lilsugar posted the Today Show interview yesterday in which Heather "Dooce" Armstrong, of the award-winning blog Dooce, explained to Kathie Lee Gifford about the trials of blogging about her young daughter. Kathie Lee questioned Dooce for posting pictures of her daughter on the Internet, Lil questioned the hypocrisy, and me? I questioned the hilariously out-of-touch soundbytes about tech that Kathie Lee and her co-host Hoda Kotb provided.
When Hoda asked Heather, "Is it all moms who are on your blogosphere?" I giggled, but when Kathie Lee said, "I don't know enough about computers, obviously," that obviously bothered me. Why, because she's older? Because my mom is an eBay shopper, a TeamSugar user, an iPod rocker-outer, and she's an older mom like Kathie Lee! Not to mention my grandma and her sisters who email me regularly.
I think Kathie Lee needs to bone up on the ways of the world and stop fearing computers, as she says, because I know the tech mommies can represent! And the ones who aren't quite on Heather Armstrong's level can at least provide us with awesome stories. So tell me, on a scale of 1-5, how tech savvy is your mom?

Vicenza
O'Neill
Shiseido
My mom a 3 when it comes to Technology. There has been times where I showed her how to use a gadget.
1Now that I think about it the iPhone is the best device for someone who isn't that tech savvy, it's really simple.
2My mom's hilarious. I wouldn't call her super-techie, but she loves YouTube (and that "cat. i'm a kitty-cat" video) and the old gen Xbox we handed down to them. Between her and my dad they have Completely Finished Morrowind. I mean Completely. Every single quest.
They are too funny, my folks!
3And I quote: "I don't even know how to get some music off the internet. I went to Wal-Mart and downloaded some but it won't show up on my screen."
I'm not really sure what that means, but when I suggested iTunes, she said, "What's that?"
4Heh, my mom knows how to use email, but she isn't very tech savvy.
5I once got a frantic call about a 'horrible virus' on her computer that wouldn't let her type anything, after she had been on the phone with tech support from Microsoft and downloaded a bazillion patches, I went to look at her computer... turns out her num lock was on...
Makes me giggle....but shes learning! She just discovered picasa so she keeps sending me pictures now.
I'll generously give my mom a 4. She does do some occasional online shopping, can navigate the tivo, and manages to do a few geeky things with her cell phone. But she still needs some work!
6my mom REFUSES to get a new cell phone because "this one is big & I can find it in my purse" it has been at least 5 years since she got a new cell phone but it was the "old" model even then. and she only got that one cause my dad and i ambushed her & made her get a new one (they were still on a plan that had them sharing 250 minutes a month!). TiVo would be wayyyy beyond her.
7My mom is an ebay and search engine genius. I can say to her "can you find info on this?" or "can you find this to buy?" and then she will find results really fast. I work as a professional researcher and she blows me away sometimes (I wish I could get her a job doing this...).
She is a fast learner, and very smart, but scared of new technology, especially hardware. I got her a new cell phone, and at first it scared her and I had to explain how to make a phone call ten times, then a week later she was showing ME how to do stuff with it.
8Eh. My mom's between a 2 and a 3. She's getting better and better at it. She can hold her own, but I'll never forget explaining the whole "copy and paste" thing to her about 5 different times before she got the hang of it. lol
9I
10I heart ya Geek for posting this! I've been reading Dooce daily since my first year of college
11My parent's computer runs on windows 98.
12she's can email and internet bank only cause we taught her how and thats as much as she really knows...
13I was so embarrassed for her when I watched the video, I was cringing while watching. I hope her kids teach her a thing or two so she doesn't sound so ignorant next time.
143 1/2 - 4. My mom online shops, emails, googles, etc... I just taught her how to set shows to record on the DVR; she's getting the hang of that. Now I'm teaching her about copy/pasting items; she'll know that by next week. However she doesn't want to know anything about MP3's and such; it doesn't interest her, she likes her cd's & radio.
15The only reason my mom uses a computer is because she has to e-mail and type her papers and even sitting beside her when she uses it is horrible. Seriously, she doesn't even know the keyboard shortcut for paste or print! Then with spreadsheets, it's an entirely different story. My dad and I dread the time that she opens a spreadsheet because she always ends up screaming because something went wrong, blaming the computer when she could've just undid it. Youtube is another story altogether. Every time she tries to use YouTube, she complains that the video isn't playing when it clearly hasn't loaded yet and she can't identify the play button and can't use the controls. So when my mom uses the computer, I'm ready with my ear plugs or headphones..
16I'd say more like a 3.5, she gets some most things but every once in a while I have to show her how to use things that seem even more simple than a computer (like how to buy a bart ticket)
17a 1
my mom says she choose not to learn anything about computers. But strangely once she sent my friend and IM so she must know more than she lets on. >.<</p> 18
I think my mom is really good for her age! She Skypes, buys tickets etc. online, shops online, even manages her stocks online. Her typing isn't bad either!
19i thin kthat kathy lee needs to admit that it's because she's had assistants and all that to help her do things, and that's why she's claiming to be too old to know that stuff. my mom's not the savviest person when it comes to the internet, but she can order stuff online, and she goes to all these weird point sites where she accumulates $$ or gift certificates, which kind of impresses me. ask about iPods,and things like that and she'll look at you confused but oh well. she knows what they are but doubtful that she'd use them. it's just not her 'thing'
20my mom is tech savvy because she has me as a daughter. she's reluctant to experiment on her own but once i introduce her to something she runs with it like an old time pro.
21My mom is a 1. She really doesn't need to do anything more than read emails. And when I see what her friends are sending (chain letters and crap) I don't see why she even bothers.
As for this video - another reason to not watch the Today show. Aren't the hosts supposed to prep for interviews? They both sounded so ignorant.
22mom is probably in the middle. she knows how to text and use her computer pretty well!
23I gave my mom a 3, she can work a computer well and can navigate the internet but she still calls me to ask about Word short cuts or how to make a tab in Excel
Makes me feel good that she needs me for something and I can expand her gadget/tech horizons
24My mom can use the computer well, but she asks me to everything for her, like online shopping, etc. She can learn, but she wants me to do it, because I'm savvier when it comes to computers and the internet.
25My mom is in her 60's and has an eMac (thanks to my recommendation), she can email, surf the net and load her digital photos/print them. Not too bad, although she does need assistance pretty often.
261.5 - She doesn't fear computers (I think) but she needs assistence even opening her email, haha. She does have her own profile in a social network though. She has it almost figured out.
27i read DOOCE daily! my boss turned me on to it a few months ago and i've been hooked ever since. she's amazing and just so everyone knows, this blog isn't just about her being a mom. it's for everyone in every walk of life. she's hilarious and really smart.
281
my mum can't even turn a computer on.
i'm not joking.
29My mom is inbetween 3 & 4.
30I love that Dooce Got fired from her job for blogging, and than blogged about it.
31my Mom is able to do text messaging, surf the web and check her emails on the Internet. She also chats with my sister a lot through web cam or through mobile phone YM.
32I gave my mom a 4. She can pretty much do anything with the computer (or any other technology) once we show her how.
33My mom is super tech savvy. She won't spend money on technology, which means she's generally behind the curve, but she has absolutely no problem learning new things.
She owns several TiVos, game systems, the whole bit. She's also back-up tech support in my family if they can't get up with me.
My almost 88 year old grandmother has her own TiVo (networked I might add) her own computer and digital camera. She needs help at times, but she uses them all really regularly.
34I gave my mom a 4 but after reading other people's comments I think she might deserve a 5. She uses Excel and Word documents everyday for her job and is addicted to her "Crackberry". She and my step-dad text back and forth with each other (they work in the same organization) more than I do with all of my friends combined! And on top of that she has been a Mac user since the beginning.
Also, THANK YOU so much for picking up the story on Dooce. I have been reading Heather's blog for 5 years and think she is amazing. I feel like Kathie Lee ambushed her and then didn't give her a chance to defend herself.
35I gave my mon a 5. She's the one who compares the specs, reads the reviews, grills the tech guys. All the banking and bills are done online. She creates PPTs and does many things to enhance what she knows. While, I'm pretty knowledgeable - I have to admit most of the questions she asks me I do not have an answer for. She always has been the 'tech' person in out family. My grandfather was a 'gadget' person and I think her expertise comes from being open-minded about new technology - and asking the experts questions.
36My mom introduced me to technology! We had a super old Mac that she knews the ins and outs of like no other, and that totally inspired me. Now I do everything I can to keep her as close to the curve as humanly possible.
My dad.. well.. our first goal is to move beyond chicken pecking.. But he's also a nurse who depends on more hand written and in head calculations. He's amazing like that. He'll give you cosin of Pi before I get past thinking "what?"
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