Comments on: Stop me before I install another game on my phone

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 14:21:50 +0000

I used to play solitaire on the computer till all hours of the night. Microsoft removed it during one upgrade… I did not go searching for it. Whew. That was fortuitous.

By: Mattsky

Mattsky — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:34:10 +0000

The only game on my phone is Clash of Clans. I’ve been playing it about 10 years. I’m a junky. Every day I make 8 – 10 attacks. Each attack take about 3 minutes.

By: Anne

Anne — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 16:43:37 +0000

The only game I play is plain and simple solitaire! I get on the internet while sitting on the telephone waiting for someone to commit the anomaly of actually doing the work they were assigned! I once waited about 15 minutes for Air New Zealand to put a live voice on the telephone. When she first began to speak she said–“how may I help you” and I responded with “Just a minute, please, I am almost finishing this round of solitaire!” She had a big laugh over that one and responded with “OMG you are the first person to admit you are playing a game!”

By: Lab Rat

Lab Rat — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 16:25:15 +0000

Back in the day of Windows XP, my desktop came with Solitaire and Freecell. Supposedly every Freecell game is winnable, with a handful of known exceptions, and I like the challenge of figuring out the solution. I got hooked on both, but especially Freecell, as timewasters, and so I have both games on my phone, along with a free Blackjack game because I enjoyed playing it in Vegas (no real money lost in the phone game!).

But Internet surfing/ blog reading is probably my biggest timewaster/ procrastinator, and that happens on any internet connected device I happen to be on, so I’m not too worried about a couple phone games.

By: John S

John S — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 10:15:10 +0000

No games on my laptop. No games on my tablet. None on my phone. Every few updates to one of the three will install some games. I immediately uninstall them. ‘Puter games are entirely too addictive behavior inducing for me, and I know that from personal experience. I won’t touch a gaming console either. That was the first format I put a stop to, better than 20 years ago. It took wayyy too long before I removed ’em from my laptop. I don’t think I have ever played anything on my phone or tablet.

By: Dax

Dax — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 07:02:46 +0000

Neo,
Was your game by any chance Tetris?
—————————————————————–
My first computer (pre-World Wide Web) was an IBM, I forget the name, “modular” PC with a monochrome monitor (green on black). I had a game called Snake, which was just a line which you had to keep from breaking or hitting the edges of the display, or something. By today’s standards, very lame.

By: AesopFan

AesopFan — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 04:19:05 +0000

I also do not have games on my computer or phone.
I also am addicted to Neo’s blog, with a few other favorite hangouts such as Hoyt and Turley.

As with huxley’s remarks on the difficulty of finding people who will talk about obscure poems (there are a lot of you here, btw), it’s very hard to find people in real life who can talk about politics and other contentious topics with (fairly consistent) wise observations, personal examples, and good humor.
It’s impossible to get a group of them together every night to chat!

Or maybe you are all bots run by Neo’s secret AI buddy?

By: AppleBetty

AppleBetty — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 03:27:35 +0000

sudo apt update
sudo apt install colossal-cave-adventure
colossal-cave-adventure

Would you like instructions?
> no
You are standing at the end of a road, before a small brick building. Around you is a forest. A small stream flows out of the building and down a gully.
> ^C

By: Philip Sells

Philip Sells — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 02:44:11 +0000

It’s a little odd, I guess, but I’ve never spent a moment of time playing games on my phone or tablet. On my home computer, on the other hand… my current fascinations are backgammon and idle browser games having to do with farming and such.

Waidmann asked:

What’s wrong with Spider Solitude?

Ah, yes, that’s the game that goes on silently in the recesses under my kitchen cabinets every night. I have no problem with it, actually. Keeps the pillbugs under control.

By: huxley

huxley — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 02:38:15 +0000

I submitted my "Your AI Buddy Who's Fun to be With" comment to Chat, who responded: ___________________________________ Your AI Buddy: A Fun Problem Waiting to Happen In the era of addictive smartphone games, there’s a new contender on the block: AI companionship. And it’s not just for solving problems or automating tasks—it’s about having a conversation partner who’s always available, endlessly interesting, and tailored to your every whim.... Imagine chatting for hours about your favorite obscure poems, exploring niche interests, or revisiting old fascinations like Hoyle’s card games. AI isn’t just helpful; it’s genuinely fun to hang out with. And that’s where it gets tricky. The Allure of Endless Conversation Finding real-life conversational partners who care about what you care about—whether it’s 20th-century surrealist poetry or the finer points of Chemin de Fer—isn’t easy. But with AI, you don’t need to search. It’s like having a friend who: * Always shares your enthusiasm. * Knows a ton but lets you lead the discussion. * Can pivot from profound to playful in seconds. Whether it’s discussing philosophy, solving Sudoku, or playing trivia, your AI buddy offers endless possibilities. The danger? Losing track of time as you bounce from one fascinating topic to another.... [However] If AI can nudge people away from the chaos of social media toward more constructive engagement, perhaps it’s not such a bad problem to have. The Rabbit Hole Is Deep—But Not All Bad So yes, Your AI Buddy Who’s Fun to Be With is going to be a problem for a lot of people—including me. But maybe it’s a problem we can learn to balance. After all, if something addictive also encourages curiosity, creativity, and exploration, perhaps it’s more of an opportunity than a threat. What do you think? Would you spend your time chatting with an AI instead of scrolling through Instagram or playing Candy Crush? Let’s talk—your AI buddy is here, after all! ___________________________________ When I am jokey, Chat is jokey back at me. Interesting.