Microsoft Wants PCs For The Elderly

When Microsoft envisioned that it would place a desktop computer in every household, it meant every household. While using a computer is a daily task for most of us, it can be quite a chore for those who are unfamiliar with it. If you were born during the 80s, then PCs are very likely a part of your normal routine, but what if you were born years before that? Or what if you happen to know someone who could use one, but he or she doesn’t have the time to learn a boatload of new things?

Microsoft has plans to change all of that by addressing the issue directly. It’s going to release “SeniorPCs”, computers designed with the elderly in mind.

The company’s UK arm discussed its plans during this week’s Digital Inclusion conference in London. By working with two senior-oriented organizations, Age Concern and Help the Aged, Microsoft is actually pumping out a number of ideas in an attempt to make PC use more attractive to older users. In addition to the SeniorPC, which Microsoft says will have a simplified interface and offer software that seniors will find useful, the company is considering rolling out an ad-supported machine and one that uses a “social software licensing model,” according to the BBC.

Who knows? Your grandma could be chatting with you like a pro the next time you catch each other online. Better yet, we might be able to get our old folks up to speed on what ROLFMAO means.

Source: Ars Technica

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