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 You can do IT is a regular feature
of laterlife.com aimed at trying to help
laterlife visitors make the most of Information
Technology on or off the web.
Jackie Sherman who runs the
You can do IT Question & Answer
section is an IT trainer and author. Jackie has spent
her career in education and specialises in teaching
IT to adults. Her courses for adults include such
topics as MS Office, the Internet, e-mail and basic
web page authoring.
  Jackie
has also written the four books shown
here - you can find more details about these by
clicking on the cover images above. Jackie has
also been running a course specifically for over
50s.
 Via laterlife.com Jackie aims to
particularly help those new to IT and the web to build
up knowledge and confidence, so no question is too
basic. At the same time she will cover Q&As for the
more experienced user.
So if you would like to ask a question
of Jackie, why not email her jackie@laterlife.com
or if you have discovered something
which may be of interest to others in making the most
of the web, then she would love to hear about that too
jackie@laterlife.com
December 2007
Social networking
If you like the idea of 'chatting' to people of a certain age
over the Internet, there are now a variety of websites you can
visit. Many are in the US, but there are also a few here in the
UK.
Laterlife Café -
http://www.laterlife.com/forums/enjoying/
In case you were not
aware of it, Laterlife has its very own forum at the Laterlife
Café. This is a simple message board system where you can click
to follow the thread of the discussion and add your own comments
or start a new topic yourself. There is no registration system
and you can simply dip in whenever you like.
When you do comment, adding your personal email in the box
provided will allow others to communicate with you, but you may
prefer to keep your details private and just see your entry
appear on the website.
Saga Zone -http://www.sagazone.co.uk/
is a new network set up
in June 2007 by Saga. Registering is free and simple, and you
will be sent an email to click that will activate your account.
After creating a short profile with as much, or as little
information about yourself as you like to include photos, you
can send and receive messages or join one of the forums.
These come under a range of headings such as Community, Health,
Money, Home and Travel and these break down into hundreds of
different specialist groups including memories, events, life
changes, inventing limericks, arts & crafts and the Men's room.
Click a link to read all the entries and then click Reply or
start your own topic.
Age Concern -
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/discuss/index.cfm
Age Concern has had its
website up and running for a number of years and offers a wide
range of forums including the Baby Boomers Bistro Chat pages
that contain a virtual potting shed and members lounge.
This whole site uses a far more limited and visually unexciting
message board system, but it is very simple to register and then
visit on a regular basis. It is certainly a good place to raise
issues of concern and get genuinely helpful and friendly advice
on problems such as uploading your digital camera pictures or
getting rid of viruses. The forums range from the Chat pages to
Research, Gardening, Living Room, Employment and Money.
Eons - http://www.eons.com/
is an American site set
up by Jeff Taylor of Monster.com (a careers and jobs website)
which appears to have much content of value to the UK Over 50s.
You add a profile and join groups on subjects such as Diet &
Fitness, Investing, Home & Garden, Romance and Technology.
Once you have registered – you will need a US zip code for this
– add your own photo or choose one of theirs instead and then
fill in a few boxes about yourself and your interests. After
your details are up, search the groups and join in your first
discussion. Scroll down the messages and click the Post link if
you want to reply to anything you read.
"One excellent
aspect of the site is that it offers you the chance to
improve your mental agility by playing a range of
brain-stimulating
memory games."
TeeBeeDee - http://www.tbd.com/
is another American site aimed at the Over 40s where
you can discuss a range of subjects and find friends to contact
by clicking the directory link.
It might be hard to join in a discussion about the latest TV
programs if you don't see the same material, but there are many
topics of common interest across the world including politics,
jobs, marriage, humour and, literally, sex and rock & roll.
My Chums Club –
www.mychumsclub.com is a networking site for those
happy to pay £50 to register and an, as yet, undisclosed annual
fee. The reason for the costs is that, if you join, the
originators say: "you will meet new people of like minds in
an environment that is quite different from that of the
free-to-register sites of other social networks. Our site is
highly protected and has stimulating content. We carry no
advertising and we check each application to keep away those
undesirables who inhabit the web sites of other social networks."
The articles appear to be freely available to all browsers, but
the forums will presumably be restricted to members.
I decided not to part with £50 to join, so any readers who have
done so – please write in and let me know if it is worth the
money.
View previous editions of
YoucandoIT
for more useful Questions and Answers
For a wealth of books on the web and IT generally,
visit Amazon
and under the books section select Computers and
Internet.
Don't forget to visit the general
laterlife features section called laterlife
interest
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