This article's lead sectionmay be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(January 2016)
Paul Alfille implemented Freecell in 1978 for the PLATO computer system at CERL; by the early 1980s Control Data Corporation had published it for all PLATO systems. Jim Horne, who enjoyed playing Freecell on the PLATO system at the University of Alberta, published a shareware $10 DOS version with color graphics in 1988. That year Horne joined Microsoft, and later ported the game to Windows.[3]
The Windows version was first included in Microsoft Entertainment Pack Volume 2 and later the Best Of Microsoft Entertainment Pack.[4] It was subsequently included with Win32s as an application that enabled the testing of the 32-bitthunking layer to ensure that it was installed properly.[5] However, FreeCell remained relatively obscure until it was released as part of Windows 95.[6] In Windows XP, FreeCell was extended to support a total of 1 million card deals.[4]
Today, there are FreeCell implementations for nearly every modern operating system as it is one of the few games pre-installed with every copy of Windows. Prior to Windows Vista, the versions for Windows were limited in their player assistance features, such as retraction of moves. The Windows Vista FreeCell implementation contains basic hints and unlimited move retraction (via the Undo menu choice or command),[7] and the option to restart the game. Some features have been removed, such as the flashing screen to warn the player of one move remaining. FreeCell is not included in the Windows 8 operating system but is available in the Windows Store as the free Microsoft Solitaire Collection, which is also bundled with Windows 10.
Legacyedit
Microsoft created the Entertainment Packs to encourage non-business use of Windows. According to company telemetry FreeCell was the seventh most-used Windows program, ahead of Word and Microsoft Excel.[3]
The original Microsoft FreeCell package supports 32,000 numbered deals, generated by a 15-bit, pseudorandom-numberseed. These deals are known as the "Microsoft 32,000",[4] and all but one of them have been completed.[6] Later versions of FreeCell include more than one million deals.[4] When Microsoft FreeCell became very popular during the 1990s, the Internet FreeCell Project attempted to solve all the deals by crowdsourcing consecutive games to specific people. The project ran from August 1994 to April 1995, and only #11982 proved unwinnable.[8] Out of the current Microsoft Windows games, eight are unsolvable.[9][10]
The significance of the "Microsoft 32,000" to many FreeCell players is such that other computer implementations of FreeCell will often go out of their way to guarantee compatibility with these deals, rather than simply using the most readily available random number generator for their target platforms.[4][11]
As an easter egg, Microsoft intentionally includes a few impossible games, with negative numbers. Playing these games do not count towards the statistics recorded by the computer.
^. Support. Microsoft. January 23, 2007. Archived from the original on February 6, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
^Rubenking, Neil J. (March 4, 1997). "User-to-User". PC Magazine. p. 271. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
^ abDear, Brian (2017). "27. Leaving the Nest". The Friendly Orange Glow. New York: Pantheon Books. pp. 501–503. ISBN9781101871560.
^ abcdeKeller, Michael (2005). "FreeCell - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)". Solitaire Laboratory. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
^"How to Troubleshoot Win32s Installation Problems". Microsoft. May 21, 1998. Archived from the original on July 12, 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
^ abKaye, Ellen (October 17, 2002). "One Down, 31,999 to Go: Surrendering to a Solitary Obsession". New York Times. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
^Rubenking, Neil J. (January 2008). "Ask Neil". PC Magazine. p. 124. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
^O'Reilly, Tim; Mott, Troy; Glenn, Walter J. (September 2, 1999). Windows 98 in a Nutshell. O'Reilly Media, Inc. pp. 199–. ISBN9781565924864. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
^Leonhard, Woody (September 15, 2009). Windows 7 All-In-One for Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 293–. ISBN9780470487631. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
^"FreeCell lists of difficult (and extra easy) deals". Solitaire Laboratory. March 13, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
^"PySol - Rules for Freecell". PySolFC documentation. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
November 23, 2023
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This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article January 2016 FreeCell also known as Microsoft FreeCell 1 is a computer game included in Microsoft Windows 2 based on a card game with the same name FreeCellFreeCell on Windows 7Original author s Jim HorneDeveloper s MicrosoftInitial release1991 32 years ago 1991 Operating systemMicrosoft WindowsPlatformIA 32 x86 64 and historically DEC Alpha Itanium MIPS and PowerPC SuccessorMicrosoft Solitaire Collection Windows 10 TypeComputer game Contents 1 Development 2 Releases 3 Legacy 4 See also 5 ReferencesDevelopment editPaul Alfille implemented Freecell in 1978 for the PLATO computer system at CERL by the early 1980s Control Data Corporation had published it for all PLATO systems Jim Horne who enjoyed playing Freecell on the PLATO system at the University of Alberta published a shareware 10 DOS version with color graphics in 1988 That year Horne joined Microsoft and later ported the game to Windows 3 The Windows version was first included in Microsoft Entertainment Pack Volume 2 and later the Best Of Microsoft Entertainment Pack 4 It was subsequently included with Win32s as an application that enabled the testing of the 32 bit thunking layer to ensure that it was installed properly 5 However FreeCell remained relatively obscure until it was released as part of Windows 95 6 In Windows XP FreeCell was extended to support a total of 1 million card deals 4 Releases edit nbsp Microsoft Solitaire Collection in Windows 10 in FreeCell modeToday there are FreeCell implementations for nearly every modern operating system as it is one of the few games pre installed with every copy of Windows Prior to Windows Vista the versions for Windows were limited in their player assistance features such as retraction of moves The Windows Vista FreeCell implementation contains basic hints and unlimited move retraction via the Undo menu choice or command 7 and the option to restart the game Some features have been removed such as the flashing screen to warn the player of one move remaining FreeCell is not included in the Windows 8 operating system but is available in the Windows Store as the free Microsoft Solitaire Collection which is also bundled with Windows 10 Legacy editMicrosoft created the Entertainment Packs to encourage non business use of Windows According to company telemetry FreeCell was the seventh most used Windows program ahead of Word and Microsoft Excel 3 The original Microsoft FreeCell package supports 32 000 numbered deals generated by a 15 bit pseudorandom number seed These deals are known as the Microsoft 32 000 4 and all but one of them have been completed 6 Later versions of FreeCell include more than one million deals 4 When Microsoft FreeCell became very popular during the 1990s the Internet FreeCell Project attempted to solve all the deals by crowdsourcing consecutive games to specific people The project ran from August 1994 to April 1995 and only 11982 proved unwinnable 8 Out of the current Microsoft Windows games eight are unsolvable 9 10 The significance of the Microsoft 32 000 to many FreeCell players is such that other computer implementations of FreeCell will often go out of their way to guarantee compatibility with these deals rather than simply using the most readily available random number generator for their target platforms 4 11 As an easter egg Microsoft intentionally includes a few impossible games with negative numbers Playing these games do not count towards the statistics recorded by the computer See also editList of games included with WindowsReferences edit FreeCell Stops Responding When You Click Undo Support Microsoft January 23 2007 Archived from the original on February 6 2007 Retrieved January 20 2017 Rubenking Neil J March 4 1997 User to User PC Magazine p 271 Retrieved January 20 2017 a b Dear Brian 2017 27 Leaving the Nest The Friendly Orange Glow New York Pantheon Books pp 501 503 ISBN 9781101871560 a b c d e Keller Michael 2005 FreeCell Frequently Asked Questions FAQ Solitaire Laboratory Retrieved January 20 2017 How to Troubleshoot Win32s Installation Problems Microsoft May 21 1998 Archived from the original on July 12 2010 Retrieved July 12 2010 a b Kaye Ellen October 17 2002 One Down 31 999 to Go Surrendering to a Solitary Obsession New York Times Retrieved January 20 2017 Rubenking Neil J January 2008 Ask Neil PC Magazine p 124 Retrieved June 12 2012 O Reilly Tim Mott Troy Glenn Walter J September 2 1999 Windows 98 in a Nutshell O Reilly Media Inc pp 199 ISBN 9781565924864 Retrieved June 12 2012 Leonhard Woody September 15 2009 Windows 7 All In One for Dummies John Wiley amp Sons pp 293 ISBN 9780470487631 Retrieved June 12 2012 FreeCell lists of difficult and extra easy deals Solitaire Laboratory March 13 2010 Retrieved February 7 2018 PySol Rules for Freecell PySolFC documentation Retrieved February 3 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Microsoft FreeCell amp oldid 1176114795, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
