Author: Komputer Korner
Date: 20:46:57 06/04/98
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On June 04, 1998 at 18:29:13, Bruce Moreland wrote: >I wish folks would use the titles they win, without embellishing them, >and I wish they would state they year that they win them, unless they >won them this year. > >The most recent example is the inside last page of the USCF magazine, >"Chess Life". > >This is a Virtual Chess 64 ad that claims that the program was "1996 & >1997 world microcomputer chess champion". > >Let's say that you participate in a sport, and that you are good enough >to win a world championship title. Then you do the same thing the next >year. What does this imply about you and about your competition? It >implies that there is a gap between you and the competition. > >So the ad leaves the reader with the idea that Virtual Chess is better >than the competition. > May I remind everyone that I always said the title of world professional/commercial champion was a fraudulent title. There should only be one title and that is World Computer Chess Champion. >But the problem here is that Virtual Chess was not the "world >microcomputer chess champion" in either of those years. > >The 1996 world microcomputer chess champion was Shredder, and the 1997 >world microcomputer chess champion was Junior. > >The reason that they can say "champion" is that there was a title given >in both of those years to the highest finishing *professional* chess >program, this was the "world professional microcomputer chess champion". > This is an extremely important distinction. > >In 1997 the highest finishing professional program was Virtual Chess, >who finished second overall, and in 1996 it was also Virtual Chess, who >finished in a tie for 5th through 7th. Fritz was 7th on tie break >points, there was a playoff, and Virtual Chess won. > >But the ad does not say "world professional microcomputer chess >champion" in one very prominent place, it says "world microcomputer >chess champion". This is misleading, and I have to believe damaging to >those who really won these titles in those years, and damaging to others >who have programs that are in the same league with Virtual Chess, and in >fact may have finished higher than Virtual Chess in at least one of >these tournaments. > >I ask that people who win titles please make use of the titles >responsibly and accurately. Those who have won less restrictive titles >do not need to have their reputation eroded by others who conveniently >forget to insert the appropriate restrictive adjective. > >bruce
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