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Funny thing just happened to me and my parents

goodintentions

Active Member
When the surface RT came out, I bought one for my mom and one for my dad. By the way, before this point they never used a computer before. They had just retired and I thought I'd give them something to play with.

A short time later, I set up a desktop for them to watch netflix, youtube, and whatever other video online she could find on their 60" tv.

A few days ago, I set up a new i5 desktop for them because I noticed the old computer was kinda slow.

This evening I paid them a visit to set up a new printer for them. My mom angrily told me to set back things the way they were for her with the "big computer" (aka desktop). Puzzled, I asked her what she meant. I had everything synced back to the way the other desktop was set up. She turned it on and it logged into the desktop. She angrily said "I don't like this screen, give me back the squares!"

I told her all she had to do was press the windows button and it would go to the "squares". She said "I don't care, I don't want to see this screen again".

I had to keep myself from laughing. You guys know how people on the internet whine and whine about how they don't want to see the metro UI ever? Well, for my parents, they don't ever want to see the desktop. All they want to see is the "squares" on their computers.

Not only that, they know exactly how to work the metro settings. To them, the charms and everything else metro comes naturally. The desktop environment seems alien to them.
 

sharpuser

Administrator
Staff member
Conversation while visiting with my mother, ******[email protected]

Mom: Can you fix The AOL or whatever you like to call it? It is really slow, and I get too much stuff I don't want.
Me : You get spam because you are using AOL. AOL is not really email, Mom. They make sure you get advertisements as part of the deal.
Mom: I like The AOL. Don't take me off of that. It is recommended by the government.
Me : The government? How is that?
Mom: At the Post Office. They gave it to me there.
Me : (Remembering that the Post Office keeps a shoebox filled with AOL 6.0 CDs which fall out of PC and AARP magazines. The sign says 'FREE, please take one') Mom, the government did not recommend AOL.
Mom: I don't care. Just stop the ads.
Me : That's how they make their money. The company is AOLTIMEWARNERCNN. ALL their money comes from ads.
Mom: Well then just clean it up if you can.
Me : Okay. You are on dial-up, so that is reason it is so slow. Also the reason I can't call your phone for hours a day.
Mom : Do what you need to do to make it faster. Your brother says you can get me directly onto the Interstate. Is that faster?
Me : Yes, Mom. The Interstate is much faster.
Mom: But you promise I can stay on The AOL?
Me: : Yes, you can stay on The AOL.
Mom : Then can you put The AOL on my Jitterbug? ...
 

sharpuser

Administrator
Staff member
Follow-up:

Me : Mom, did you hear the news story about Amazon trying out delivery by drones?
Mom : No. What's The AOL keyword?
Me : Wait... It's not news unless it has an AOL keyword?
Mom : That's how they keep everything in the world you need to know organized.

[crickets]
 
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