Software Toolworks (Mindscape) is there, and *yes* they do care!
Joe Stella
your name) posted a message here with the title "Software Toolworks are
you there, do you care?" in which they stated that the authors of
CM4000 do not care about customers.
I have discovered just the opposite. Software Toolworks is now called
Mindscape, and they do indeed answer messages to their AOL address
<msc...@aol.com>. I have sent a message there with a suggestion that
I hoped would be included in "future versions of Chessmaster". I was
promptly answered by Carlos Justiniano, Project Manager / Lead of
Chessmaster 5000. Carlos assured me that my suggestion would be included
in CM5000, which he hopes will be out by 4th quarter 1995.
Carlos (and Mindscape) seem to care very much about customer satisfaction,
and he is willing to consider suggestions from all users of CM4000.
Carlos's e-mail address is <cjust...@mindscape.com>. Send your best
suggestions which you'd like to see incorporated into CM5000 directly to him.
CM4000 technical questions should still go to <msc...@aol.com>.
In closing, I would like to say that I believe CM4000 is the best program
to buy today, and I can't wait for CM5000. The difference in playing
strength between CM4000 and the *very* best DOS programs is too small to
matter. But best of all, you don't have to deal with #!*$#!@ copy protection!
This royal pain in the butt will continue to be used in all top level chess
programs as long as people continue to buy them. Vote with your money, and
buy CM! Furthermore, contact distributors of the other programs and tell
them you won't buy copy-protected programs.
BTW, I am not in any way affilated with Mindscape in case you are wondering.
Joe Stella
<jo...@ultranet.com>
Joe Stella
>I have sent a message there with a suggestion that
>I hoped would be included in "future versions of Chessmaster". I was
>promptly answered by Carlos Justiniano, Project Manager / Lead of
>Chessmaster 5000. Carlos assured me that my suggestion would be included
>in CM5000.
I have been asked what my suggestion was, so I thought I'd post it here.
I would like to be able to turn "thinking" on in human vs. human mode. This
makes it easier to analyze a chess position, because you can just make any
series of moves you like in a given position, then stop and see what the
program thinks is the best line of play. Genius 2 allows this, but with
CM4000 you have to keep selecting "swap sides" from the menu when entering
a series of moves if you want to see CM's thinking (CM400 doesn't think at all
in human vs. human mode, you have to be in CM vs. human mode).
> Joe Stella
> <jo...@ultranet.com>