Pickles by Brian Crane for March 06, 2023

Don’t feel bad Earl. It’s hard keeping up with all the new tech that seems to come out almost everyday.

I have a 17 year old granddaughter and 14 year old grandson that provide excellent tech support for me. I do well for a guy of 60+ but these kids are brilliant…especially the 14 year old and the IPhones

I don’t think it’s smarts or tech savvy so much. I can program a computer in three languages, but at 75+ with a cataract and macular pucker I need a full-sized screen, and with arthritis in my thumbs I can’t use a phone keypad, but I can type on a real keyboard. And I can’t figure out what icons mean just by looking at them. What’s wrong with instruction manuals? Smart phones are for young people. I’ll stick with my desktop computer.

intriguing how the roles have reversed

No kidding.

That’s why I always wait for version 1.3 or greater (but nothing ending in .0) before I upgrade…

I hadn’t thought of this aspect of current progress before. Hmmm.

I was reading that GenZ are having “technical knowledge gaps” at work. Part of it is because they are using phones/tablets not computers, and the other part is that they don’t use devices like printers, scanners, and copy machines. And once again, you have the proof that what people call “intuitive” is in fact, “what we have learned, and are used to”. For instance, they are having problems with “folders”, because they aren’t much seen on mobile devices.

Soylent Green, here we come …

Makes a difference whether you start at 5 (kindergarten now) OR 75

Since you got syndicated, you get to explain things to lots of folks!

The kids grew up with that stuff, Earl, we have to catch up!

I remember at work the last few years I worked there the instruction manuals were all on computer, no longer had tech manuals!

As quickly as operating systems and programs change, ther is no way printed manuals could keep up. You can’t even count on the online manuals/support sections all the time either.

Following up on yesterday’s strip…

Learn how to be a good robot

I have little hope for Earl…

he was never able to figure out how to set the clock on his VCR either

You are never to old to learn. I am in my 70’s and I know more about computers and phones then any of my children or grandchildren.

Technology & old people just don’t blend well.

This isn’t far off base! My grand sons and daughters help me when in need! I kind of picked up easily, much to my surprise.

Sweetie, I feel your pain…..

Preaching to the choir, Brother heavy sigh

A few weeks ago I tried to call from my home phone (yes, an old land line) when my home internet, WiFi, and wireless service inexplicably went down. The disembodied voice told me how much faster I could resolve my problem online. While that was informative, it was ponderously unhelpful.

never had that problem. worked with computers since 1990s. but when the grands get a little uppity, just take them out into the mountains – no cell service – or to a remote lake to camp and fish – or to a farm and let them experience life without google for awhile. works everytime

Poor Earl…..progress of technology.

Don’t feel bad. I just learned how to take a screenshot yesterday.

The things “elders” knew about changed. It’s important to keep learning.

Being a mage is overrated – and misunderstood.

…I think a lot of answers I got as a kid were made up on the spot to shut me up

Earl isn’t alone. Lots of grandchildren are whizzes on the computer.

The hole in the middle of two generations of geniuses.

I am NOT about to walk around with my face in a smart phone, running into light posts and tripping off curbs. I will look at GoComics and Facebook seated right here at my desk computer, safe and sound!

You’d think they’d ask you about what things were like in the covered wagon days. But nooo.

You can still teach things, Earl. I’m explaining to my 23 year old grandson, how to do his taxes. Luckily its a simple 1040 he needs, but he was trying to itemize. LOL

Earl, when he has to deal with other human beings as opposed to electronic gadgets, he may find your counsel very valuable indeed.

Time’s have changed more so with technology, back in my parent’s day’s was not an issue, today they be lost.

I try to keep up. Earlier this week I bought new furniture with recliners – easier on my back and knees. This time they are electric. I was looking today at the control, and I noticed an “innie” at the bottom. I tried to plug in my phone charger, but no luck. Then I tried my Fitbit, and it will charge on my sofa. I find this a bit bizarre, but since I am an Android girl I suspect the actual use might be intended for iPhones. I haven’t found a manual for this furniture yet. Not used to looking for a manual for furniture and the salesman didn’t mention this feature at all. Not everyone can charge their phones on their furniture! I feel special, at least for today.

I think within a few days Earl is going to pop up with some reasonable advice or a pearl of wisdom and Nelson will be properly learning something from Earl.

Don’t be sad. Remember what it was like when you explained to your elders that the world was round?

Being tech-savvy is such a tiny slice of life, when you think about it. Certainly not what makes life worth living.

I had a phone for Seniors, from “Lively/Great Call”. The home screen doesn’t have icons, it has actual words: " internet"," text", “camera”, " photos", etc. Very user friendly.

I got my first computer in 1984. I’m quite often showing my grandkids how to do things on the computer. They are also lost on how to use my iPhone. But then I don’t know how to use their phones either.