Author: Jorge Pichard
Date: 09:29:04 08/12/00
Go up one level in this thread
On August 12, 2000 at 11:53:40, Steve wrote: >On August 12, 2000 at 10:09:46, Jorge Pichard wrote: > >>It is simpler than most programmer can imagine, most Chessmaster fans like >>myself one time or another were or are still wondering in software's stores or >>places like Comp U.S.A or similar with an extra $30 after buying whatever >>pheripherals for their computer such as a bigger Hard Drive or more memory etc.. >>and suddenly see Chessmaster 6000 on the shelf for sale, for only $25 dollars >>and it usually has a big sale sign original price $45.00 so people like myself >>who occasionally play chess at a club or with family relative or friends see >>this fancy and well decorated box with the word on top "World's Best-Selling >>Chess Program". Immediately it caught my Eye, but not for the fact that it had >>the word "World's Best-Selling chess Program", but for the simple fact that it >>was conveniently located on a store which most people who owned computer >>frequently visit, either to buy softwares or upgrade their current computer, >>with more memory or a bigger Hard Drive etc... Now if at that time I would have >>seen Fritz or Junior or Rebel on the same store with a competitive price and the >>word [Chess program rated # 1 on the SSDF among Computers for Fritz] or a good >>strategic for Rebel would be [Best P.C. Chess program against Human GMs]. Now I >>would have taken my time and decided wether I wanted just the Best-Selling >>Chess Program in the World for $25 or paid $30 for the program rated #1 by the >>SSDF, of course the box has to have an explanation for the evaluation system >>used to rated computer program by the SSDF on fritz box for the general people >>who occasionally play chess, but not necessarily know what the SSDF rating >>system is all about. And I would also have taken my time to decide whether I >>wanted a good playing chess program like Rebel or Shredder wich play great >>against GMs. Now, I said early that in order to be competive against Chessmaster >>and gain the majority of their fans, you have to target convenient places like >>Com U.S.A. and other Softwares stores. Fritz, Rebel, Chess Tiger or Shredder do >>not need to sale their latest version on sale to the general public, simply sale >>their previous version just one or two months before releasing the next version, >>for a reasonable price like Chessmaster does and place it on sale. >>Now the box would contain a note with detail of how to get the latest upgrade >>of the same chess software for instance fritz and Rebel can sale their previous >>version for just $30 one month prior to their next release, therefore, competing >>to gain the general market that chessmaster has been targeting for so long. >> >>Pichard. > >Interesting idea. But for purposes of marketing to the general public (as >opposed to the smaller universe of advanced players), Chessmaster has more going >for it than just low price and easy availability. It has a lot of fun features >for casual players. If ChessBase, Rebel, etc. wanted to compete for that >market, they'd have to add those features to their current programs, and the >result (sophisticated analysis and database features for advanced players, >"guess the move" and Josh Waitzkin tutorials for casual players) might be more >confusing than anything else. I would like to add this small paragraph, back in 1991 when I Purchased my first P.C. program which was M-Chess at that time I spent an extraodinary amount of money $150.00 through CCR which was the first to market the M-Chess Product advertise as being the first to beat a GM Christiansen. At that time using my Intel 486 25 Mhz Processors, I thought well probably this will be a good investment since I occasionally beat players rated 2000 by the USCF but was not a member and this M-Chess program will help me get better. My biggest disapointment came a year later when Chessmaster 4000 for windows 3.5 was released and it could be purcharse for little over $40 and it was much better than the M-Chess for DOS which one year prior I purchased for $150.00. The point here was that Chessmaster by releasing a stronger and cheaper Windows Chess Program available at any Software stores conveniently located, immediately took over the Mass Market. And still up to this point Marty Hirsch has not realized that he should have switched to a Windows version by sacrifising its strength just by a few rating points and lowering his price. Pichard.
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