Death of Commercial Chess Comps Or a change of paradigm?

[fern]

With so incredible strong free chessware as the ones we are seeing these days, you wonder which could be the reason to get just another commercial product that are not better, but most of the time weaker than the free stuff.
I can only see one reason and it is the same that keeps chessbase on foot: peripheric services.
Fritz 12 is a case. The engine is of course very strong, but not stronger than Bright, Spark, Doch, Ivanhoe and the rest of the horde. But you get it -I got it- because the beatiful GUI, the database, the trainning feature and so many things, including even the funny comments.
Fritz is very complete in this aspect, but there is still terrain for lot more improvement. As I have talked with some programmers since at least 10 years ago, the future -if there is one- of commercial chess is along that line. Such as you does not need the very best GM at your side to improve your chess, you would be very glad if you have a 2800 program really asociated with you in several orders of magnitude above the current stuff. It can be made and it should be made. Otherwise, why we should expend our scarce bucks?
Fern

[Jouni]

I see no sense to buy any engine weaker than Stockfish! But may be I update Fritz 10 interface to newer in the future, because I like it. I also have Arena, but it's too sloooooow.

Jouni

[fern]

Yep.
I bought Sh 12 as a matter of purchasing inertia and by now I see myself using it more like a gui to play other engines......
I consider to be a genius if I can reach the 40 move againts Ivanhoe or any of those monsters....

Fern

[Nimzovik]

Indeed - I for one would like to see a 'Professional'Chessmaster program. One with the features of Fritz and more in terms of publishing etc. I also would love to seee them develop a good site as well.