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Subject: Ed Shroeder and his "New Idea"

Author: Reynolds Takata

Date: 13:32:39 11/08/98


  Ed in the past i have imagined the possibility of two programs(Engines)
working in unison to produce a stonger program.  Indeed i believe that this
merger between Rebel and Tiger can be a fruitful one.  However i think that it
is faulty for you NOT to attempt the straightforward multi engine feature such
as Fritz, Millenium and Junior have for this reason.  Indeed if you create a
program that you CAN SHOW to be the absolute strongest then yes it will sell, at
least until it is overtaken by another program.  And that program might even be
an engine for fritz or millenium. If it is, then the owners of Fritz or Mill
will have the strongest programs plus the FANTASTIC feature of other
engines(hiarcs, nimzo etc). It is true that people want to have the strongest
program, but it is my oppinion that MOST people are more interested in a variety
of playing styles(multiple engines).  The ease of moving from one chess program
to another without having to start up an entirely different program is EXTREMELY
attractive.  I read on the gambit soft page "Do people really want to keep
looking at the same GUI" as if that would bore them, well i'm sorry to say no
they are not going to get tired of the interface because the MOST IMPORTANT
thing is the moves produced, not what a prog looks like.  Besides that i could
look at the fritz GUI for the next 20 years and be happy with just the few
engines i have now.

You are fallling into Henry Fords trap(founder of ford automotive)- He wouldn't
go with the times and start adding fancy features and colors to the Model T car,
because he said people will always take price and quality over frills.  A few
years later GM(general motors) was the top manufacturer in the world, despite
the fact that Ford had more capital and previously a monopoly. This is because
they offered color and frills, because that's what people want.  The problem
with you however i don't think you will survive like Ford automotive has.  You
do not have time to wait to start getting into the multi engine market.  If you
had included the possibility of multi engines in Rebel(besises earlie versions
of rebel) i'm sure it would have sold 30% more than it has currently.



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