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Subject: Re: Big Test Report Chess Programs for Pocket PC & Palm !

Author: Axel Schumacher

Date: 08:56:35 09/21/05

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>
>Axel,
>
>We could hash out the above points for many more messages and you still did not
>address the issue of the Chess Genius v2.2 "next best" feature that you say is
>present but I cannot verify.  Rather than continue to ride a dead horse, I'll
>leave things with this note:  I believe I've brought forth many valid points
>that ARE important to the average Palm/Pocket PC Chess Software connoisseur and
>continuing to hammer on them will not help or change anything if you are
>determined to have a subjective-based and rushed review over a logical,
>well-thought out and factual-based review.

Enrico,
as I mentioned earlier in the thread, I want  to make the review as objective as
possible. I asked you for providing a test version of Hiarcs, so that I can
correct all points missing or incorrect. I have no problem with that. So far, I
didn't get it. Hence I can't change the review in this regard. This would be
unfortunate, since in the long run many people will buy Hiarcs due to my review
which will bring many people into buying chess software for the Palm or Pocket
PC.

>
>Specific to HIARCS, you have presented a review as if you owned or had a review
>copy of Palm HIARCS when in fact you only had a free restricted feature version
>or very limited access to another copy.

Please do not distort facts again. Do you not listen? I said clearly that I had
a working full version available for a short time. Because I don't steal, I
didn't ask for a copy of my friend; so only NOW I have merely the restricted
version.


 As a result, you have made many
>mistakes in the review of Palm HIARCS and have misrepresented it.

Not many, as I could explain before, the majority of your complains were not
valid. Most of your accusations are based on not knowing how I divided the point
into different categories. You have to understand, that I can't explain every
point in detail, because then writing such a big review would be impossible,
especially for somebody who is doing it for free. For the rest, as I said
before, I'm glad if I can make changes to the review (which needs a full copy,
of course).

You also made
>claims for another program which were wrong and you even compounded the error by
>insisting in this forum that you were right when you clearly had not checked out
>your facts.
>
>You admit you tested Palm HIARCS the "shortest time of all programs" yet you say
>you "tested Hiarcs as best as possible"?  I don't see how those two statements
>line up.

As best as possible mean as best as possible. What is not to understand here?!


I would have thought that given the fact that Palm HIARCS is a
>milestone in Palm chess software, it deserved more than a brief test with a
>restricted free demo version!

I agree. I would like to test it much more in detail.

>
>You complain that you were not sent a review copy, but did you ever ask for one?

I didn't complain that I was not send a review copy, I merely said that I don't
have the full program now. The problem mainly comes from the fact that the demo
version is extremely restricted without mentioning what features are restricted.

> It would seem very unfair to complain that Palm HIARCS was the only program
>apart from Rampart that you did not receive a review copy for when you never
>requested it!?

As I said, I never complained about that I just stated that I don't have it.
However, I asked you earlier in our conversation for a test-copy, now you
complain? The resolving of the whole issue is sooooo easy.

>
>To the VAT issue:
>
>Lang Software may not have to pay VAT if they registered as a small business
>exempt from VAT tax so you do not know if they pay VAT (reducing their revenue)
>or not.
>
>It is you that is talking nonsense when you say the "best way" is to present a
>price which is not the price the customer pays in most of the world.  VAT is a
>regional tax and is added in the respective regions if necessary.  For example,
>it is European Union tax law that VAT should be charged to purchasers residing
>in the European Union -- outside of the European Union there is no tax charged
>(in fact VAT actually varies depending on the European Union origin &
>destination country!)
>
>Hence, it makes no sense to include VAT in each price as most of the people do
>not have to pay it!

You are totally incorrect. Most people have to pay it. And, please keep logical.
Out of the 63 tested program, 62 give me the final price I have to pay
independent on the country I live in. 1 out of 63 programs is not doing that.
So, according to you I have to find out for the rest 62 programs how they
calculate their price, what country they reside in and what tax status they
have?! Ridiculous. Did you ever read a review of products that states the price
before tax. I never read one. Nobody would do that. It makes no sense. Also,
your 'facts' are wrong. Every has to pay tax, it is only possible for some to
evade it. In theory, if you buy as an American in Europe you have to pay when
the product enters the US (complicated exceptions exist). In Europe, a common
VAT system is compulsory for member states of the European Union. Exceptions
exist only for the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, Gibraltar and the Ă…land
Islands. Of course, there are regional differences, but they are only important
for the seller, not the buyer. I give an example, Germany and Finland have a
different VAT rate. Yet, a customer in Germany pays exactly the same as a
customer in Finland --> EUR 35.24 / USD 44.99. But if you insist I add a
confusion to the review and say that on average it cost 42$, more or less,
depending on the country you reside in.

Regards,
Axel


When a person goes to the secure server to purchase Palm
>HIARCS, they immediately see on the first screen the exact price they need to
>pay before they proceed, please don't continue to misrepresent what happens. If
>I go to the Palm HIARCS order page I get the price $38.29.  That is the final
>price I pay.I think it is more sensible and straight forward to make a review with the non
>tax price and make a note that sales tax may be applicable in some regions.
>Don't assume everyone lives in the European Union!


>
>Regards,
>
>Enrico L. Carrisco



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