| John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, has admitted that when it comes to the Web, he's pretty much a neophyte. Here's what he had to say:
"I'm an illiterate who has to rely on his wife for any assistance he can get." And the 71-year-old presumptive Republican nominee, asked about his Web use last week by the New York Times, said that aides "go on for me. I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself." - source |
Apparently, whenever the senator needs something from the Web, he has to ask one of his aides to get it for him - just think of everything he's missing out on! According to statistics, 73 percent of Americans use the Web quite frequently, especially for:
- informational searches
- finding a map or driving directions
Senior citizens especially use the Web for email; why, just this morning I got a note from my auntie declaring the arrival of her newest grandchild! The Web is the ultimate convenience tool, and people of all ages are learning how to use it more effectively every day. If you would like to learn more about using the Web in your daily life, here are some resources for you:
- Web Search FAQ: Got some Web search questions you need fast answers to? Read my Web Search FAQ and get your answers easily.
- Web Search 101: The Web is a big place, and finding what you want can be a bit daunting. However, with my Free Web Search 101 Class, I'll show you how to mine the Web more effectively and precisely.
- Web Search for Beginners: Searching the Web can be overwhelming to Web search beginners who don't know where to start, what's the best stuff to look at, or even how to navigate the Web successfully. There are a few very popular activities that most people use the Web for, and pretty soon, you'll be surfing with the best of them.
I (currently) live in what can be best described as a seniors retirement community. I’d say at least half of the folks here are online, probably closer to three-quarters. I get called on a fair bit for help (and only accept payments in the form of home-made cookies), but generally most of them know exactly what they’re doing.
Ross, that’s a great story! What activities do you find most of the folks getting online to do – I’m guessing email is probably tops, right?
I used a computer at work for about 10 years before retiring about 10 years ago. I though I was really computer savvy when I bought my first PC, but it was nothing like the computer at work!!
I found myself having to learn all over again at 55! Now, I’m on line everyday and while I still don’t consider myself computer savvy like in the old days, I know my way around my computer pretty well.
I use it mostly for e-mails, commenting and posting on web sites that interest me and researching medical info. I’m still lovin it!!!
What people don’t seem to understand (or perhaps choose to ignore) is the fact that John McCain’s injuries prevent him from using a keyboard or a mouse properly. This isn’t news, nor is it obscure information. It’s even been covered in the media.
I guess I never heard details about John McCain’s specific injuries that keep him from using the computer. First of all, he can see the screen, whether magnified or not, he can use voice recognition software to dictate and give commands, he has enough money to use assistive technology su he can have words read out loud, etc. I have friends who have various disabilities and the computer has been a life saver for many of us. I have a friend who has cerebral palsy and manipulates the keys with her toes. I have a friend who is a quad and uses a mouthstick to move the mouse. I use software that allows me to “hear” what is on the screen because I am blind. I know people who are both deaf and blind (like Helen Keller) who use refreshable Braille displays to read everything from email to participating in “chats” without using the voice.
For people with learning disabilities, there are programs that both display text in various ways and read the information out loud. If finances were a problem, which in his case I doubt they were, the Veterans Administration and other agencies do give some help and will buy assistive technology for computer access. Of course, he could have afforded it himself if he needed it. But if he’s disabled to the point where he can’t use at least some of the technology, they I’d wonder if his problems were cognitive or would in some way impact any ability he would have to be President, particularly when under pressure. Of course, Reagan started having trouble with Alzheimer’s way before it was made known to the public after his presidency ended.
I’m all for people with disabilities being able to achieve their ultimate potential without barriers to access. David Paterson, who aassumed the governorship of NY when he was Lieutenant governor and the then governor had to step down. But, just as Roosevelt played down his disability and since, in that pre-TV age, nobody actually saw his legs, he would sometimes stand with support and often he could be seated with nothing seemingly different. He did a lot of good things and certainly wasn’t (imho) our worst president. But it’s too bad that people frequently don’t want to talk about their disabilities either for fear of negative perception by others or out of unresolved issues of their own. And, it’s true that if it was known that McCain had “injuries” that kept him from using the web, which some people might have bought into because after all, he could have gotten some kind of specific brain or physical injury that would prevent it. But the fact that he says he’ll be getting round to that sometime, he has to get to doing that, all those things indicate that it’s not an injury or disability that has kept him both insulated and protected from the vast amount of information on the net that might be negative toward him, but they have also deprived (whether sanctioned by him or not) him of a source of knowledge of what some people are thinking and he probably could find the time to get online if only to peruse quickly certain key information; sure, we all have to be selected and a president has to depend a lot on advisors, Congress and so on. But at least Obama has improved the White House web site and in many ways, whether we may or may not agree with everything he’s said or done, at least he’s doing things like paying attention to what’s happening on the web. But I don’t think McCain would insult our collective intelligence by claiming inability to use the net and, in fact, he didn’t. He chose to use his many advisors to get the information for him. Probably he felt that was more efficient. I am curious however to know where the previous poster got information about “injuries” which would make computer access impossible or impractical.