Thousands of us are becoming silver surfers.

The internet is no longer the playground of the young but is opening up increasingly to those in Third Age.

Until a few years ago those of a certain age viewed the internet with suspicion, wary of the dangers reported by the media. It was something for the younger generation, we can’t do that, but no longer.

The revolution in media coverage, together with the advent of blogs and podcasts, has meant that many have jumped aboard the technological bandwagon and now use computers and the net for many reasons. It may be for information, shopping, and even a middle-aged match or two made in heaven have actually been made on the world wide web!

Technology has advanced so quickly that it is now possible for families to speak to each other from opposite sides of the world, and this has been a particular attraction for silver surfers. In vision and sound the world has shrunk from the days when they were young, but we are living longer and retiring younger so leisure hours can be filled by getting the best out of the internet and all that goes with it.

If you are just starting out in the world of computers don’t be daunted by terms like processors, hard drives, mice and cache. It can fool all of us, and as one young lady remarked to me recently as I tried to open her e-mail and enquired if she was using a Mac or pc: “It’s a laptop and it’s blue”- so you are not on your own!

If you don’t have a computer literate friend or relative to assist you can rely on store staff, but I would recommend you go along to your local evening classes and learn the basics before you invest your hard earned money. Many of them now have fabulous equipment and not only will you learn to use it, but by the end of a basic course you will have a good idea how to clear your cache, surf the net and send an e-mail. You will also have a feel for the equipment and know some useful terminology when you go to buy your own.

Particularly in desktop computers there are now some excellent bargains to be had, many with the sort of specification and performance which, a few years ago, we could only have dreamed of. Decide what the main use for you will be. Photography, music, multimedia or word processing and discuss your needs with a helpful assistant.

I amazed myself recently when I discovered just how easy it is to watch TV on a computer. A simple software programme called Win-TV, a digital aerial, and within ten minutes I had more channels and stations at my disposal than I thought possible.

Do not be nervous of becoming a silver surfer, you’ll be amazed at what you have been missing.

A friend of mine even took lessons on a holiday cruise recently and kept in touch with a lady he met on board to see how they were progressing.

“I rang her and asked how she was doing,” he told me.

“Oh I’ve started,” she said, “I’ve bought a desk.”

Well, it’s a start!

Graham Smith for Third Age.