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So I'm thinkin' about gettin' a Mac Mini for my computer illeterate parents...

SamIchi

SamIchi

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Aug 1, 2004
2,716
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I'm thinkin' that they should learn how to use the computer even though they are old (fifty sumthin'). Technology is not they're thing but hopefully this could change them. We recently got a 42" LCD and we can use it as display.

I'm thinkin the past Mini's with the core solo, Intel no PPC. How much would that run, used? Then I'd have to get a keyboard and mouse.

I'm hoping this will help with my mom's english (maybe get somekind of learning software) and help both of them use their brain more. And also when me and my brother get out of the house they'll be able to use simple e-mail to keep in touch.

I know learning gets harder when getting older, especially with new technology but I'm sure my parents can. The question is if they are willling to learn.
 
50 something isnt old, my parents each have their own computer, plus my dad has a laptop, and im thinking about getting my mom a laptop for christmas, teaching my 78 year old grandmother to use a computer, that is a challange
 
Christ, I hope it's not that much harder to learn stuff when I'm 50! Otherwise I'm in trouble. I don't see myself ever getting to a point where I can say "I know enough".

The sore solo mini would be a perfectly fine machine for them to use. Hell, I'm still using a G4 processor and getting along decently.
 
Maybe I worded it wrong but I didn't mean to say that 50 yr olds are mentally deficient. My dad's been using a laptop to use excel (we punched in all the formulas for work) and he still can't distinguish between save and save as. I'm questioning their willingness to learn.

Besides that, how much do you think I can get it for?
 
My mother recently got an iMac. She used to think she was computer illiterate too. Best move ever.
 
My parents had a windows XP box or 4 years or so which they hardly ever touched. Towards the end it was constantly not working which didn't help. Last Xmas I took my mum to an Apple store and she got a 20" iMac. She uses email and the internet a bit, and writes some documents. My dad is slowly becoming brave enough to touch it, I set up a restricted account for him (one where he can't change or delete anything, I set the mouse preferences to make it a one button mouse, iTunes to automatically import and sit out the disc etc.) and he is gradually importing all his CDs. I also got my dad an ipod nano a year ago which he didn't even take out of the box until this June, I bought a cable to connect it to his hi-fi and he's getting into it (he's actually become quite annoying fiddling with it so you never get to listen to a whole song or get a sudden high volume blast half way through).

They are both 65. I think they suffer from 2 common problems. One is that they are scared of breaking something, they don't just play around with things and see what happens, so they don't learn to use the system. The second is that they don't realise all the things that can be done on a computer. A good example is that my father has a DV camcorder, I walked him through using imovie/iDVD to make a magic movie or whatever it's called, but he is just not confident enough to try it himself, he just waits until I go back to the UK and when he has courage asks me to show him how to do it again.

The real advantage of them getting an iMac was for me. It really is much more robust than a windows machine. I have instructed them never to turn it off and so it is always ready for them to just wiggle the mouse and do whatever they want. I have not recieved any panicked phone calls because of computer problems since they got the iMac. Macs really are much easier to administer and generally look after than a windows machine, particularly when dealing with my parents' level of computer literacy.

I guess my point is, in my experience, get the mini!
 
I got my computer illiterate parents (who are possibly older than yours) a Mac Mini when they first came out. They had had a PC for about six years while my little sister was still living at home, but after she moved out, they couldn't use email, and a Google search was an impossibility. I would get a call about once a week because they had 'broken' the PC, and I had to take the hour long train ride to the 'burbs every other month.

Now I never get those tech support calls from them. Last time I was down, my mom showed me how she had customized the dock and the desktop icons, because "your dad, he can't see too good without his glasses anymore".

It was such an effective move they bought my sister a Mac a year later.
 
Just bought one off the Apple site refurb. came to 430 with tax (I hate NY tax) Came to be about 460 after tax. I just need to get a keyboard and mouse.

Not sure if it's Rev A or B but it's the 1.66 Duo. I thought this was a good deal compared to eBay, and plus I don't like dealing with eBay when it comes to computer, so I'm glad this was available on the Apple Site.
 
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