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Does John Conway hate his Game of Life?

30 videos recommended on HN
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1 HN user recommended this interview1 month2015–2024 score 1
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

Cited whenever commenters want to note that Conway did not enjoy being known mainly for the Game of Life.

John Conway talks in a short Numberphile interview about his mixed feelings toward the Game of Life, his most famous invention. He says he is not especially pleased that it overshadowed his other work.

“Conway has said GOL is not something he is particularly pleased got as famous as it did.” (HN, 2024)

1 recommendations · 5 citations · Interviews

6 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@tdicola Jul 2015 Recommends
on HN thread John Conway – The world’s most charismatic mathematician
Numberphile, an awesome youtube channel on its own, has done some great interviews with John Conway that are definitely worth watching: [link] , [this video] , [link] He really comes across as a genuinely great guy.
Interviews with Conway showing him as a genuinely great guy

Citations, criticism and jokes

@splawn Jun 2017 Cites it
on HN thread Oh My Gosh, It’s Covered in Rule 30s
I think it is funny, Conway doesn't really enjoy being solely associated with GOL and the fame it brings[0].. In stark contrast with Wolfram's ego. Perhaps this arrangement actually works out best for both of them. [0] [this video]
@brownbat Apr 2020 Cites it
on HN thread Remembering Conway
VSauce tweeted a playlist of Conway's appearances on Numberphile, including that one: [this video] I found the one you posted especially moving, but the others were good too.
Conway's Numberphile appearances
@Akronymus Aug 2020 Cites it
on HN thread The Recursive Universe
> I know Conway was slightly resentful that game of life overshadowed some of his other work in the public's imagination, but I've always been entranced by it. He seems to have come to terms with it.[1] [1] [this video]

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