Author: Bob Durrett
Date: 09:26:51 02/15/04
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On February 15, 2004 at 11:16:00, Peter Skinner wrote: >On February 15, 2004 at 10:49:18, Bob Durrett wrote: > >>You are right if you're talking about a new PC every few years. > >There are some on this board that upgrade hardware every few months, not years. > >>But the Hydra board might only cost $200 if enough of them are made. Coming up >>with $200 is a lot easier than coming up with $5000. Some people spend that >>much money on chess software without giving it a second thought! >> >>Remember the dedicated chess computers. They sold like hot cakes for awhile. > >While the card _might_ only cost $200, a free program like Crafty could overtake >it on the board and then you would be kicking yourself in the rear. > >Most of the top programs today sell for less than $100 CDN. Here is how many >"releases" I have purchased over the years: > >Fritz 5.32,6, Deep Fritz 7, Fritz 8 >Shredder 3.0, Shredder 6, Shredder 7, Shredder 8 >Gandalf 4.32g, Gandalf 5.0 (was also beta tester for Gandalf 4.32 up to version >F) >Hiarcs 5.32, Hiarcs 8 >Junior 5,6,8 >Deep Sjeng 1.0 >Tiger 12, 13(*), 14, 15 (*Was beta tester of Rebel Tiger) > >I have skipped some versions of the programs listed, but in total I think I may >have spent about $1500 in programs over a few _years_. > >In the same time I have spent about $1200 on actual hardware. > >I always read reviews, look at how programs fair on rating lists and then make >my purchase. Just because a new version is out doesn't mean I buy it. > >If the Chessbase interface was able to connect on it's own to ICC/FICS I would >purchase _every_ single program they offer. As it doesn't I only purchase the >ones that show improvement over the previous release. > >I happen to really like Fritz so I purchase almost every version, and some I >purchase as the programmers or book authors I know personally or have dealt with >and consider them friends. > >I started purchasing Shredder again after it could be used inside the Chess >Partner interface to connect to ICC/FICS. But normally you will find me using >most Winboard compatible programs on the servers as I like the clean, small >footprint it leaves on my hard drive, and it easily maintained. > >For some it is not about owning the _best_ program. It is about owning their >_favorite_ program. > >Hydra/Brutus can hardly be factored in after just one tournament. > >Peter. Don't discount the "Hydra lovers." : ) Bob D.
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