Computers Fail Partyers, but TV Comes Through

On New Year’s Eve, computer techie Paul Rasmussen, 71, was Y2K-ready. As a member of the Seal Beach Leisure World’s computer club, he was in charge of the live Internet broadcast for those in Clubhouse 4.

Celebration 2000, which simultaneously took place at three of the clubhouses and centered on a 4 p.m. punch toast, included the clubhouse billed as Internet Headquarters. A big projection screen was scheduled to show global celebrations and events via the Internet.

Enter a glitch or two.

Besides running out of hot dogs, the clubhouse celebration was minus the planned global Webcast surfing. At 1:45 p.m., 15 minutes before the clubhouse doors opened, because the pre-selected Web pages were taking too long to download, Rasmussen and Tom Barratt, a fellow computer club member, made a decision. They switched the projection display to good-old-fashioned TV.

Sure, there was disappointment. Rasmussen and Barratt had been working feverishly the day before selecting choice sites, including live Webcasts. However, the screen displays of “Too Many Viewers” and “Not Found” did not diminish the enthusiasm for the computer/Internet age and the community’s growing participation in the club.

The computer club has been around for 10 years, although in the last two years the organization has seen interest boom.

“The publicity of the Internet and the passing of older computers from children to their parents has increased interest,” Rasmussen said. “It’s really fun to see people doing something different than watching doggone soap operas all day long.”

Seven club officers help run classes from fundamental word processing to Internet use to basic graphics. The hottest thing going is computer-generated greeting cards.

“The fact that after 15 minutes, out comes a card is very satisfying,” club president John Ballard, 83, said.

From 800 to 1,000 students have passed through the club’s computer classes offered in the last two years.

Rasmussen has seen changes in the level of computer knowledge by residents, although there are times when he gets a good chuckle from some of the naivete.

“They think [the computer] is like a toaster,” he said. “They should be able to turn it on and there it is.”

With a basic introduction to computer technology, things become less confusing, Rasmussen said. He also sees an important benefit of learning computer skills.

“I believe a little bit of thinking can extend [the seniors’] life,” he said.

Alex Murashko can be reached at (714) 966-5974