From: jlwestm@pbhyb.PacBell.COM (Jeff Westman)
Subject: Re: Chessmaster 3000 - questions
Reply-To: jlwestm@PacBell.COM (Jeff Westman)
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 19:54:39 GMT

Several people have written in and commented about Software Toolwork's
ChessMaster 3000.  I have had several dealings [problems/followups] with them
and would like to share a few things with those interested.


;>>I'm an intermediate player and like my Chessmaster 3000 from Software
;>>Toolworks.  Two problems:
;>>
;>>a) I'd really like to get rid of the annoying 15-20 second wait for
;>>the fancy artwork to go away before it gets to the playing board--any
;
;>I think you can press the RETURN or ENTER key without waiting 15-20 seconds
;>and it will immediately take you to the playing board.  
;
;A better solution is to run the program with CM.EXE rather than CM3000.COM
;which runs TITLE.EXE before CM.EXE.

This is true.  I agree that it is annoying to get the TITLE.EXE banner.  I
personally do not run CM3000 (.exe), rather, CM (.exe).  The only true
advantage about running CM3000 is that it will check how much memory you have
available before starting up.  This is useful if you plan on using any of the
importing or exporting functions, since those require more RAM.  That is, by
running CM3000 (first) you will get a fatal error immediately (not enough
memory), rather than when you try to export/save/whatever.  Remember, if you 
load any TSRs (ie, SideKick, caching tools, others), they will quickly eat
away your memory.

;Another question: Given the same computer: is there a difference in the 
;strength between the dos version and the windows version?

My guess is that there are the same, just a different interface.

;Apparently, Software Toolworks is working on a new release of
;ChessMaster 3000 for Windows.  If you would like a copy, send them
;a photocopy of your invoice or of the title page from your users
;manual with a cover lever saying that you want the latest version
;of ChessMaster 3000 for Windows.  You will not receive it otherwise.
;
;I don't know about other ChessMaster 3000 users out there, but
;although I like the program, it does have some bugs.  Hopefully
;this release should fix most of them.

I don't use the Windows version myself, but the non-Windows version has many
bugs in it, most of which the Technical Support folks are aware of.  They are
very interested in any bugs you might have -- it might just be a user error.
The non-Windows version I originally purchased (on exit, you get a version
number) 1.0.2a.  Version 1.0.3 is soon to be out, and you can probably get an
updated copy through the Support line (I did).  The latest version fixes most
of the bugs I was personally aware of, however, unless you have DOS 5.0 and
are using extended (high) memory, you will notice a significant slower product
when importing/exporting/analysis/move take-back/move replay/etc.  In fact, if
you are not using extended memory, I believe CM3000 uses the hard disk for
temporary storage, which we all know is slow (I/O).  On one particlar recent
occasion, ChessMaster seemed to take forever to exit (55 seconds (!)).  When I
ran Norton Utilities and scanned the directory, I found ChessMaster had
created 157 (!) temporary files.  I have not had this same problem when
running on another machine with DOS 5.0 and extended memory.

As far as documentation is concerned, it's the pits.  One of the guys I talked
with over there readily admitted that.  He said they [obviously] did not put
much work into the _written_ documentation, but put most of there efforts into
the 'PF1' help key.

I think I have worked through most of the obscurities, so feel free to drop me
a line if I can help.

-- 
Jeff / 3-2260
From: nsf@hpuerca.atl.hp.com (Neil Ferguson)
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 20:11:03 GMT
Subject: Re: Fischer/Spassky Match on Prodigy moves 25-33
Organization: RTFM Headquarters