NWA-PCUG Newsletter Article, March 2011
Santa Brought Your Parents a Laptop! Oh No!
Gregory West
http://gregorywest.wordpress.com
prospector16 (at) gmail.com (click to email author)

Don’t read any further, unless you need to “Teach your parents well...”

I have always enjoyed seeing people get computers for the first time. Although it is hard to detect the look in their eyes: horror or excitement.

My first computer was in 1972, it was the size of a house, well not really, but close. It was a beast of a machine, an IBM 360 located in the data centre where I worked as a keypunch programmer. My first home computer was in 1984, a Mackintosh desktop, much smaller but not easier to use. It had no help buttons as it came with an extra box of instructional manuals. I couldn’t call others for help because hardly anyone had a home computer back then. Some people still experience a huge learning curve with their first computer.

Your parents and/or grandparents may get their first computer from Santa this year...look out! Your life will never be the same. Guess what they probably know where you live. They know your home and cell phone number. They even have your work phone number. They may have mastered the art of texting. You cannot escape from the proverbial: “How do I do this?”

I know people who literally hide. They screen calls. They turn out lights and read from the reflection of their computer screens or light candles fearing a drive-by from parents. All in an effort to evade the constant cry for tech help from relatives who want to learn but cannot figure it out alone.

Sure, we must admit it is fun at first. Seeing them slowly getting the gist of how to send and receive an email. The look in their eyes when they perform their very first Google search. This is all well and good, and even sort of healthy. But when you leave them home alone, that is when it starts. The constant queries begin like this:

Parent: “HELP me.”
You: “What did you do?”
Parent: “Nothing, I didn’t touch a thing. The computer won’t do anything.”
You: “Did you reboot the computer?”
Parent: “Do what?”
You: “Restart your system.”
Parent: “Do I unplug everything?”
You: “Never mind, I’ll be right over, AGAIN.”

It won’t stop here with one visit. Now they really start seeking you out...STOP! Wait a minute. This is our parents we are talking about. The ones who asked Santa for that computer, the same one we talked them into asking Santa. Now it is our moral duty to stand up and be counted, to come to their rescue. We are like super sons and daughters. But how can we accomplish this almost impossible task and keep our sanity?

Never fear, Google is here. Google realized this is a massive problem for many siblings and most just don’t have the time to help and designed free training videos.

Introducing: “Send your parents A TECH SUPPORT care package,” from Google. No, this is not a scam, it for real. As of this writing 13,999 parents have received this care package. Ok, I can hear the questions: ”What is it?”

Google’s TECH SUPPORT is your “saving grace.” And to be honest, you might just learn some tips and tricks yourself from these videos. Here’s how it works:

There are five categories: BASICS - WWW - COMMUNICATION - MEDIA - FINDING INFORMATION. Within each category you find real help video topics in the BASIC as Copy & Paste, Screensavers, Backgrounds, Make Text Larger or Smaller. Others such as in the WWW, as Upgrade Your Browser, Make Strong Passwords, Make a Bookmark etc. All-in-all there are 37 training videos produced by Google to assist in learning basic computer to digital photos, sound, and much more. Each video is very easy to follow and learn at one’s own speed. One I really like is the “How to Unsubscribe to a Newsletter” sent by email subscription. It is easy. You send your parents the training video that matches their problem or program they want to learn.

I call this new GOOGLE TECH SUPPORT a “Post Christmas” must have for everyone. I think that within these 37 videos even you will find something you didn’t know or have forgotten how to do. Best of all, they are free with no scams attached.

For more tips visit his Blog: http://gregorywest.wordpress.com. He also is Mac Instructor for Lambton College; Webmaster at Central United Church, the home of Sarnia’s new Community Computer Training Centre at: http://goo.gl/76H15

For peace of mind go here to check out Google’s new TECH SUPPORT video training: http://www.teachparentstech.org

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