Author: Vladyslav Kosulin
Date: 11:25:52 01/31/05
Go up one level in this thread
Sandro, Both Chessbase and your announcements raise serious doubts on where we're headed to. In ideal world we'd have a list of GUI choices (ChessBase, ChessAssistant, ChessPartner, Chess Academy, Chess Informant Expert, Arena, Winboard/Xboard, jose, Shredder Classic, etc), a list of engines (hundreds to mention), a list of database formats, and a list of interfaces (UCI, winboard, ChessBase). Also in this world we'd be able to combine the pieces (GUI and engine) as we prefer using protocols and file formats they support. Unfortunately, Chessbase is commercially successful in tying GUI and engines: I can't get Junior working outside the Fritz GUI. Also, even already having Fritz GUI (like Deep Junior 9), I have to pay full price for another engine like Deep Shredder 9. This is Chessbase decision, and I am sure they will become more flexible if they feel the increased pressure from competitors, and not before. As a matter of fact, both Shredder implementations (Chessbase and UCI) are direct competitors, and I believe, you get more money from selling Shredder with classic GUI than from selling with Chessbase GUI. But because of market situation there is no doubt, Chessbase version will be more successful, and one of main reasons is you try to put engine and classic GUI together: I'd like to use your engine with both Chessbase and ChessAssistant, but there is no way to buy engine without GUI, which is useless for me, and there is no way to use your book outside of your GUI, which is (again) useless for me. As a result, if I go with Chessbase version, I can't use it with UCI GUI, and if I buy your UCI version, I can't use your book at all! This means I lose anyway. Even if I pay $225 to get both Deep versions, I still get only limited functionality for extra price. And I don't like it. And this means I am not going to buy it.
This page took 0 seconds to execute
Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700
Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.