If you have had a computer in the last 25 years than you have no doubt played Solitaire. The game has been included in every version of Microsoft’s operating system Windows since Windows 3.0 in 1990.
The game was originally intended to be a training tool to teach new computer users how to use a mouse but has grown to be one of the most played games in computing history. Ironically the game that cures a lot of people’s boredom was developed out of boredom.
Wes Cherry is the man that created the game while he was an intern for Microsoft. A new interview with Wes exposes the origin of the game. He told Great Big Story, “I came up with the idea to write Solitaire out of boredom really”. Wes added, “There wasn’t really many games at the time, so we had to make them.”
Because Wes was an intern at the time he hasn’t made a cent for his creation. He can be happy with the fact that Microsoft head Bill Gates thought the game was “too hard” when he first played it.
The number of total hours dedicated or wasted depending on who you speak too, to playing the game had to amount to something. Wed jokingly added, “I can say that right after Solitaire was released in 1990, there was a world recession”. Well played, Wes.