Internet Buttons: a page of buttons that make it easy to use the Web

1) The font choice when hovering over "Edit" or "Set up" on a button is REALLY weird. I'm a 31 year old dude and it took me a few seconds longer than it should have (i.e., zero seconds) to parse it

2) "Search" seems to default to http://google.com (which is fine, except that using Google Chrome, for some reason http://google.com doesn't work for me. I need to prepend a www or use google.ca - seems as though the automatic country based redirect is broken?). And there doesn't seem to be any way to edit it. So the most prominent, and probably most used, button is broken immediately.

Nice idea, probably needs some review on implementation.

That said, while my grandfather uses the web every day, he does sometimes get stuck. But a little extra personalization / friendliness would help. Where the phone number is now, I'd love to be able to send my grandpa a new message every day, share a photo of a family member, hook in the NYT headlines, etc.

Of course, then it turns into a kind of Duplo Netvibes and it's 2005 all over again. Still, I can see there being a userbase.

But then, where's the interface that brings all these web apps together? A Bookmark list is pretty archaic. Opera led the way with Speed Dial, and Safari and Chrome give you your most used bookmarks, as far as providing a graphical menu when you start your browser. There are various extensions and web sites that provide that, too, but it's still not like a proper interface.

I don't know whether this is a proper interface (the colors?), but it is a great idea at the core.

In other words: this is all about psychology, not intellect, and the site looks like it does it well. Congratulations.

Then, while setting up my buttons there is a pop up when you rollover "edit" that reads "click here…" I never found out what it said after "click here," because I would try to click there when it popped up, then it would disappear. This is entirely confusing to have an edit button, then when they try to use it, you distract them with fluff.

Overal the interface needs to be treated with a similar concept as the business. Make it easier and dumb it down, don't try to add playfulness and uniqueness where it isn't needed.

[1] http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Clear looks like it would fit

The site isn't officially launched just yet and we're aware of some of the issues. We've got another version waiting in the wings on a dev server but definitely going to take your feedback into account. Cheers!

And yes, the site's target audience are "older people" though we would include anyone not familiar with the internet. It also relies on an actual human who knows you helping out. Think of it as a jumping off area (both technically and for developing a relationship between the natives and the newbies)

Setting up shortcuts/aliases/bookmarks is already easy, and my "mentees" already know my face and phone number. The usability of all the different websites is the problem.

Why, no, I am not interested in healthy living.