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The idea that you can “fix” or “solve” software addiction with more software is silly to me. First, This requires users to setup this software. Then, there is

The idea that you can “fix” or “solve” software addiction with more software is silly to me. First, This requires users to setup this software. Then, there is nothing stopping them from working around or disabling it at anytime. If the software can’t be disabled then the user will switch to another product. If someone is really trying to curtail their software addiction, actual dedication will be required, not just the activation of some tool that they can easily disable with a few taps. And because these tools will likely not work for the majority of people, Apple and Google have every incentive to incorporate them into their operating systems and gobble up the market share (which they are already doing in their latest operating systems). A more traditional and therapeutic approach to the problem makes more sense to me, though it won’t scale well and the market doesn’t seem very big

viraptor 8y ago
> Then, there is nothing stopping them from working around or disabling it at anytime. Sure. But I think there's a bit of false dichotomy in this comment: you're either free or addicted with no control. There's a whole spectrum of behaviours. I do sometimes sink more time than I'd like into some service, and blocker apps solve that issue for me. Even a reminder: "do you really want to do this" would be enough in some cases. People I know have also been happy with a Facebook app blocker that monitors usage time. You can uninstall all of that, but none of the people I'm taking about are completely out of control - just want to improve our lives. If someone's literally addicted with no self control, that's a completely different issue though.
Faark 8y ago
You position sounds incredible uncreative to me. The article says "we need people working on that". Your response is "blocking won't work, thus software can't help". Someone else already commented that it might does, indeed. But I'd expect there to be way more stuff that might help. Just one thought on the spot: look at fitness or weight loss helpers. They use tons of psychological tricks to motivate you. Tracking alone could have a huge benefit, both to show what's wasted ("you spend x hrs on reddit this week. Instead, you could have y") and to measure improvements. Just imagine what other options there are.
- rootoor 8y ago
  My point isn’t that blocking won’t work, it’s that any software solution provided probably won’t work for most people because it’s too easy to quit with no accountability and then because it won’t work for most people, Apple and Google have every incentive to implement it in their operating systems (which they are already doing) and your business is gone

viraptor 8y ago

> Then, there is nothing stopping them from working around or disabling it at anytime. Sure. But I think there's a bit of false dichotomy in this comment: you're either free or addicted with no control. There's a whole spectrum of behaviours. I do sometimes sink more time than I'd like into some service, and blocker apps solve that issue for me. Even a reminder: "do you really want to do this" would be enough in some cases. People I know have also been happy with a Facebook app blocker that monitors usage time. You can uninstall all of that, but none of the people I'm taking about are completely out of control - just want to improve our lives. If someone's literally addicted with no self control, that's a completely different issue though.

Faark 8y ago

You position sounds incredible uncreative to me. The article says "we need people working on that". Your response is "blocking won't work, thus software can't help". Someone else already commented that it might does, indeed. But I'd expect there to be way more stuff that might help. Just one thought on the spot: look at fitness or weight loss helpers. They use tons of psychological tricks to motivate you. Tracking alone could have a huge benefit, both to show what's wasted ("you spend x hrs on reddit this week. Instead, you could have y") and to measure improvements. Just imagine what other options there are.

rootoor 8y ago
My point isn’t that blocking won’t work, it’s that any software solution provided probably won’t work for most people because it’s too easy to quit with no accountability and then because it won’t work for most people, Apple and Google have every incentive to implement it in their operating systems (which they are already doing) and your business is gone