3 ms·

On a minor note: > it is prima facie wrong that one of the rules of the App Store is that an app is not allowed to explain the rules of the App Store. I’m hard

On a minor note: > it is prima facie wrong that one of the rules of the App Store is that an app is not allowed to explain the rules of the App Store. I’m hard pressed to think of an exception to this conviction, not just on Apple’s App Store, but in any sphere of life — whether a harmless game... There is a card game called "Mao" in which one of the rules is that you're not supposed to explain the rules. The base game is similar to Uno or Crazy 8s, and then, when you win a game, you get to define a new rule, which you name but don't otherwise explain, and then start enforcing that rule (giving penalty cards when others break it). Others are expected to guess the rule by observing its application. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_(card_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_(card_game)

erichocean 6y ago
That's a very fun game to play with friends. Many happy memories. :)
mistermann 6y ago
> There is a card game called "Mao" in which one of the rules is that you're not supposed to explain the rules. One could argue that politicians, corporations and journalists in the US (and many other countries) have a similar set of rules going on in their mutually beneficial game. It's nice to see someone in the mainstream pointing out the rhetorical word games that are played to hide the actual truth from the public.
- mensetmanusman 6y ago
  Also in academia. A bunch of professors recently wrote an article about this because they don’t know what they can say anymore without offending someone.
  - chordalkeyboard 6y ago
    Can you link the article? Thanks.
    - mensetmanusman 6y ago
      https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/opinion/2020/09/14/letter-on-free-speech/114016796/ https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/opinion/2020/09/14/let...
karmakaze 6y ago
How simple do the rules have to be? Just keep giving out penalty cards and keep updating the unstated rule in your head as you go, or is the 'game' itself?
- waterhouse 6y ago
  There isn't a requirement, although impossible-to-guess rules tend to be not fun and may lead to complaining, and I think it's common wisdom that the person who devises a rule is often surprised at how difficult it is for everyone else to guess, and simple ones are generally encouraged. (I think that, even among a group of strong mathematicians, a rule like "say 'lucky' whenever you play a prime-numbered card" is medium-high difficulty.) Some difficulty comes from having to remember a growing set of new rules; when playing for a long time, I think people tended to say "start afresh with the base rules" after every 4-7 games.

erichocean 6y ago

That's a very fun game to play with friends. Many happy memories. :)

mistermann 6y ago

> There is a card game called "Mao" in which one of the rules is that you're not supposed to explain the rules. One could argue that politicians, corporations and journalists in the US (and many other countries) have a similar set of rules going on in their mutually beneficial game. It's nice to see someone in the mainstream pointing out the rhetorical word games that are played to hide the actual truth from the public.

mensetmanusman 6y ago
Also in academia. A bunch of professors recently wrote an article about this because they don’t know what they can say anymore without offending someone.
- chordalkeyboard 6y ago
  Can you link the article? Thanks.
  - mensetmanusman 6y ago
    https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/opinion/2020/09/14/letter-on-free-speech/114016796/ https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/opinion/2020/09/14/let...

karmakaze 6y ago

How simple do the rules have to be? Just keep giving out penalty cards and keep updating the unstated rule in your head as you go, or is the 'game' itself?

waterhouse 6y ago
There isn't a requirement, although impossible-to-guess rules tend to be not fun and may lead to complaining, and I think it's common wisdom that the person who devises a rule is often surprised at how difficult it is for everyone else to guess, and simple ones are generally encouraged. (I think that, even among a group of strong mathematicians, a rule like "say 'lucky' whenever you play a prime-numbered card" is medium-high difficulty.) Some difficulty comes from having to remember a growing set of new rules; when playing for a long time, I think people tended to say "start afresh with the base rules" after every 4-7 games.