My mother is hip, smart as hell, and 87. She lives in Boston and has trouble getting out of doors because she suffers from arthritis and a weird, debilitating dizziness, known as labyrinthitis. My son John and I wanted to give her a computer for Christmas but she had strenuously resisted the idea.

"Absolutely, no," she declared when we discussed the laptop I had in mind. "Computers are marvelous things," she responded, "but it's too late for me to learn. So, darling, no, no, and no."

The day before our trip, John called excitedly, "WebTV! Perfect for Grammie!" When he extolled its virtues, I retorted, "Waste of money. She won't go for it." But the next morning John was lugging a WebTV carton and a big grin. Arriving at my mother's apartment, we were greeted with cookies and tea.

"Have a scotch, mom," I suggested, "It's a celebration." She agreed and immediately we began opening presents.

"What's this?" she asked as she tugged at John's carton.

"He'll show you. Just have another scotch," I encouraged her, knowing alcohol would tame technophobia.

In less than the time it took her to open a new bottle of Chivas, the black box was hooked up to her 1983 Sony. Thirty minutes later she had learned to send e- mails. Twenty minutes after that, she was cruising the Web, deep into complex medical papers about labyrinthitis.

WebTV was a roaring success for my mother, but it wasn't such a hit with many people that I knew who were familiar with its wonders. Why? I looked up reviews in magazines and they were mostly lukewarm: It didn't have a memory, couldn't print, and so on. Finally I realized that sophisticated users were rating WebTV, and they were so technologically advanced they'd forgotten what it was like to be a novice. The ads on TV didn't help consumers, either. Although visually hip, they didn't explain how easy and fun WebTV is to use. Potential buyers simply didn't understand the product's benefits.

I bought WebTV for myself and waxed passionate on the subject. I composed a letter to WebTV President, Steve Perlman, telling him I was a true apostle and had appeared on several business shows where I'd raved about his system. I was about to send off my note when I opened the paper and saw that Microsoft had purchased WebTV in early April.

Microsoft had seen the possibilities. I envisioned Americans zooming onto the Web and using WebTV to educate children, helping the elderly to take part in the community, and finally, demonstrating to millions of Americans how simple it is to retrieve information and to just plain be entertained. And, of course, the acquisition reflects Microsoft's canniness: they also know that WebTV will stimulate hardware and software sales.

Recently, I was principal for a day in New York City's P.S.192, a grade school in Brooklyn. Kids there come from 28 different countries, and they desperately need computers to ensure they can compete in the world of more advantaged kids. Inexpensive WebTV is an answer to educators' prayers: it gives children a chance to communicate with their peers all over the world, as well as giving teachers a provocative teaching tool.

These kids could learn to click on to WebTV from age 3, and my mother, who's going strong at 87, will revel in it for the rest of her life--especially when the next generation of product is released. I hope that Microsoft not only understands the possibilities of WebTV, but also takes the responsibility of using it to make the world a better place.

Alexandra Penney is an editor, reporter, and author, most recently of How to Make Love to a Man, Safely.

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Do you think Microsoft plans to use WebTV to make the world a better place? Write to me and tell me what you think!

Source: ZD Internet Magazine