Internet Poaching

I often use real world parallels to explain the various and arcane computer concepts to seniors and other adult learners.

However, it's sometimes challenging to find just the right real world parallel to make a computer concept accessible to someone who is exceptionally computer shy.

For example, I went on a computer house call yesterday in a senior high rise.

My client ("Kay") wanted to know what had happened to her Internet connection.

I asked Kay who her ISP was.

Kay said "What's an ISP?"

"How do you pay for your Internet?", I asked.

"I have to pay for the Internet?", Kay replied.

After a few more questions, I finally figured out that Kay had been on a neighbor's wireless network.

When that neighbor moved, Kay's Internet Connection moved with him.

I explained to Kay (while sipping a fabulous cup of Earl Grey tea) that she had a wireless card in her laptop and that she had unknowingly joined her neighbor's wireless network and was in fact connecting to the Internet through that wireless network.

Kay looked at me blankly as she offered me some homemade biscuits.

Finally I said, "you were poaching on your neighbor's Internet Connection."

"Poaching!", she exclaimed. That word I understand!