Getting frustrated trying to learn new things!

Glad to hear that you used 'outlaw' as well Mishap. It always seems friendlier than 'daughter's boyfriend/partner' or whatever. Not keen on partner anyway, always sounds more like part of a law firm

We used to call our three SILs outlaws, but now they are in!

I did indeed mean son OUT law sparkygran . In these freewheeling days none of my children are actually married to their significant others. We tend to describe them as out laws cos they're not in laws if you see what I mean. All three out laws find this very amusing. Well they seem to... I hope they do.
Hope the Pinot slipped down well. I am contemplating something similar.

Need to clarify Purpledaffodil did you really mean son OUT law - tonight am 3 sheets to the wind on Pinot Grigio watching tennis - busy morning - eldest child deigned to visit then Tescos then I hit the Pinot Grigio. Am I a lost cause - maybe - but I don`t care

Two printers both the same age, about three years, but one's a scanner/copier as well. I have bought online before, but the last time we bought more than one for a previous printer it gave up the ghost when we had half a dozen cartridges for it. The non-copier printer was a present which is why we have two.
I am expecting one of them to stop working soon, so will then buy a wireless printer/scanner/copier to replace it. So at the moment I am just buying one cartridge at a time when the previous one runs out. Six year old granddaughter uses colour ink more than I do, but is getting annoyed at the unusual colours coming out of the printer now.

Well according to the news today we're going to HAVE to do everything on line. An unsettling thought. I don't mind trying things but I don't like the idea of being forced to do them

I have problems with new payroll package, new printer, anything to do with HMRC and I find I am reading it over and over, the words, just dont seem to make sense.........I have told my 17 year old daughter that she is not to go away to Uni, she is to go locally in order that she can stay here and help me over all my technology hurdles. My blackberry is overdue for being replaced, and I dread having to switch phones........

Printer cartridges are not always cheaper on line. I buy compatible inks for my Epson printer ,which is very old ,from a local shop but I also buy the original Epson ink in black as it has cleaner in it . The Epson is £16 to £22 on line and £12.99 from my local pooter shop. They are also much cheaper than on line for Bulldog security.

@durhamjen - re Printer cartridges.

^What are you doing going to shops?* Google for them! Or just Google for on-line suppliers - I always buy their re-manufactured cartridges, as they are cheaper, and usually hold more ink, and they work perfectly well - although sometimes they don't report when the ink is running out. But as soon as I install a cartridge, I buy its next replacement so that if it runs out I'm prepared for that.

I don't have any problems with techy stuff. At the moment, though, I am doing a course in Church Music and am really struggling with remembering all the rules for writing counterpoint in the style of Palestrina. I certainly notice that it's not as easy to assimilate lots of new information as it was 40 years ago.

Tech things are getting more complicated, though. Our telephone system at work used to be quite simple to set up - you could program it to show the name of the caller, to divert your calls to another phone if you weren't at your desk for a while could be condensed into a command operated by a single key.

And what about photocopiers - you used to just put in the original and press a button. Now there are so many options, you have to press at least half a dozen buttons just to get a copy.

The main problem is concentration. That really is deteriorating with age! If someone is telling me something important, I often notice that my thoughts have drifted off and I've missed the most important part!

Do you admit to this or just pretend you've been listening?

I'm learning from a young friend who lives quite a distance away how to set up a website because we want to combine our efforts in the content. It took me two days to find out how to Log in correctly! My son luckily just happened to call in and hey presto! I can log in and out with aplomb. I can also upload documents but I don't know where they are...........Still you could say it keeps my brain active; but it does nothing for my blood pressure!

It does make you tetchy though.

Of course I meant techy stuff. I hate autocorrect!

Oh Crikey Windows 8 Sparkygran even my son out law who is an IT prof hates Windows 8 with a passion. But you too have had too much on your mind to have space for tetchy stuff
durhamjen Have you tried googling code number of cartridge you need? I always buy mine own line now and they have vast stocks. Also usually cheaper and quick free delivery. If it doesn't appear anywhere, you may well have very old printer. I was told that many companies no longer replace cartridges but simply buy new printers, so they always have reliable printers! What a wasteful economy we live in

I`m not alone once again I`m not alone oh thank you all so much I am trying to conquer putting photos from my camera onto my laptop and then the really hard part onto FaceBook and have been in despair - went to a class in the Library but as my laptop is Windows 8 nobody knew what to do. I did work away at it and thought I mastered then there was a catastropic 2 events within a few weeks of each other and everything I had learned or worked out has flitted out the window and last week tried to get my head around it all once again no luck.

I had not considered that this blockage could be related to having far to much on my mind. I feel tonight much more relaxed - thank you all - all round

I remember back in the 60's when we had a 'reel to reel' tape recorder. My father thought it magic and never mastered how to use it. In comparison to technology today there was nothing to it and I reckon I could still set one up.
I am definately on a need to know basis but the trouble is I can work something out but the next time I want to do it I have forgotten. I even have to go into Tesco and get one of the staff to put another £10 on my phone. This has only happened twice in the last 7 years so I do have a small excuse !

Like your OH Granjura, DH will study a manual cover to cover. I open it on a need to know basis. I have print outs for the items mentioned and keep,them in a plastic folder, 1 folder per machine.

I am not a slow learner but I find that some of the terminology is a whole new language.

One thing that annoys me is,when I ask DH to explain something, he starts off with, it's simple ........yes of course it's simple when you know what you are doing and DH explaining anything is not done in simple terms plus, he throws in another couple of,options

Unless you are my OH- he is meticulous and very patient- and will work it all out, bit by bit- any machines, technology, fancy computer stuff, cameras, you name it. Personally I just look at the first paragraph and throw the book away in a rage. I just don't get it. Mind you, I'd love OH to put as much determination and enthusiasm about DIY- but that is just not going to happen!!!

I am actually very good at learning 'some' new things- I have a good ear for songs and music, and I learn languages very easily- still today.

Horses for courses. OH and I are totally complementary- chalk and cheese- but somehow, it works.

It is impossible to learn how to use something just from the manual. You have to have the Thing on your hand and try out each move in practice so that you are not afraid to press buttons. You will end up with a hundred photos of your feet and the ceiling, but you can always delete them.

Printing out the manual is a great idea. Then you can take a coloured highlighter to mark the bits that you will be referring back to most often, and write remarks all over it.

And don't try to do all the advanced stuff until you have used it to do the simplest manoeuvres for weeks. Learn slowly, if you try to learn fast you will forget fast.

mishap purple and all..yes you are right! think we try to pack our brains with too much at one given time,mishap yes I will put it back on auto and conquer that first lol think I am running before I am walking, I have managed to top up my new phone, but 2 bundles for txt and calls so far so good (only took me 3 hrs) lol.oh the joy of techy...lol.take care everyone and enjoy your new toys

Went to buy a new colour cartridge for my printer today, and they did not have one, in the three shops I looked in. Does it mean my printer is now too old. I actually have two, which take the same cartridges.

I have a b....y air printer too. More technology! . Pages of instructions!

Icy, my husband died two years ago. He knew how to use his camera, but as his illness got worse, we bought an antishake easy shoot and point one. But he could not teach me to use his by then. I agree with you, Agus, about online instruction books. So many pages to print, and they all refer you to somewhere else. Then you go and lose the CDrom that they are on.

I just gave my new laptop to DD and she gave it back up and running windows 8.
I only know how to do the things I want too on any of my devices. I'm on my second lumina I don't even know the model and am still surprised when having a fiddle to find 'Oh, I didn't know it did that'

Yes, but make sure it's an Air printer if using and iPad.