this post was submitted on 27 Jan 2025
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I'm an older dude whose phase of staying up all night playing was back in the early console days. I prefer in-person tabletop RPGs like D&D, Traveller and Call of Cthulhu. Just not into computer games anymore, but that and social media seem to be most people's primary computer activities.

Game chatter has changed over the years - I used to see a lot of talk about graphics quality and massively powerful hardware - maybe that was during a period when it was rapidly improving, I dunno. But the current focus seems to be more on game industry business decisions sucking.

Anyway I'm just wondering how common it is to use computers more for coding and other technical non-game stuff.

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[–] anomnom@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 months ago

I pretty much stopped gaming when I started working serious jobs after college. I was a designer and front end dev, then design lead for a startup (where I allowed myself to be overworked, especially around deadlines). It’s a lot of screen time and playing games when I got home lost it’s appeal. Plus I’d switched to Macs, and my favorite multiplayer games were being over run by cheating (mid 2000s).

[–] rikudou@lemmings.world 3 points 4 months ago

Programming, research and education would be my primary computer uses.

[–] ultranaut@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago

I work all day on the computer. Its been a long time since gaming took up the majority of my computer time.

I think the stagnation in graphics improvements, combined with the extreme costs of high end GPUs and the massive growth in the industry, is what changed the dynamic. Most gamers just don't care about the high end like they used to and now its corporate BS that has a more direct impact on their gaming experience instead of better hardware.

[–] TheFeatureCreature@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

The primary use of my computer is for work as I am a 3D artist. I also watch a lot of videos and it serves as my audio rig for my music and headphones.

[–] burgersc12@mander.xyz 2 points 4 months ago

Rarely. I barely have time to game, never mind do the other things like code or whatever. Had my gaming pc for only about a year though

[–] DrBob@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 months ago

I am an adjunct professor. My evenings are taken for making slides and marking. I wish I had time for gaming.

[–] Nemo@slrpnk.net 2 points 4 months ago

My usage is a roughly even split between games, music, and all other media (including social media).

Programming and other digital projects used to be on par with music but back then games was a clear first place and social media use was a blip.

[–] FourPacketsOfPeanuts@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Xennial here. My non-admin use is probably split 60% learning, 30% programming, 10% gaming

[–] RBWells@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Yeah. I don't play computer games, and the computer my kid plays games on? She uses it more for drawing. The kids (not little kids) have laptops and use them for school. So about 1/5 of the computer use here is games. Lots of music streaming. One kid has a PS4 though, so there is a lot of gaming overall.

[–] Kaiyoto@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

My main computer is a 500$ laptop that I use for writing, bills, shipping, etc. My gaming laptop comes out maybe once a week.

[–] Mothra@mander.xyz 2 points 4 months ago

Yeah, I like gaming but lately I don't have the time for it and just like you I've switched to in person tabletop as it has the added benefit of interpersonal interactions face to face.

Anyway answering your question, yes I use it a lot, sometimes more or less depending on my job situation but mostly browsing, illustration, emails and 3D software make about 80% of my computer time.

[–] thevoidzero@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I rarely use my computers for games. Occasional bomb squad game with my wife. That's about it. I use it a lot for watching things, and coding a lot, related to work/personal projects and such. It was weird for me to find out most people that spend a lot of time on computers here are doing it because of games. Not because computers are fun to work with.

[–] WindyRebel@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I’m in my 40s and I sort of just dropped out of gaming on PC. I game on a console when I feel like I want to game.

My desktop rarely gets turned on anymore and I only use it for a cracked version of Wizards of the Coast’s 4E character builder because I play in a group that runs fourth edition.

My laptop is for learning things (IT related), general browsing, taxes, and whatever I feel like doing that feels cumbersome on a phone.

[–] bizzle@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I do game, but I have a dedicated HTPC that I game on. My laptop is mostly for work, I own my own business so I do a lot of design, spreadsheeting, etc. I also write lyrics and prose for a hobby, so I use my laptop for that, as well as some light music production. I think the only game I play on it is the KDE minesweeper clone.

[–] antithetical@lemmy.deedium.nl 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I build my machine about 8 years ago and it is time for a new one. I use it mainly for coding and research but I do like the occasional game (even VR). I try to max out specs so the PC lasts a long time.

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Wow, my current build was in September but the one before it lasted 11 or 12 years. I remember stretching the budget on it so I wouldn't have to do another one for a while. It worked!

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I do so many different things on my computers that I rarely have time to play. I do have four or five games (as in Steam bought), but all I get to play is a clondike solitaire occasionally.

[–] TehWorld@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I last launched Minecraft about 4 years ago. Before that, I don’t even remember what games I might have played on my computer. The last console game I played with any regularity was GTA 5 on console, and once I beat the single player game I pretty much stopped. I simply don’t have time to spend on games I guess. I do have both Cribbage and Sudoku on my phone. Probably play them a combined average of 2-3 hours a month.

[–] maz1@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago
[–] sleepmode@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I mostly use my Mac for business stuff, art and coding. The PC spends most of its time on offloaded AI tasks and rendering jobs. It was originally a toy for gaming but I’d rather use my Steam Deck for that now.

[–] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Technically for me it's work now

[–] jadedwench@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I mostly use mine to program. I started gaming again after barely playing them for a decade, but that is not my computer's primary purpose. Otherwise, I do dumb online browsing, play D&D with friends (used to...), fiddle around with art (mostly do that on iPad), 3d printing or electronics related things. Random shit like that.

[–] Magister@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

I'm 54 and don't game at all on my PC, it is used only for coding, a Beelink SER5

[–] psion1369@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

I have my primary daily driver laptop running Arch for web programming and writing, my side laptop running arch for monitoring services and writing, my server computer running (again) arch that I use for web dev and jellyfin streaming, and my work laptop running Ubuntu for server management. Not to mention my chromebook for paper weight, and my wife's laptop on Win10 she uses for design stuff. Nobody running games outside of my xBox One.

[–] maxalmonte14@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

I mostly use my laptop for coding, language learning, and watching TV series. I do play games on it but rarely, I got enough consoles and handhelds and I prefer using them instead of the computer, I'd use the computer if I want to play a game for a console I don't have tho.

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