Computer Chess Club Archives


Search

Terms

Messages

Subject: Re: Fidelity '9' Level

Author: Steven Schwartz

Date: 10:25:23 08/25/99

Go up one level in this thread


On August 25, 1999 at 13:15:14, Dave Gomboc wrote:

>On August 25, 1999 at 12:53:31, Mark Young wrote:
>
>>On August 25, 1999 at 09:22:37, Steven Schwartz wrote:
>>
>>>On August 25, 1999 at 01:29:49, Robert C. Maddox wrote:
>>>
>>>>On August 24, 1999 at 20:42:56, Steven Schwartz wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>The case went to trial in 1991 and lasted three weeks. Fidelity
>>>>>tried to convince the jury that a full page ad which we ran in
>>>>>Chess Life magazine (The Federation publication) in September of
>>>>>1985 saying that the Sensory 9 played "Over 1700" damaged them
>>>>>to the tune of 1.5 million dollars. Why? Because Fidelity was
>>>>>telling all their distributors that the 9 was playing "Over 2000"
>>>>>and we caused them to lose about 50,000 Sensory 9 sales. In
>>>>>fact, the Federation at that time had just about 50,000 members,
>>>>>so that meant that ALL were planning on purchasing a "9" and
>>>>>our "Over 1700" ad convinced ALL of them not to.
>>>>
>>>>In the first half of 1992 edition of CCR, in an article entitled "Now it Can Be
>>>>Told" you describe a lawsuit of this kind with Fidelity, but the computer
>>>>involved was the "Excellence."
>>>>
>>>>Were you sued twice by Fidelity? :)
>>>>
>>>>BTW, I have a working 9, and it does indeed give a hint move when turned on.  I
>>>>love that old computer!
>>>>
>>>>Robert
>>>
>>>The body is willing but the mind is going...
>>>You are absolutely correct. We were sued only once by
>>>Fidelity and it was over the Excellence not the Sensory 9.
>>>
>>>At the time, it was the most important event in my life.
>>>I could not have made that mistake if my life depended
>>>upon it, but 8 years have passed and Sensory 9s blend
>>>in with with Excellences. However, I believe that they
>>>were VERY closely related, and the Excelence claim to
>>>fame was that it was selling for under $100 whereas
>>>the older 9 was closer to $200. The Excellence was
>>>a GREAT deal. It just wasn't "Over 2000" as Fidelity
>>>wanted everyone to believe.
>>>
>>>Fidelity used my article (if you wish to reprint
>>>it here, please do so) as their "proof" that I was
>>>trying to hurt Excellence sales because I suspected
>>>some attempt by Fidelity and the U.S. Chess Federation
>>>to push ICD out of the chess business so the Federation
>>>could have it all to themselves. Paranoia? I don't think
>>>so.
>>
>>The U.S. Chess Federation trying to run you out of business so they can control
>>all chess sales? I'm sure that never crossed their minds..... Ethics and fair
>>play have always been trademarks of the USCF internal structure. As it is
>>today... I better stop its getting pretty deep in here.:)
>>
>>>
>>>- Steve (ICD/Your Move)
>
>Well, Fidelity is gone, and ICD is not, so I guess Steve gets the last laugh.
>This does leave me with a "2265" tabletop that I can't get fixed, but oh well.
>Crafty would club it over the head anyway. :-)
>Dave

But if you put a sail on that 2265, it would make one heck of a bathtub toy:-))
- Steve (ICD/Your Move)



This page took 0 seconds to execute

Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700

Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.