Picture of a Cat? or Something about your illness? — Scope | Disability forum
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Picture of a Cat? or Something about your illness?

SeanRyan
SeanRyan Community member Posts: 66 Connected
edited May 2017 in Coffee lounge
Take it everyone knows what Facebook is. I noticed something. If I put a picture of my cat on there it will get 100 likes sometimes. If I mention my MS no one really wants to know, Try it yourself and see what happens. Who gets more likes The Cat or your Comment about your disability. {other animals are available) have a great day everyone
 

Picture of a Cat? or Something about your illness? 2 votes

Your pet or cute picture of an animal ?
50%
Joanne123 1 vote
A comment about your Disability ?
50%
[Deleted User] 1 vote

Comments

  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @SeanRyan I don't do Facebook but your observation does not surprise me. Huge public outcry when a lady puts a cat in a bin (I agree this is bad) but try and create an outcry on the number of people who are homeless in this country.

    One reason I insist history has falsely recorded why we joined WWI because an Austrian prince was killed. It was started because they assassinated an Ostrich, which to me seems more likely.

    But to be a little more generous toward the group mentality that often pervades Facebook, if you're posting something negative about your condition you probably don't want a 100 likes.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    edited July 2017
    @SeanRyan & @Geoark
      Reading your posts a few thoughts come to mind. Firstly I respect that everyone is entitled to their point of view but  sweeping statements which lump everyone together do not give credit to those who would react with love and sympathy to a post about your disability. @SeanRyan
     As you know there are options to choose on Facebook concerning who will be able to see your post. I wouldn't dream of posting about my disability and making it public which is what you are referring to in your cat versus disability example. If I posted at all it would be only friends and family who had access to it and I can guarantee far more reaction than if I posted a picture of our dog. (we don't have a cat). If you have the type of friends who would ignore your post I suggest you unfriend them all and start again. @Geoark nothing personal to you but how often have I heard people who do not use Facebook say negative things about it and class everyone who uses it as being lacking in intelligence with nothing better to do with their time. It is an amazing way of instant communication with added extras to the phone like being able to see if whoever you want to contact is available at that time. I also use it to follow the lives of family living in New Zealand and to run a Facebook group for our local Spiritualist Church hence the type of people I have chosen to associate with. So Facebook isn't a bad thing so long as you use it in the right way, the way YOU choose to use it.
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @wildlife I was not suggesting everyone who uses it lack intelligence. My wife and daughter both use Facebook, and my daughter uses a much wider range of social media and I have no trouble admitting she is far more intelligent than I am.

    I would also point out that I referred to group mentality, rather than judging the type of people that uses Facebook. The example I gave originated on Youtube, and quickly spread across several social networks which included Facebook. The response was generally universal.

    I don't use Facebook because I am indifferent towards it and see little or no value to it in my life. I have been involved in my local community showing elderly people what they can do online and helped a few to set up Facebook accounts, including security settings.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • SeanRyan
    SeanRyan Community member Posts: 66 Connected
    I dont use fake book as much. preferring to get out while I still can and take photo's, I turn my phone off at the weekend and talk to people. I to teach old people about computers tablets and phones. How to set them up to be as easy as possible. Everything is going online and is still over complicated which I have been changing using modern technology, as apposed to lining them up in the library and teaching outdated methods. Open internet explorer, type in google, type what your looking for. Look at a list sorry old fashioned I talk to my computer I show them things like the amazon dot and echo. I hook up whatever they have to their TV and show them how to navigate the whole thing with a wireless mouse. I am beginning my journey as a disabled person and am quickly starting to realise that there are two types. those with money, computers at home, I phones and tablets, who can use them to find sites like this and those without who rely on help from old volunteers in their community libraries scaring them with information overload.  When it takes two people with a great deal of knowledge in computing three days to log onto the local council website to apply for a disabled freedom pass. The fact that the NHS has put Wi-Fi into doctors surgeries and no one is using it because its too confusing to log on and most people use their smart phones and dont need it. There is a long way to go. I bet your still paying for anti virus? Windows 10 has it built in. People have been brainwashed into thinking they know how it works and if you are still doing any of the things I have mentioned you are one of them. Now you  may think I am being over dramatic, we all have our own opinions. But the people who need the advice the most aren't reading this. they dont know how and a lot of them dont want to
     
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 740 Listener
    A comment about your Disability ?
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @SeanRyan

    People have been brainwashed into thinking they know how it works and if you are still doing any of the things I have mentioned you are one of them.

    While I do not consider myself an expert I have built computers from scratch, upgraded computers, set up an internet suite, and spent a lot of spare time in the past removing viruses and other nasties, including making alterations to registers.

    I have created spreadsheets for a variety of purposes and currently working on a workbook over several sheets to help an organisation to collect their customer satisfaction data and to present said data into a format that is easily understood as well as being to access information based on a number of criteria.

    I also know and understand why on many sites, particularly council sites, if you try putting your phone number in it drops the leading zero, and how to stop this from happening, something I have noticed those paid to help people with computers often don't understand.

    I also do a lot of research for various reasons, and use a variety of search engines for this, depending on what it is. For presenting information to others to offer an evidence based idea or strategy I am willing to put even google against echo or echo dot for this.

    My starting point on showing people how to use computers is what do they want to achieve, and start from there. I keep it simple and I keep the language simple so they understand.

    As for being brainwashed into thinking I know I know how my computer works, if it goes wrong I know how to fix it. I don't think I am an expert as the only training I have received was to program in COBOL, the rest I am self taught. I also know enough to know that Microsoft has consistently released products with huge security gaps in them, and their attempts at protection have generally been wanting. My paid for antivirus has never let me down.

    I am sure that Echo and Echo Dot are good at what they do, but is an expense I don't need.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • SeanRyan
    SeanRyan Community member Posts: 66 Connected
    edited June 2017
    And my windows defender which comes free with windows ten and is updated every night hasn't let me down in the three years its been running. I have great respect for all your skills but I am talking about something that will change a lot of peoples lives. I teach old people who are scared of computers. "Oh what do I need them for its only when its too late they need one." I also think its very short sighted off you to not even give it a go. A dot costs £49 a lot less than a laptop or tablet. Ask it to do something It will. I want to help old people understand its the future if you want to live in the past go ahead no one is stopping you I have a 50" TV thats my monitor I sit in my arm chair on the other side of the room and use one finger to work everything and my voice. so if you think your doing it the right way carry on, this is the email I sent to Amazon today. If you fancy a challenge to see how good you are. Find an email address for Amazon or a phone number. I spoke to someone at Amazon for half an hour tonight I have a number and email thats not showing off it took me two hours to figure it out this morning. Change is coming weather you like it or not. So please be my guest see how you get on. anyway lets not argue at th end of the day we are both trying our hardest to show others. and most of all help them, we just do it slightly difrent. dory about my spelling its the ms. heres the email have a great day tomorrow. see how you get on

    Hi there, I was diagnosed with MS five years ago and have been trying to help older people and the disabled get to grips with modern technology. Since the introduction of the echo and dot I have been going around trying to convince local community groups and libraries of the benefits of such devices, and trying to steer them away from outdated teaching methods.

     

     A hard thing to do when most of the people teaching are old themselves. Lining pensioners up on old computers using windows XP  in my opinion is the wrong way to get them to use modern tech, they are making things over complicated and have little or no understanding of voice recognition.

     

     I myself have my laptop connected by HDMI to a flat screen and use a wireless keyboard and mouse from the comfort of my arm chair I tried out a dot the other day and am convinced it will help the old and disabled in the future. The applications are endless and the fact that you can control different devices around the home with just your voice makes it even more appealing.

     

    The reason for writing this is because I do not have the money to invest in any devices to show people. I am on benefits and over the past five years have depleted all the money I had saved just to survive. With a lot of things going online Its very important to me that people with no IT skills get the same services as those better off.

     

    I started a thing called I.T.'s Easy to help old people understand computers tablets and smart phones, my oldest member is 92 and I love it. Its very hard being disabled, I went from earning £900 a week to surviving on food banks and the pittance I am given to live on by the benefit system.

     

    Helping others has given me something to live for. Making life easier for those who are sadly being left behind in an ever changing digital world. If there is anything you think you can do to help me accomplish what I set out to do, it can only be good for all of us.

     

     I hope you understand where I'm coming from. Please feel free to get in touch. Many thanks for taking time to read this. Sean Ryan 52 not past it yet, 


  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @SeanRyan

    Can you please remove your phone number at least, you should also be careful sharing your email on an open forum.

    Sorry I need to get ready for work, but will post again when I get home tonight.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • SeanRyan
    SeanRyan Community member Posts: 66 Connected
    I will not I have nothing to hide
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @SeanRyan

    your choice. Sorry, normally I would let this go, but considering you show potentially vulnerable people how to use computers, tablets and smart phones to access the internet that one sentence scares me much more than anything else I have heard recently.

    If you honestly do not understand my request for you to remove your number was out of genuine concern for you and why please ask your computer about online safety.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • SeanRyan
    SeanRyan Community member Posts: 66 Connected
    I dont have a problem with it ,thanks for your concern. If someone wants to get in touch all good. Today someone asked if they could use my Blog in a book for instance both my email and address are on all the things I write. As for teaching others I warn them about getting addicted to Fakebook and all their machines are fully up to date and protected. they are more worried than me so there really isn't a problem with that. I had decided to stop writing the blog for a bit. But there will be a new one next Sunday Called Bigger Fish to Fry
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 740 Listener
    edited July 2017
    A comment about your Disability ?
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • SeanRyan
    SeanRyan Community member Posts: 66 Connected
    I am not going to get into an argument so goodbye scope
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @SeanRyan I generally enjoy reading your posts so I hope you will reconsider leaving scope.

    Online safety is a lot more than not getting addicted or keeping your hardware safe. One way or another users leave a lot of information about themselves online and especially for vulnerable this can make them easy targets. One thing I teach is how to keep themselves protected by following simple rules without scaring them off. This includes simple things, like not saving their personal data on shared computers, not putting things online that they do not want a total stranger to have, which includes phone numbers on public forums. The fact you have not seemed to grasp this does concern me. It may well not be a problem for you, but if you are teaching others it can be a huge concern for them.

    Similarly if you don't want an argument perhaps its best not to accuse people of being short sighted and brainwashed. A quick look online showed me that to start enjoying the basic benefits you mention on using Dot would cost me around £1400+ and that is doing the installations required myself. Not so cheap as you have suggested.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 740 Listener
    edited August 2017
    A comment about your Disability ?
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @SeanRyan I have removed your phone number and email address, this is because we ask all members not to share their private contact details.

    I hope you understand that this is for the safety of all our members and this doesnt mean you will leave us.
    Scope
    Senior online community officer

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