No email

should read ^ last week ^ apologies.

I also find it annoying. I have one particular friend who set up an IT department at a school, but refuses to use her home computer since retiring 'in case it goes wrong'! She is forever phoning to ask me to look things up on the internet for her, which I find very irritating. She also makes life very difficult for herself by refusing to use any automatic banking, so every time a utility bill arrives she has to go to the bank to pay it (she doesn't trust direct debits or bank cards) and only shops with cash. I don't know what she would do if she was ill. Well, I do know what she would do, she would have me at her beck and call!

I feel your frustration NanKate, I too have a couple of of friends that say that they don't understand the need for emails, texts etc.

cornergran summed it up neatly saying that we'd would all manage without but things have moved on and it's a shame to be left behind

Surely people are free to choose how they want to be contacted?

My Mum is WI and has never had a mobile phone, PC or even a bank card. She doesn't want them, says she doesn't understand them and prefers to pay things by post or person using cheques! I think you need to respect the preferences of the person and accept technology isn't embraced by everyone. It's lovely to get a letter through the door even if it is only a copy of an email

My lovely old dad, got me to do all his online stuff for him and pointed out that this was to 'stop him being defrauded', I paid his car tax, all insurances, booked flights for him etc. he always paid me back of course, but he just didn't feel confident with it all.

I was sad that he didn't embrace technology because we could have sat and chatted on FB or Skype and shared all the family pics and so on.

It is hard for some older people to see how it will help them and they think the costs too high.

I distinctly remember, when my friend told me about the internet, saying, 'I will never use it', here I am, older and wiser.

I have a friend who gives out her email address to anyone who needs to contact her, then when she misses something says 'I only check my emails once a month!'

I'm a professional author in my mid-80s. With part of the proceeds from my first novel in 1990, I acquired an Amstrad, and haven't looked back since (currently working on screenplays).
I was lucky enough, though, to have a husband who was in the IT business.
On the downside, I'm a total wuss at travelling since I lost said husband, because we drove everywhere, and I gave up on driving years ago - never really enjoyed it, and was nervous.

Ha ha ha Grandma60. I had to laugh at your post that your friend does not want to waste the battery. Has she heard of chargers? ? Here is another idea for those who run clubs. We ran a choir for some time,and for those who said they did not have technology. I said they were to call me for updates, so it put the onus on them to find out the info.

Sadly some people think if we are in charge of a group as chairman / woman, they think it is your job to keep calling them. They might even feel special to be called. Let them do the calling in future.

My mother is 92 and now that she finds shopping very difficult does almost everything on line. She also sends e mails but refuses to go near Facebook.

I couldn't get by without using email and Skype, but then I travel a lot.

How about not contacting those without email and then pointing out at the next meeting that you can't afford to make special telephone calls. Maybe explain that they could contact you if they want to know what's going on?

I don't see why you should pay for other people's foibles about technology.

I have a friend of many years standing who, unfortunately, does not have email or anything like that. Inconvenient though it is, there's no way she would make the paradigm shift into embracing all this modern technology, she has enough on her plate. Just have to remember to keep in touch.

I was working in an accountants when the first computer came in to the office!! I was given a room to myself and was told a trainer would be with me for a week. I was panicking and enrolled on a night school course and really muddled through for the first few weeks. However the change in the work load was great and within three months another employee was in with me on a linked computer and with a year the office was completely computerised. Have been retired for many years and use a chromebook daily and do internet banking and e-bay, etc, but still do not have a smart phone as I feel people spend their lives on it - using it on the bus, when in restuarants, pushing prams, etc!!

I agree with M0nica some people just reach an age and stage in life where it it too late to start with new technology. My mother was one of these, she'd never even used a typewriter so was not likely to take up computing in late life. We did try to get her to carry a mobile for emergencies but she found even this was too complicated to use, though it was a very simple phone, not "smart".

Some people have just had enough of being bothered by technology and decide they will no longer participate. My DH is one such, he was a consulting engineer and used and wrote programs, used emails and (occasionally) remembered to carry his mobile. He says that more than twenty years of being plagued by unnecessary emails has turned him right off technology.

Personally I do find it irritating when people call my mobile, I certainly don't check it daily and sometimes miss important messages which should have been sent to my landline. When we were selling our home I asked the agent to always use our landline and NEVER bring anybody to view the house unless he had confirmation from me. Despite this he once left a message on my unchecked mobile and came round first thing in the morning. Although the curtains were drawn and my bed was not made he blundered into the bathroom and caught me stark naked.... Not a pleasant experience - I now only give my mobile number to someone I am likely to need to contact when I am out and about.

I wonder if the people who refuse to 'do modern technology' have any idea of how difficult it is for others to contact them? If they complain that they're the last to know perhaps they should ask themselves why that is?

Those of you who mention the pleasure of receiving a letter are missing the point of what I have been trying to say. Yes newsy letters are good I regularly write to my sister in Italy, the annoying part is when I just want to send a short message such as,
Can you bring a pint of milk ?
Don't forget your National Trust card.
I will be home in half an hour.
What time does the coach leave?
Etc etc.

I accept those people who are unable or too old to use modern technology, it's the stroppy types who ignore technology on purpose.

I love todays technology, BUT we have a couple who pop in every now and then, neighjbours, and the lady is always armed with her mobile, if one asks about anything she immediately "Googles" or shows us endless photos of people we havent a clue about,one evening she was flicking through her phone, when her Husbands phone rang and he immediately started talking to his Cousin while she looked through her phone, myself and DH were siting there wondering why they were visiting US, I hope they leave their phone at home next time, but it is somehow attached to each of them! There is a mobile phone etiquette sonewhere surely

Could the OP ask anyone without email to provide her with self-addresses stamped envelopes if they want to be kept in the loop? She could then pop a photocopy of the email in the post to them as necessary. If they can't be bothered to provide SAE's they won't get the info!

Some people just don't like technology, their choice just as it is to embrace it.

Its their choice but they shouldn't expect other people to pay for stamps, phone calls etc or to inconvenience others. Agree they should provide an SAE or be the ones to phone to get details , especially if it's a voluntary organisation with one organiser.

I always have my iPad with me on holiday and the odd day-away. I cannot tell you the number of times the comment 'Oh I come on holiday to escape from all that' is uttered in sscathing manner. Further irony is when some research is required these same critics will ask me to 'look it up' or borrow my machine. I kid you not!

Maybe you should ask anyone who is not on email to provide you with stamped and addressed envelopes in order that you can send them the information ?

Yet another reason to not join WI! How I loath all these women's groups they always contain difficult women who seem to take pride in being tricky! I cannot understand why some of your members find the internet so scarey! Maybe a WI internet course??

As an ex-President, Board of a Trustees member and WIA, I would say you are not expected to pay for these things. Print off the email and post it at the same time as you email everyone else. Youhave then done everything necessary and the time difference is negligible. The technophobe member is quite within her rights not to want/ need email, just as it's your right to limit how much you do to keep her uptodate. You certainly should be keeping a note of any out of pocket expenses and charging on a regular basis.

You can text to a landline. The recipient receives a call and the message is 'read' out by a computerised voice. I'd suggest giving that a go.