even more.
This is the same person by the way that gives their credit card information over their cell phone without a 2nd thought.
Regarding:
Lesson: Trusted source will drive a newbie over knowledgable source. I'm not saying G is better than Y!, I just figured for a newbie, G was easier. Didn't matter a bit when it came down to it. They were willing to take the opinion of a grade school art teacher who was their daughter over an internet professional.
I'm surprised that this surpises you. There's a huge difference between Google and Yahoo. People, especially new people, flock to Yahoo not because of the search or whatever we might think the reason is, but because Yahoo is a guide (whereas Google is more of a map).
With people that afraid of the basics of the internet, is it a wonder that many are afraid to purchase things over the internet?
A family member stated that they refuse to buy anything over the internet because it's not safe to transmit information like that. I asked how likely it was someone magically grabbing their information out of everything else as it went across the net, or just tapping into an ATM machine's phone line and knowing that all information going across it is usable. That freaked them out even more.This is the same person by the way that gives their credit card information over their cell phone without a 2nd thought.
This is quite understandable, though. People's cell phones don't get virus keystroke loggers installed.
People's cell phones don't get virus keystroke loggers installed.
Not that they're needed, when the person is reciting the number outloud over an unsecured line.
Heck, the biggest security threat of all is handing your card over to someone at a restaurant who wanders off with it and does who knows what.
People are all paranoid about high tech hacking when they don't think at all about easy low tech thieving methods.
Obviously I changed the passwords after I saw their printouts but it made me wonder... is any telephone login through a PABX or switchboard secure? I don't think they are so since then I haven't done phone banking or other "SECURE" password stuff like voicemail through a switched phone connection.
