Roger, I teach computers and technology to many older folks and the "make it or
break it" is always their desire, or lack of, to see it through.
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Roger Loran Bailey
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2019 10:08 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: addendum to computer discussion
Well, Miriam, I never have been a ham radio operator and I don't feel like
learning to use a computer came very easily to me. The way I learned was
through sheer persistence. I got a computer because of all that I was hearing
about the Internet and all the things that could be done with computers and I
felt like I was missing out, that I was being left in the past. I did not
realize what I was getting into. But once I got it and started trying to teach
myself I was determined that I was not going to have spent all that money for
nothing. So I just kept at it. When I was about to drop out of my chair from
mental exhaustion while it seemed that I was making no progress I reminded
myself that I had spent too much money to give up. And, by the way, those times
that I thought I was making no progress I actually was making progress. I may
not have been learning the specific task I was trying for at the particular
time, but as I seemed to be going down blind alleys I was picking up bits and
pieces that I remembered when trying to learn another task later. But talent
and the ability to learn it easily just did not seem to apply to me. It was
more of a matter of determination.
That is, I was determined to learn how to use my computer as Mostafa is
determined to harass people with his religion. And, like I said, I learned a
little at a time until all those little bits of knowledge accumulated enough to
come together and then almost suddenly I finally found myself learning rapidly.
I do apparently do things differently from other people though. At a certain
point I figured out that when in most any software I should press alt to
explore the menus. When I want to try a menu item I press enter over it and
then follow prompts. I read these email lists and see that other people are
going to certain functions by pressing a couple of keys, but I am still going
to the menus and arrowing through them until I get to what I want and then I
still follow the prompts. I think my way tends to be slower and more
complicated, but that is the way I learned it
---
George Carlin
??? Tell people there's an invisible man in the sky who created the universe,
and the vast majority will believe you. Tell them the paint is wet, and they
have to touch it to be sure. ???
??? George Carlin
On 8/28/2019 5:19 PM, Miriam Vieni wrote:
One more thing about learning to use them, A lot of blind people were
ham radio operators as a hobby, and those people seemed to learn to
use computers very easily. I had a blind friend who was one. He first
learned to use a dos computer from a sighted ham radio operator, with
whom he was friendly. Then I remember that something happened to his
computer, some sort of accident and he hadn't backed up any of his
files. He stopped using a computer for several years. When he decided
to start again, everyone was using windows. He got a windows computer.
He'd been using the predecessor to Window Eyes when he had his dos
computer so he got Window Eyes for his windows computer, and he taught
himself windows. But he was another person with a special knack, and
he did have friends to turn to when he needed help.
I don't think that it ever would have occurred to me to get a
computer, had I not needed it for my work. I got it in the early 90's
and only used it for work for a long time.
Miriam