farmville addicts

[camjuniper]

More of an annoyance than a suck. I know we've got computers and internet so that all folks can have access to these fabulous things and not just for work or school or job or tax stuff, but for recreational things as well.

HOWEVER, you, Little Miss FarmFuckingVille and you, crabby Mr. OnlineCasinoandYahooGames, you make me die inside, just a little bit, every single time I see you spend THE ENTIRE DAY (every damn day we're open) on the computer playing the aforementioned games. Especially on a day like today. It's sunny, a bit hot, sure, but cooler than it's been, and damn gorgeous out! Get outside!! Make a friend! Take a walk! You make me want to cry. Maybe I'm projecting too much. Maybe I'm resentful that you've got some (hell, tons of) free time. But, damn, when you spend five straight minutes CLICKING YOUR MOUSE RAPIDLY, I want to strangle you with the mouse cord, throw your ass out of the library and tell you not to come back until you have proof of rehabilitation. Ugh.

[Cole's Law]

Not to mention they're tying up computers for others. Any chance your library can either:
1) Block Facebook
2) Disable Flash (not sure if this would stop Farmville or not)
3) Establish time limits?

[JetGirl]

Removing flash would destroy some Facebook games, I'm pretty sure.

I hate that, too. You come in here to get mad at me when you very well could/should be outside getting some vitamin d.

[camjuniper]

I hate that, too. You come in here to get mad at me when you very well could/should be outside getting some vitamin d.

Too true.

We don't use any blocking software and I don't think my director would got for it. It's also not an issue for light users, just these sad sacks (there's only a few particular people who abuse this), so blocking facebook or any sites would be unfair and against policy. Same goes for flash. Though I used to get one of them bitching me out about flash not being up to date on one of the computers--repeatedly--until I actually SHOWED her that the flash version on that computer matches the latest version. The problem was with explorer not playing nice. I told her to try firefox or chrome and I haven't heard a peep about that.

As for time limits, we've got the time limit set to 1 hour, 2 log-ins per day. But if no one's waiting for a computer, you can extend your time for half-an-hour either until someone's waiting or until we're closing. <-- all done by computer software.

*sigh* Maybe I can get my director to give a number of extensions limit. Although that would punish someone who needed it for something legit, like school or job searching.

[emax4]

Do they give you any access to the router? Do you know anything about MAC addresses? A MAC Address is like a hardware serial number assigned on a network. Let's say that your library has 10 identical computers. Instead of having to memorize computer 1 from computer 8, each computer will have a different MAC address. It might look like "7d:d1:90:44:d2:b5". If you get access to the router, you can disable individual computers momentarily by cutting off internet access if a patron breaks the rules in a case like this.

[Pixilated]

At the Job Gym, the computers blocked all social sites (for obvious reasons, LOL). But I can see why the library would be wary of doing something like that; it really is punishing the many for the obsessions of the very few.

[Mr Hero]

I've had to cut off a guest's Farmville usage. During the late night shift, unplugging the router for the guest internet is pretty safe to do without upsetting others in the hotel.

[Opalin]

But, damn, when you spend five straight minutes CLICKING YOUR MOUSE RAPIDLY, I want to strangle you with the mouse cord, throw your ass out of the library and tell you not to come back until you have proof of rehabilitation. Ugh.

Just be glad they can't play diablo on your computers, that'd be wearing out the mouse.

[tropicsgoddess]

In FL the libraries had time limits on the computers and you can only go 3x a day in 60 minute increments and that's it. Before you can go online, you had to accept the T&A about library policy on computers. The only computers that didn't have internet access were the computers in the kids section. What was ridiculous was that if you needed a computer you had to get to the library early or you'd see all the people hog up the computers for MySpace, Facebook, etc.

[Mike Taylor]

2) Disable Flash (not sure if this would stop Farmville or not)

Disabling Flash will kill Farmville and all of the other Zynga titles.

[cindybubbles]

Disabling Flash will kill Farmville and all of the other Zynga titles.

And that will turn what was once an annoyance into a full-blown SC.

[Argus]

Disabling Flash will kill Farmville and all of the other Zynga titles.

It will also kill some banking sites, and maybe a job site or two.

[kptsj]

The library system I worked at had a program that wouldn't allow people to use Facebook, Myspace, Netflix, or any streaming site. And we are a podunk little system with 6 libraries, with each branch usually ran by 1 or 2 people. Deepfreeze maybe?

[PepperElf]

Removing flash would destroy some Facebook games, I'm pretty sure.

I hate that, too. You come in here to get mad at me when you very well could/should be outside getting some vitamin d.

And then claim it's for security purposes, cos flash really *can* be a security issue after all.

at the mall at my hometown they had a public computer area in the food court iirc with free computers. however they had FB disabled, claiming that it had something to do with age-restricted material. but hey it's their computers so their decision

[mariamousie1]

I've never understood why people find farmville so addictive anyway. There are lots of farming games on Facebook that are way more fun.