"Microsoft Magnifier, one of the accessibility features in Windows XP, opens a floating window that enlarges different parts of the screen—just like a magnifying glass." Microsoft is trying to help Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964) who may develop vision challenges. This is part of their "Ten Tips for the Awkward Age of Computing".
Ever since I read this 9/25/06 BusinessWeek Online article entitled "Boomers: A Web-Marketing Bonanza", something didn't seem right with this quote from it: "Today, baby boomers make up the Web's largest constituency, accounting for fully one-third of the 195.3 million Web users in the U.S., according to Jupiter Research." That would mean that 65, 034, 900 of the U.S. Census estimated 78, 200, 000 Baby Boomers use the Internet (83%). I DON'T THINK SO! I would love to know just how Jupiter Research got those numbers. I've always been skeptical of how statistics are compiled due to what market are they being sold. For example, how and from what income level were the sample Baby Boomers gathered, how large of a sample was used, and what specific questions were asked. Statistics can be slanted in one general direction, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Focalyst’s Online Activity Report has more recent Baby Boomer statistics that are even more unbelievable to me. This "American Boomers, 60+ Generation Active Web Users" article says: "Focalyst’s Online Activity Report, which is based on a survey of more than 30,000 U.S. consumers ages 42 and older, also found that almost one-third of all online boomers — 21 million people — have been using the Internet for more than 10 years." What do they mean by "using the Internet"? They got AOL in the mail years ago and used it for the free period only? Let's look closer.
That same article says: "The study also finds that 33 million boomers use the Internet every day, along with 10 million members of the 60-plus generation." From what I've seen (limited as it is), most Baby Boomers have very limited use of the Internet (e-mail), while many older Boomers don't even know how to type, are intimidated by computers, and don't trust the Web (as this ConsumerReports.org poll shows is true for Boomers and all Web users). Keep in mind that Focalyst is a joint venture with the AARP whose job it is to bring the Baby Boomers to the attention of major marketers and the government. I'm not saying that the number of Boomers using the Web isn't increasing, but 33 million of 78.2 million Boomers using the Internet every day is a little hard for me to swallow.
Here's how Focalyst got these statistics according to a recent NYTimes.com article entitled "Not Getting Older, Just More Scrutinized" which says: "Focalyst recently sent 16-page questionnaires to 250,000 people between 42 and 87, asking them how they shop, how they use the Internet, how they deal with medical needs, how they plan to spend retirement — pretty much about every aspect of their lives." How did Focalyst pick those initial 250,000 people? I'd bet that the AARP has some kind of profiles developed on many of its members from previous surveys.
I'm certainly NOT trying to put Baby Boomers down, as I am one myself. But, from having a business that sold advertising in an industrial buyer's guide (online and offline) from 1992 to 2004, I saw many Baby Boomer advertising buyers who resisted the Web, and put other younger people in charge of dealing with the Web so that they wouldn't have to. This along with some old friends who have their wives or kids do Internet related things for them, makes me believe that Jupiter Research and Focalyst have somewhat inflated numbers in their reports.
On the other hand, as the U.S. POPClock Projection estimate of U.S. Population goes over 300,000,000 million tomorrow, I'm sure more and more Baby Boomers will realize that the benefits of Web usage outweigh the drawbacks, if they carefully STOP * THINK * (RESEARCH) * CLICK. Also, maybe the search engines will get wise, and help educate these Boomers to the benefits of their individual features and applications.
Cartoon Courtesy of Brian Basset and Microsoft Corporation - "Built-in Bifocals"
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