No computer??

Never in the history of man has an invention become so important to our lives so quickly. There is a definite division between users and not users of PCs (macs too), and that can be further divided into users and those who use effectively. As my father once put it, a computer is a tool, and that tool is only as effective as the person on the other end (he can barely get a computer turned on, yet relies on one for work and family communication since he lives in Indonesia). I think people would be amazed at the wide varitey ways people 'use' their computers. Some concider emailing friends and family 'using' a computer. Others I know would fall to pieces financially if their PC died.

In short, nothing surprises me when comes to computer users EXCEPT those who become so dependant on something they don't understand, and those who buy PCs/Macs without giving much thought as to what they need a computer for, but then again, I see that type of behavior from people buying stereo equipment...it's the "I just gotta have the best so I can brag" mentallity.

And I agree with 4yanx, sounds like you need my help Rives; if you are so behind in your printing, either the people you are sourcing too need to be fired, or you need to invest in some equipment.

Rives:
Carry on! I am 62 and do all my research online. I even create websites just for fun. The point is, without a computer, I never would have found you (and we would not now be having this discourse).
Don't underestimate the potential of this medium.
Good luck!

Jeff

Again--more thanks for the comments and keep them coming. As to the comments on printers--no I can't fire the people I'm sourcing it to. It's mostly my fault we are behind. I under estimated the time for a pool of creative geniuses to come up with a great brochure. It's not that it's taken too long--in hind site it should have been started earlier. If a printer was behind by 4 weeks--well they would have been fired a week ago.

I certainly respect anybody's decision to not have a computer, but I certainly don't hold the computer or the internet responsible for over-complicating my life. Just the opposite actually - yes, computers can be maintenance-intensive on occassions. But driving around town can be time intensive, going to the library, making phone calls, etc. You can see with all the sites that "get it right" just how powerful and time-saving this tool is and I, for one, wouldn't want to be without it given a choice. No doubt it's still an immature technology / space, but it will continue to get better.

Mdomnick gets it right - these things are tools. Properly used, they're extremely powerful. Improperly used, they're not as powerful and can even be wasteful.

I also don't agree that cyber-retailers are decidely sleazy or underhanded. I have a long list of cyber-stores I regularly shop and the service is far superior to what I get in 99% of the bricks-and-mortar stores I might frequent. Better information, better prices, better selection. It's not there for every category of item yet, to be sure, but it's there for a bunch of things I regularly shop for.

While it may be true that a significant percentage of people will never be hooked up (although never is a long time, what with all the wireless technologies that are becoming ubiquitous), I can't imagine that the people who can't see Rives website due to a lack of computer are in that state due to finances, given what they're shopping for. I suppose they must be in the "older" demographic.

I can imagine people not wanting or being able to afford internet service. I can't imagine anybody not benefitting from having email and Quicken accessible on a computer.

I am most amused (amazed???) when discussing the benefits of broadband connections. Modem users ALWAYS say "I don't use the internet enough to justify the expense" yet when they sit in front of my computer they ALWAYS spend so much time on the internet. I then move in to make my point...You don't use the internet over a modem much because of how cumbersome, clunky and slow it is. With broadband, the info is there in a snap, but there still is that human nature to resist something new, but just as the computer itself, broadband is proving it's value...even though it's not a money maker for ISPs...go figure.

Fyneplace: More power to you!!! I see so many people, namely my parents, aunts, uncles...etc getting more and more frustrated in day to day activities because they refuse to learn this stuff. Even when they have 2 sons (I'm one) making a living in IT. I still get a kick out of watching my father double click links on the net even though I've corrected him dozens of times...oh well, as long as he can get his email and to EBay, he's happy.