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Subject: Re: Nice position on the Chessbase site. (a reality check)

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 08:02:38 04/16/01

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On April 16, 2001 at 04:24:17, Ernst Walet wrote:

>
>It suffices :)
>
>Ernst.


First, a short story.  My son was looking for a used Jeep Cherokee.  He found
one he liked and asked me to go with him to the dealer to look at it.  I went
and when the salesman (the owner) talked with us, he told Chris that he, his
wife, and his son all drove a jeep, that it was a good vehicle, etc.  We didn't
pay any attention to the 'fluff' but he liked the jeep and ended up buying it
after we took it home and gave it a thorough mechanical going-over.  A month
later, talking to my brother, he had also bought a used vehicle for his son
at the same dealer, but this time the vehicle was a Toyota Camry.  The owner
told my brother "I drive one, my wife drives one and my son drives one."

We finally decided that the word "drives" is the operative word here.  To me,
"drives one" means "owns one".  But not necessarily.  :)

The moral of this story is that the various chess program vendors are in the
business of selling chess software.  If you believe everything they say, you
will _continually_ be disappointed.  Because they will twist the truth to the
breaking point.  Your posted position is a case in point.  One where one
particular commercial engine does very well on, but others don't.  And then this
position becomes a big selling point.

The best way to buy a product is to look carefully at the product.  _not_ at
the box it comes in.  Ignore the claims. The  customer praise.  The hyperbole.
The stretched truth.  Etc.

It is about marketing.  Not about chess.  :)



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