‘Laptop Programme’

Karuna Waghmare

Karuna Waghmare has a genuine problem: “Does the laptop programme come on only during the mornings?”
The question was addressed to no one in particular, but everyone within earshot, perked up. What laptop programme was she talking about? “Oh our Club programme that comes on the laptop,” she responded, a trifle irritated. “I waited for the picnic photographs the whole of last evening, but they did show up on the laptop!”
Turned out, what she meant was this blog, which she was equating to a TV programme.

Tara Chand receives a desk calendar

And she was not joking. Apparently, her grandson had been helping her to switch on the laptop and log into the Big Laaf site whenever she had wanted to be updated on its content. This time, quite possibly he was not around and Karuna’s independent efforts to access the picnic pics (slideshow of August 22) met with repeated failure.

Checking out the two calendars

“I was sitting in front of a blank screen and no picture showed,” she said drawing upon the analogy of switching on to an unresponsive TV channel. Advising her to google ‘Big Laaf’ or perhaps, use the URL obviously made no sense. She was not even prepared to believe Shekhawat when he assured her that the so-called programme

Teja Singh receives his calendar

was available on her laptop round the clock, every day of the week and for all time to come.
Now, Karuna is not alone in grappling with the possibilities of the worldwide web. Several senior members of the Club confess to be living in a phobia towards the Internet and would rather keep their distance from computers. Some have, over time, conquered this ‘fear of the unknown’, but will wait for some kid in the family to be around to assist them in checking the blog.
But there too, problems are cropping up. One member could not understand how it was possible that the blog which appears in her son’s laptop could also be accessed on the PC which her bahu uses at home. “My son has gone to Chennai and taken the laptop with him,” she rued one morning. “I’ll have to wait till he returns and then I can see the blog.”
When told to use the home PC in the mean time, she was simply not convinced. But next morning she came in with a jubilant smile. Today she carries a smart phone and never tires at showing off the blog on its tiny screen.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd) from Mohali:
Karuna Waghmare is not alone in having difficulties with the laptop, TV, smartphone, etc. These problems are shared by most senior citizens. During their younger days there were no such facilities. For many of them, a laptop or PC is a miracle and they do not feel at home with these gadgets. The younger generation has a duty towards senior citizens in making them understand the nitty gritties of technology. Then maybe, they will be able to give a lesson or two to the youngsters. Good luck to senior citizens.