What Did I Miss?

[fern]

I just saw in a place in Internet a chess program evaluated 2000 Elo by his own author and nevertheless, it is commercial. Besides, it has nothing special in its particular Gui.
Now, the question:
Am I or is the seller the one that lost his mind? What Did I miss? Perhaps to have a 2000 Elo engine is an advantage in itself?
I do not think so.
Rybka is sold at in my opinion a high price, but it is a hell of a machine.
Chessmaster is sold at around 30-40, but it is a hell of a program in terms of features.
Same with Chessbase products.
And then this guy comes and offer his 2000 elo, flat gui, nothing special at, perhaps, 15 bucks.
Sure I am missing something here....

Amazed regards
Fernando

[cooldalek]

Anybody has the right to offer a product of theirs for sale if he/she wants to

You may choose not to buy, and that's your choice. Others may choose to buy and that's their choice

[Tony Thomas]

May be you didnt notice that he is only charging 15 dollars. Compared to few other commercials, considering the elo/price ratio, that's a steal. Many versions of Alex is free, there is nothing wrong with supporting an upcoming champ.

[cooldalek]

€8 is a steal: http://www.chessalex.com/buy20.html

Actually, I may consider buying at that price! Would like to support an up and coming engine

[Tony Thomas]

€8 is a steal: http://www.chessalex.com/buy20.html

Actually, I may consider buying at that price! Would like to support an up and coming engine

I guess the programmer keeps changing the price. First time I checked it was 5 bucks, then it changed to 15, and now its 8 bucks and I think it includes many updates within that version number.

[Uri Blass]

I just saw in a place in Internet a chess program evaluated 2000 Elo by his own author and nevertheless, it is commercial. Besides, it has nothing special in its particular Gui.
Now, the question:
Am I or is the seller the one that lost his mind? What Did I miss? Perhaps to have a 2000 Elo engine is an advantage in itself?
I do not think so.
Rybka is sold at in my opinion a high price, but it is a hell of a machine.
Chessmaster is sold at around 30-40, but it is a hell of a program in terms of features.
Same with Chessbase products.
And then this guy comes and offer his 2000 elo, flat gui, nothing special at, perhaps, 15 bucks.
Sure I am missing something here....

Amazed regards
Fernando

You missed that the author evaluated it as 2100

Rating: about 2100 ELO is written in their site
Mote that it supports the UCI protocol so CCRL or CEGT can test it.

You also missed the fact that the decision of the author to make it commercial may encourage other programmers to make their program commercial(because they can tell the public that their program can beat abother commercial program in a match so people will not be able to laugh about their program as the weakest commercial program).

Uri

[Graham Banks]

CCRL or CEGT can test it.
Uri

Perhaps.
I know it's cheap, but we can't afford to buy every single engine all the time, so we'll see.
Some engine authors help us out in this regard which helps and is greatly appreciated, but of course not all do so.

Regards, Graham.

[Vempele]

CCRL or CEGT can test it.
Uri

Perhaps.
I know it's cheap, but we can't afford to buy every single engine all the time, so we'll see.
Some engine authors help us out in this regard which helps and is greatly appreciated, but of course not all do so.

Regards, Graham.

It has a 15 day trial period. And the older version from last December (1.4) is free.

[fern]

Of course, but I was not talking, neither asking, about the legal aspect of it, of its right to do that. I was just trying to know under wish umbrella of advantages and features someone sell a weak engine when you can get a free one 500 points stronger.
Some people here say it is good idea to support a guy trying to become commercial.
Ok, that's an answer.
Other guys hurried to say how many things I have missed.
Ok, that's the reason I was asking to begin with.

BTW, I am very amazed of the scarcely hidden level of hostility such a simple question produced in some posters here.

Still Laughing regards
fernando