My concern is that gamers, like all addicts, are dysfunctional people with personality problems. I am ambivalent on this issue. We all do whatever we have to do to make our way in this life. Some drink, some smoke, some gamble, some play silly buggers on the internet, some use drugs, whether legal or illegal. I recognise that we are all human and prone to the weaknesses to which humans are prone.

The problem I have with internet addiction disorder, and gaming could be considered a related problem although it started well before the average person had internet access, is that such people are distancing themselves from the real world and from the people around them. Its one thing to play chess in the park, or bridge in a club; and quite another to be solely focussed on a keyboard and a video display.

In today's world, more than ever, we need real people doing real things. Even drunks in a pub discuss the world and probable solutions to real problems. What do gamers contribute, other than using up bandwidth and threatening their own sanity?

At the very least, let's protect the kids from a life of nothingness? The over-18s, presumably, have the technicl skills and the hardware to download the games from wherever. Let's keep the rubbish off the shopfront retail circuit.

And, gamers, go for it. One day you might be saying, "I was blessed with a life, and I missed it". Get real, while you still can!

Beleive it or not Stiubhard, most gamers really do spend most of their time away from the computer.

Did it ever cross your mind in your own pathetic analogy that maybe these people spend the time at their screens precisely because they do NOT wish to alternatively spend it getting drunk at a pub, gambling or injecting heroin, or plain old staring at the TV set, and doing nothing?

And as most Australian cities offer absolutely NOTHING to do recreationally, especially at night, beyond these four things- or something that costs a fortune each visit/use- can you really blame someone for doing something that costs nothing more than a blip on the electricity bill?

And your 'solution' does nothing but force the use of software piracy- great idea.

Great ideas,bloggers.
My crapometer is running hot.
OK. No violent computer games for R18's, so they drop into the local DVD shop like Blockbusters,eg, and get themselves the most gory and sadistic movies going around and take it home and view it with friends over and over again.Great substitute.
OK so we dont let them get these viloent movies,so stop them watching the mayhem that is available from 8.30 pm on TV.
How we doin' now.That much better.
Nope.
So then they find ways to get out with mates high on boredom and adrenaline coursing for some one to beat up half to death.
How'm I doin now.
Do I have any healthy alternatives.
Yep.It begins early from the crib. Parents should share their lives with their kids.Do things together all the time. Too much to expect?
socratease

Aaah the LAN Party eh crew? It tickles the cockles of my Heart. Low latency RAM, tweak the BIOS, pump the bus, run a lean o/s, and mayb clock up the c&gpu's ... mmmm ... get the team voice and head sets going ... and then go for a

FFFFLLLLLLLYYYYY - WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

What Joy, and indulge in a bit of *Blood and Mayhem*

Alas Dear Duke, we knew thee well.
(That's Duke Nukem for the UnInitiated)

What a super cool Jet Pack.

..

I used to Luv *Heretic* as well. You used to be able to come in from on High with the Phoenix Staff and spinal someone like Predator.

HaHaHa

..

That doesn't go to say that it is something that all of us fantasize about doing in real life, but some games are a great interactive, highly competitive team sport, and provide complimentary stress relief from killing and persecuting sprites.

It is highly recommended if done in a balanced way. Of course, too much vegemite is no good for your either, as is too much 2d screen work period. Yes, gives those eyes a good 3d work out in bright settings for good health and most of the games of a certain type also recommend non participation of you have a history of epilepsy or to get checked out first with your own professional doc if in doubt.

I must upgrade my SLI/CrossFire to HD capable and have a proper go at "Modern Warfare" or something similar.

Shadow Minister: <"Barbara Biggins is one of the Blue rinsed dowager brigade... ">

I think that Antiseptic was the first to come up with that sort of derogatory term SM; though I've seen you use it more than once. It defines you in one of two ways:

1. Either you're no chicken yourself and sitting up there in your pudgy baldness jabbing at your keyboard and trying to be cool.
or
2. You're much younger than Ms. Biggins and therefore disrespectful and just plain ageist. If this is the Ms. Biggins I've read about she has a long distinguished career in voluntary human services and deserves a modicum of respect for that alone. If it isn't the same woman, it doesn't matter if she's 100 yr old or how she's coiffed; she is still entitled to an opinion which, with the added benefit of age and experience, might be extra valuable.

Anyway, I do disagree with the article in general. I share the views expressed by King Hazza and DreamOn. Personally I love computer gaming though I'm lousy at it. I taught my children how to use the internet; rarely monitored it; never prevented my children from participating in any gaming; often hosted LAN parties and I would say that I am a more passionate internet user BY FAR than any of them.

I think it's funny when people say, "Get out in the real world..." etc - the internet IS part of the "real world"; just like the telephone; the radio; the TV - they're all just facilitative tools for expanding human interaction.

There are many additional things that shape how much gamers relate to whatever violence they're exposed to. I think we need more research and discussion on the factors that help gamers to keep it in proportion. In any case there's no cause for fuss. Just price the games out of reach of most youngsters.

A funny quote: "Computer games don't affect kids, I mean if Pac man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive music."

Pynchme,

While I would like to claim the term "blue rinsed dowager" it has been used for decades to describe older women with too much time on their hands, uncomfortable with society as it is today, and often trying to interfere and restore the "good old values".

With BB this is spot on.

While she might be entitled to her opinion her desire to ram it down all of our throats and her entry into the public domain to push for censorship rightly opens her to derision and scorn.

Some good deeds do not justify an evil one.

As for your take on me, I (along with 99%) of the population younger than BB, but with kids at high school (like you) I have enough experience to spot a crock when I see it.

My take on you is that while you might be partially internet Savvy, your welfare background and your opposition to racy internet content puts you on track to joining the blue rinse brigade.

Also what the blue rinse dowagers miss is that with bit torrent, all the games can be downloaded in a cracked format for free. If they are banned, then there is no justification to pursue pirates. So they now become more widely distributed, and generally amongst the under 18s.