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Subject: Re: About the Results of Poll 16

Author: John Coffey

Date: 18:43:50 09/05/98

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How much is a chess program worth?  I picked up Extreme Chess for $19,
and it has the same program that won a speed game against Kasparov.  I like
Extreme Chess and it beats the pants off of me (as does Chess Master 4000
and 3000 and 2000 that I purchased.)  So buying a "stronger engine" isn't
much of an issue.

The main reason why I bought Extreme Chess was for the analysis ability
and the ability to select a rating.  But when I found out that Fritz 5 had
database capabilities and other improvements over Extreme Chess, then I coughed
up the money for it.

The bottom line is that I would not be willing to pay $100 for a computer
opponent nor would I do so for a a databaes.  But if I got both in the same
package allong with a bunch of other extra (game analysis, ratings, voice)
then it is worth the money.

I have worked for years in the video game industry, and most game software gets
sold as an impulse buy around christmas time.  Seems to me that the biggest
market is in the people who haven't recently (or never) bought a computer chess
program and
are expecting to pay $30  to $50.  They also expect many bells and whistles.
As far as game software goes, that would be a pretty normal market.

John Coffey

John Coffey



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