Too often I find things complicated computer wise and wish that I had more smarts to figure things out.
Just look at my header! What is there is thanks to my son. I'm too afraid to throw everything away and start from scratch. There are unknowns that I don't feel comfortable with. I would like to be assured that there will not be snags on the way. I had buttons on my header at one time. Three buttons! I made them myself and it seemed simple. About a year ago I wanted to add another button and I couldn't do it. Worse than that, I lost my other buttons and couldn't put them back on. Things had changed since I first put the buttons on and I couldn't conquer the new system. It may have been a very small change but I couldn't get it.
The new blogger format came in about a year ago. I decided to tidy up my reading list a little. There were some very dead blogs. I didn't feel obligated to follow these blogs when they were inactive. When I went to delete blogs , things had changed and I couldn't get rid of them. So my usual solution...forget about it. So a few rainy days ago I decided to get rid of the blogs again. I noticed a button on the far right of the page that had the reading list on the left. I thought, "What's this for?" Yes, it was for managing the reading list. Soon I was deleting the dormant blogs. What's really infuriating is that there are probably two other ways to manage the reading list and delete blogs!
Now I think the chances of making this old boy any smarter are between zilch and nil. So guess what? Things on the computer are going to have to be made simpler.
I read an article today about cell phones. A high percentage of seniors have cell phones. Doro makes two cell phones geared to seniors. Bigger screens and keypads make cell phones easier to handle. Better sound makes it easier for seniors to hear. Cameras are also simplified. The other high tech stuff is taken off. Samsung has an Easy mode which is aimed at seniors. The European market has recognized and found seniors a long time ago.
So my point is that they can make things simpler. But I would like to be able to do more things independently. I guess I'll just have to face up to the music and work a little harder to discover how to do things.
I always hate it when I see "new and improved". It usually is not better, and I thought the old way worked just fine.
ReplyDeleteI was determined to keep up with technology when I retired eight years ago. But while I have simple cell phone and can text, I have avoided getting a smart phone. I think I am already getting left behind.
Everybody is at their own level. You are familiar with technology and have a good base.
DeleteI know how you feel. I have deleted my whole blog, pictures and all! Trying to figure it out. It really ticked me off. I had some cool pictures too. So, I just started over. And for cell phones. I don't have one. I wont get one either. I'm either home or I'm not. Leave a message. Maybe I'll call you back! :) My husband has a cell phone. But no computer. I do get texts on his phone. But its usually my mom or son.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a bummer to lose the blog. I have my pictures on Picassa.
DeleteI don't have a cell phone either.
I for one, do not like change. I liked the old Blogger format much better. As for my Smart Phone, it's much smarter than I am!!
ReplyDeleteI looked a the new blogger many times. I didn't like it. but when it came on I was ready.
DeleteI don't know how to do many of the functions on my blog. But I hired a local web server who takes care of my site for a minimal fee. Like you, I wish I had more computer smarts but we all have to work with the gifts we're given. By the way, I think your blog looks great.
ReplyDeleteI find that there are things I want to change and some things a just want to try to see if I can do it.
DeleteDeleting blogs from a reading list is, as you have found, easy. I wish one could hold Ctrl and click so as to select on the ones for deletion at once.
ReplyDeleteBefore messing with your Blog template copy it and save it to somewhere like the Desktop. That way when it all goes belly up then all you have to do is reload the original.
Don't be worried about messing about. Computers mess me about so I just give them tit for tat.
I find that my original header is saved when mess with something else. It lets me preview. I just don't know how to put my own photos on.
DeleteYou don't seem to do too bad. Clever buttons and flashing lights are not needed when the content is as consistently good as yours.
ReplyDeleteOh I'm not looking for the fancy dancy. The buttons wee to show information like bio etc.
DeleteAs we baby boomers are entering our older years, there are probably going to have to be more of these simplified versions of technology. Who knew that there'd be smart phones.. and old fart phones. ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, since I don't nave a cell phone I don't have an old fart phone. Ha!
DeleteForget about the baby boomers. How about the prewar babies? Actually I was born a few weeks after the war started.
Blogs are written in html or another updated version of a computer code. It does all the stuff, linking, color, highlights, etc. that you want in the background. If you know the old fashioned html coding (which I do) it gets you in real trouble when working with your blog. The safest is just to take the templates they offer and not tweak them too much. You can start a new blog and fiddle with it until your are happy and then make it go live later.
ReplyDeleteI want to learn more about html. It may transfer to other areas.
DeleteI hear you! It's not so much that I can't figure it out - I would rather not have to spend the time doing so. And the changes are often made without warning, and there's no choice involved... There is such a large volume of tutorials out there - you just need to be willing to spend the time going through them - I have no doubt you already have plenty of smarts.
ReplyDeleteI get the same experience you do. When you're on the computer a lot some of the changes don't bother me. the one that caught me recently was Outlook.
DeleteYou sure do make me smile in commiseration, Red. These things get so darn complicated and do things I don't intend as well. I've been leaving my blog version alone for awhile, since it all seems to be working for now. I cleaned my dead blogs up not long ago, too, and nothing untoward happened. :-)
ReplyDeleteI guess I don't spend enough time on the workings of blogger. It's so darn much fun to read, write and comment that I can put the complicated things off.
Deletesmart phones make me feel very dumb, quite often. :) as for computers, i'm trying to keep up, but i don't do anything fancy, for sure!
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't even have a cell phone. I really think that land lines will disappear before I die.
DeleteAlways backup you blog before you make changes. What you need to do is create a test blog that you can experiment with before you make changes. PS: My wife is computer illiterate and still has trouble with the TV remote.
ReplyDeleteTV remote? Try my wife. She gets the technician to set it and then don't touch it or she'll freak.
DeleteMy theory is they keeping "improving" things to make them more complicated i.e. more expensive. And then convince people they have to have all the new bells and whistles. I'm of the old if it ain't broke don't fix it school.....
ReplyDeleteYou need a teen to show you all
ReplyDeleteI find the cell phones very confusing..my husband has one I can text our grands that is about it. Forget about making a call. Unless I know the number forget it. I am sure technology has passed me by..but that's okay. :)
ReplyDeleteRed what irritates me is when I finally master something on the computer and some genius somewhere decides we need improvements when things were just fine to begin with, the changes here on Blogger for example. It's not only seniors who struggle with our technology, I think a lot of us baby boomers do as well.
ReplyDelete