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An 81-Year-Old Woman Just Created Her Own iPhone App (cnn.com)

After 43 years working in one of Japan's leading banks, 81-year-old Masako Wakamiya has launched an iPhone app called "Hinadan" that shows users how to stage traditional dolls for the Hinamatsuri festival. From a report on CNN Money: She says she felt compelled to do something after noticing a shortage of fun apps aimed at people her age. "We easily lose games when playing against young people, since our finger movements can't match their speed," Wakamiya told CNN. The retired banker asked a bunch of people to create games for seniors, but no one was interested. So she took matters into her own hands and achieved something many people half her age haven't done. "I wanted to create a fun app to get elderly people interested in smartphones," she said. "It took about half a year to develop." Wakamiya started using computers at age 60 when she was caring for her elderly mother and finding it difficult to get out and socialize with friends.

60 comments

  1. It's 2017 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I was hoping more for a "81 year old woman just reversed her own aging with home biohacking kit".

    But I guess this is cool too.

  2. Motivation by Kokuyo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Being motivated is half the battle in most endeavors.

    1. Re:Motivation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Not just motivation though. Articles like this allow me to print it out and point to my grandma and say "SEE! LIKE THIS!". Old people need pressure to perform too!

    2. Re:Motivation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      That's right, teach your grandma to make a new app where a simple damn web page would do. You're part of the problem, buddy.

    3. Re:Motivation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do you make sure she has the new TPS Report cover sheet?

    4. Re:Motivation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I got lucky, your grandmother was a fucking pro from the get-go!

    5. Re:Motivation by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 1

      That's right, teach your grandma to make a new app where a simple damn web page would do. You're part of the problem, buddy.

      FUCK OFF ***AND*** DIE, YOU INSUFFERABLE TWIT!

    6. Re:Motivation by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Someone's been taking his grandma's medication.

    7. Re:Motivation by unixisc · · Score: 1

      As a kid, my parents would constantly torture me by pointing out the other achieving kids who outperformed me in school. Now, my parents are in their 80s, so it would be fun to show this to them and then give them the third degree about why they haven't developed all the apps that are missing from the stores }:-)

    8. Re:Motivation by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Sounds like one of those Microsoft Windows Phone 8 devs, who would make web app wrappers around sites, and have them masquerade as apps, when all they were doing was opening a new tab in Internet Explorer

  3. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Awww. Are you a young white male and feeling like you haven't accomplished anything of real value in your life? 'Cause you sure sound that way to us. She did good. Shoot, I'm about 1/2 her age and I think I might be too old to learn to program android or iphone. I'm pretty sure it would be a lot harder to pick up now than when I was younger.

  4. South Indian Golu and Japanese Hinamatsuri by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am so surprised to see the similarities between the Golu I grew up with in South India and this Japanese doll festival Hinamatsuri. Images of Golu, arrangement of dolls celebrated for the Navrathri ( nine nights ) festival Images of Hinamatsuri

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:South Indian Golu and Japanese Hinamatsuri by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exchanges between India and Japan began in the 6th century A.D., when Buddhism was introduced to Japan. Indian culture, filtered through Buddhism, has impacted on Japanese culture and thought, and this is the source of Japanese people's sense of closeness with India.

    2. Re:South Indian Golu and Japanese Hinamatsuri by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Except that India hasn't been Buddhist for over a millenium

    3. Re:South Indian Golu and Japanese Hinamatsuri by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1
      Buddhism in India has been reabsorbed back into Hinduism.

      Lord Vishnu has incarnated as human (taken the avatar of human) at least 26 times if you read all the scriptures and all versions. But it is generally accepted 10 are the most important one. But the list in South India differs from North India's. In North India, Buddha is accepted as the ninth avatar of Vishnu. The 10th one is impending world destroying apocalypse inducing Kalki avatar. In South India Balaraman, brother of Krishna, is accepted as the 8th, making Krishna the ninth.

      It is also generally conjectured the vegetarian (lacto-vegetarians, strictly speaking) Hindus are the reabsorbed Buddhists. Jains, another extremely non-violent religion (orthodox Jains wont even roots because harvesting roots vegetables kills the plants) also share much of their scriptures with Hindus. Hindus are so catholic (note the small c) almost all religions in India will be absorbed into it. Not just Buddha, Hindus routinely worship Jesus, Mary, Allah. Worshiping another deity is perfectly compatible with Hinduism.

      --
      sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  5. Re: Whoo DIVERSITY! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The only limits are the ones you set yourself.

  6. Comment by WallyL · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...Or she could just use facebook, like everybody else's grandma! /ducks

    1. Re:Comment by twdorris · · Score: 1

      /ducks

      Is this some new phone-friendly / hipster version of the IRC "/me ducks" thing from the late 90s? If so, sigh. If not, carry on. And get off my lawn while you're at it.

  7. Badass baa-chan by HideyoshiJP · · Score: 2

    I'm glad to see more diversity here, even if it's a simple app. That's one badass baa-chan.

  8. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    She's a witch!

  9. Re:Coder or idea? by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

    So did she really create the app, or did she just have the idea for someone else to do it? I seriously doubt she sat down and learned how to do this like the SJWs would have us believe.

    Why, the "skills needed" aren't really that hard. I'm sure they're completely within the realm of possibility for a complete novice to learn and execute with a year of learning or less given proper motivation. Of the millions of old women in the world, it doesn't surprise me there are some who have learnt programming late in life.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  10. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 2

    Which was more important to the slashdot editors here? That she was a woman or that she was old?

    No, it was because this was the first iPhone app written in Fortran.

  11. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hahaha you hit it right on the head. A minus mod of your post proves it. Apk does the same to the worthless knobs on /. too and it proves your point and his in their reactions which further exposes them as worthless knobs. Truth hurts them. They can't have it shown.

  12. Re:Coder or idea? by Nkwe · · Score: 3, Informative

    So did she really create the app, or did she just have the idea for someone else to do it? I seriously doubt she sat down and learned how to do this like the SJWs would have us believe.

    Why not? At 81 she is retired and has plenty of time. Anyone who can think logically, understand abstractions, and is willing the to put in the time can learn how to program. Article said she was a banker, so she was a professional and would have at least basic math and logic skills. Article also said "She calls herself a technology evangelist and even wrote her own PC textbooks", so she has at least a basic computer understanding. Given determination it wouldn't be that hard to go find a sample application (and associated build process) and keep tweaking it until it does what you want.

  13. Good start... by frank_adrian314159 · · Score: 1

    Wakamiya started using computers at age 60 when she was caring for her elderly mother and finding it difficult to get out and socialize with friends.

    Probably lives in the basement, too. Great start!

    --
    That is all.
    1. Re:Good start... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Oh man I wish I had a grandma in my basement. An endless supply of cookies would mean I would really have no reason to visit the surface world anymore.

    2. Re:Good start... by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 2

      No cookies. This was an app not a website.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  14. Too bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    America's seniors are too far gone to do anything worthwhile.

  15. Re:Um, *yawn*? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    let's your apps...

  16. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Awww. What if I'm a young asian woman? What if I'm an old white fart? (or is it more important if I'm a black transexual woman otherkin?)

    It's NOT hard to learn how to program android or iphone.

    It's NOT hard to move forward in your life.

    If anything it's EASIER to learn to do it now because there are plenty of support kits and tools that will do the bulk of the work for you!

    But that's ok because you're too old to start.

    Regardless - this story would NOT have been posted if it had been an 81 year old white male writing his first iPhone program.

  17. Re:Coder or idea? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    Also the summary said she started using computers at 60 years old. At 81 now this means that she's likely more capable and competent than many Slashdot posters and has been using computers longer than many of these AC trolls have been in the world.

    I'm wouldn't question if she can write an app, I'm wondering what else she can do that would put a lot of youngens to shame.

  18. Swift or Obj-C ? by Kurdy · · Score: 2

    If Objective-C ; did she use ARC or she went old school manual reference counting...... If she didn't use arc, she's a hardcore granny. Respect.

    --
    The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. - Marcus Aurelius
    1. Re:Swift or Obj-C ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      These are not the hardcore grannies you are looking for.

    2. Re:Swift or Obj-C ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is funny only because it is *you* who is several years out of date. ARC is required.

  19. Re:Coder or idea? by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

    The foundation of an App is completely created by drag and drop in Apple tools.
    Programmers and also non programmers simlly underestimate how good those tools are and how much work in crafting Apps is automated. Nevertheless she of course had to code the actual logic she needed by hand.

    --
    Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
  20. Temper the excitement... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yelling 'Hey look, a woman coded an app!' Reinforced the sexist stereotype that women can't program (otherwise why celebrate such a mundane accomplishment?)

    1. Re:Temper the excitement... by mark-t · · Score: 1

      Because she is fucking eighty-one years old.... the technology to do what she has done here didn't even exist until she was already near or past retirement age. Perhaps if you are fortunate enough to make it to that age yourself you will understand why demonstrating the skill to learn something new at that age is a kind of a big deal.

  21. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

    I'm pretty sure the ridiculous multi-gigabyte baroque development environments would have been as inaccessible to the younger us as they are to us now.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  22. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yaawwwnnnn....ZZZZ..zzzz..zzzzzz

  23. Stereotypes by wisnoskij · · Score: 1, Funny

    I realise a woman coding is such a huge accomplishment because they cannot comprehend basic mathematics, so we have to write a news article about it every time they do. But we have to remember, she is also asian, so we know she is naturally good at coding, and probably had lots of free time after she crashed her car and lost her husband in a crowd of other identicle Asian men.

    --
    Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
    1. Re:Stereotypes by mark-t · · Score: 1

      The accomplishment is not in that she is a woman, but that by the time the technology even *existed* to do what she has just done, she was already at an age where many people have retired. So at most, it's a reflection of a stereotype of the elderly, not women.

    2. Re:Stereotypes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      identicle Asian men

      No, no... Identicles is Greek.

    3. Re:Stereotypes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I realise a woman coding is such a huge accomplishment because they cannot comprehend basic mathematics, so we have to write a news article about it every time they do. But we have to remember, she is also asian, so we know she is naturally good at coding, and probably had lots of free time after she crashed her car and lost her husband in a crowd of other identicle Asian men.

      So true.
      Lol, it should be obvious that she's far post menopausal, therefore she has a reduced amount of estrogen and related female hormones. It's those hormones that prevent learning math and programming. That's why all the good female coders all look like old women.

  24. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by unixisc · · Score: 1

    Actually, she deserves praise for pulling off what she did, regardless of her age or gender

    That said, from /. POV, I think that since she's both, a combination of the two. This is a gold mine - when you have a person meeting multiple diversity checkboxes, thereby enabling just one person to be praised for multiple things. Imagine a Black Lesbian Trannie who developed an automatic appmaker on her own. Not only would it be a remarkable feat, but Blacks, Lesbians and Trannies would all get to celebrate.

  25. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by unixisc · · Score: 1

    That's wiccan for you, Ms Pipsqueak!!!!

  26. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by networkBoy · · Score: 1

    I'm damn near exactly half her age.
    Good for her. I still haven't made anything for a phone or tablet (though I'm actually thinking about it).

    --
    whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
  27. Better look out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now Apple is bound to build this into the OS!

  28. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by dougdonovan · · Score: 1

    good going grandma!

  29. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 1

    She's a witch!

    But how do you KNOW?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g

    --
    You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
  30. wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    someone with 21 years experience using computers made a program. News at 11.

  31. Excellent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Tim Cock will have more a guest for the WWDC annual diversity freak show...something new this year at least.... bonus points if she swings to the other side, 2 in one!

  32. Re:Coder or idea? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The foundation of an App is completely created by drag and drop in Apple tools.

    Only someone with a cursory understanding of iOS app development would give Interface Builder that much credit.

  33. Re: Whoo DIVERSITY! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The only limits are those set by people in positions of power. Those limits cannot be surmounted, ever. To even think that is a crime.

  34. "many people"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I would say the absolute majority of all people all ages.

  35. Re:Whoo DIVERSITY! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You are a fucking idiot!