Is there a Senior in your life who would like to visit our website, but finds computers just too intimidating? Or maybe you are a Senior and although you can use computers, and you are reading this, you still find the whole process frustrating. You are not alone. There are now solutions available in the form of several software packages that are designed for you and not your grandchildren. This article is about one such program Eldy,which happens to be free.

You can see more information on Eldy by clicking here.

I have written this article because I have helped several seniors with computers, and I have learned one important thing. Computers where not designed for Seniors. If the average computer was matched to my needs the way today's computers and programs are matched to the needs of seniors then I would still be caring around a pen and paper.

Please don't get me wrong if you are senior it doesn't mean you can't use today's computers. You  no doubt have spent a lifetime gathering skills and experiences that I will never obtain. Unfortunately today's computers and the programs on them won't take advantage of the skills most seniors have spent a lifetime obtaining.

I have installed the Eldy software for my father and he now sends Email without my help. So if you too would like an easier way to use your computer read on, or better still get the computer person in your life to read this article and tell them you want to try this program.

Eldy is a Windows application that completely covers Windows. Windows will still be in the background but you no longer will need to deal with it. Eldy will allow you to send and receive Email from your existing Email account, Surf the Web, View Pictures, prepare simple documents, etc. In other words, it allows you to do a bunch of useful things easily.

The remainder of this article will get technical. It is not intended for the end user of Eldy but instead the computer Guru you will need to set up Eldy. So if you don't understand the stuff that follows don't worry you don't need to, in order to use the Eldy program. If you do understand it then you don't need Eldy.

Eldy is a written in JAVA therefore it requires relatively current hardware to run. Pentium4 with 1 Gig Memory. It will run under Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7. It will not run under Windows 98, so sorry even your Grand Mother can't make use of that old computer in the closest anymore. It uses Internet explorer to render Web Pages so this needs to be up to date. Any new computer you could buy today even the cheapest thing you can find will easily run Eldy. A large display is recommended at least 19 inch.

Finally High speed internet is a must,dial up internet is simply not usable.

If you are installing Eldy on an existing computer make sure it meets these requirements before you proceed. During the installation process Eldy will warn you if it determines that computer is too slow.

Eldy can use an existing POP3 email account. It has one of easiest  Email setup procedures I have seen too date. However if you wish to use an existing Email account you will need all the technical details of this account, POP server address, Email address, password, STMP server and other stuff like that. If you are lucky this was all written down when someone setup the Internet in the first place. If they didn't you may need to call the Internet service provider to get the password reset and the other things can determined from the following pages;

Aliant mail server settings can be found here;

http://nsegainkc1.aliant.net/knowledge/Docs/Internet/VDesktop/Windows/EmailSettings/index.html

Eastlink mail server settings can be found here;

http://www.eastlink.ca/support/hsi/email.asp

Alternatively the following utility can be used to retrieve all the required details from an existing working Email client.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/mailpv.html

If  you don't have an existing Email account you want to use I would recommend you set up a Gmail account with Goggle. These are free, they will accept the big emails with all the pictures, people like to send to Grand Ma and Grand Pa. Eldy works well with Gmail accounts and you will be able to help out your senior with their email by accessing it over the Web interface.

Gmail accounts can be set up from the following page;

http://mail.google.com/mail/signup

The server settings for Gmail can be found at the following page;

http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=13287

While setting up Eldy you will need to enter information from other applications or web pages. While the normal cut and paste options don't work in Eldy CTRL C for copy and CTRL V for paste still work.

Finally if you are setting up Email be sure to copy over any Email contacts, Eldy does not have any automated method for doing this. Be sure to explain the function of the address book, I have known many people that keep all their Email addresses on pieces of paper, then retype them each time. This has to be the number one cause of problems sending Emails.

While you are at it be sure to add www.Edgewood-Oxford.ca to their bookmarks.

So if you are going to install Eldy for someone else the first step is to download it yourself and play with it. Become comfortable with it before you introduce to your Senior. Set it up so you can send and receive some Email. If you are familiar with Outlook Email or Thunderbird or Gmail or any of the mainstream Email programs the interface in this program may seem counter intuitive almost illogical. However when you see your senior use it you will see that it makes sense to them. That was my experience, I believe it will be yours as well.

Eldy can be downloaded from;

http://www.eldy.eu/download/

If are a senior the first step is print this page and give it to your computer person. If you don't have a computer person find one. If you can't find one contact me at I'll see what I can do.

Paul Verboom

Webmaster for Edgewood-Oxford UnitedChurch

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