I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#1

Post by steventey » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 8:44 PM UTC

I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer
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Re: I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#2

Post by duxup » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 9:31 PM UTC

Sometimes I wonder if I might buy into The Matrix / Colossus: The Forbin Project / our AI overlords if I felt it actually cared about me / was whimsical enough ...

Re: I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#3

Post by butwhywhyoh » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 9:34 PM UTC

Does anyone else find this mildly dystopian? I mean, it's a cool and really fun project, but it doesn't take much imagination to envision a service like this actually taking off.

"We monitor your mood 24/7 and automatically send you 'happy thoughts' on demand! Contemplating your feelings? Why bother! Here's a cute cat video! Never feel uncomfortable, pensive, or existential again!"

Re: I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#4

Post by ivraatiems » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 9:37 PM UTC

I solved this problem in a lower-tech way by simply configuring the area behind my workstation as a cat bed. Now, I can turn around and enjoy looking at my cat at any time, as she loves her bed and rarely leaves it. Stress eliminated!

Yes, she is taking Series A funding in the form of wet food, if anyone is interested.

Re: I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#5

Post by duxup » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 9:43 PM UTC

butwhywhyoh wrote: post #3

Does anyone else find this mildly dystopian? I mean, it's a cool and really fun project, but it doesn't take much imagination to envision a service like this actually taking off. "We monitor your mood 24/7 and automatically send you 'happy thoughts' on demand! Contemplating your feelings? Why bother! Here's a cute cat video! Never feel uncomfortable, pensive, or existential again!"

It's a fun story, but yeah continuing the thought it is a little dark.

But the truth is any dystopian future we create ... it's not Evil Google taking over, it's us accepting it happily in exchange for instant cat messaging and Marilyn Monroe bots.

Re: I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#6

Post by bombcar » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 9:45 PM UTC

I feel that `thecatapi` and `placekitten` should get together and save the planet whilst providing various cats at a consistent size.

Re: I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#7

Post by eurekin » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 9:45 PM UTC

butwhywhyoh wrote: post #3

Does anyone else find this mildly dystopian? I mean, it's a cool and really fun project, but it doesn't take much imagination to envision a service like this actually taking off. "We monitor your mood 24/7 and automatically send you 'happy thoughts' on demand! Contemplating your feelings? Why bother! Here's a cute cat video! Never feel uncomfortable, pensive, or existential again!"

In a year, on a Show HN thread there will be a comment referencing this news entry as another "Dropbox" moment.

Only half joking, wouldn't be surprised at all

Re: I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#8

Post by bombcar » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 9:45 PM UTC

butwhywhyoh wrote: post #3

Does anyone else find this mildly dystopian? I mean, it's a cool and really fun project, but it doesn't take much imagination to envision a service like this actually taking off. "We monitor your mood 24/7 and automatically send you 'happy thoughts' on demand! Contemplating your feelings? Why bother! Here's a cute cat video! Never feel uncomfortable, pensive, or existential again!"

I'd rather have it above-board and open than be part of some giant machine learning algorithm at Meta somewhere - "we want our customers to be a bit depressed but not too much or they stop spending ..."

Re: I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#9

Post by incanus77 » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 9:47 PM UTC

butwhywhyoh wrote: post #3

Does anyone else find this mildly dystopian? I mean, it's a cool and really fun project, but it doesn't take much imagination to envision a service like this actually taking off. "We monitor your mood 24/7 and automatically send you 'happy thoughts' on demand! Contemplating your feelings? Why bother! Here's a cute cat video! Never feel uncomfortable, pensive, or existential again!"

I agree that this could absolutely be an awful service. However, if someone is just now hacking this for fun, then odds are someone else is already hacking it for profit.

I'm always glad to see people experimenting with technology at a human level and writing about it. That feels like the best that we can do, as opposed to not writing about it or pretending that it doesn't exist.

Re: I wrote a program that sends cats to my phone when I'm sad at the computer

#10

Post by eurekin » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 9:47 PM UTC

eurekin wrote: post #7

butwhywhyoh wrote: post #3

Does anyone else find this mildly dystopian? I mean, it's a cool and really fun project, but it doesn't take much imagination to envision a service like this actually taking off. "We monitor your mood 24/7 and automatically send you 'happy thoughts' on demand! Contemplating your feelings? Why bother! Here's a cute cat video! Never feel uncomfortable, pensive, or existential again!"

In a year, on a Show HN thread there will be a comment referencing this news entry as another "Dropbox" moment. Only half joking, wouldn't be surprised at all

Oh, just got why: in western cultures it's considered dystopian, but I can imagine Japanese market being open to that (just like with robot dogs that are getting their own cemetery spots)