Ron Nelson Truthfull and Smart Approach to Chess Programming

[fern]

So you say, some say, Nelson does nothing else in Excalibur but to reshuffle once and again the very same program?
Same program in Alexandra?
Same program in Touch De Luxe?
Same in Grandmaster?
Same in 20 bucks Express LCD?
Even same program in the hyped and coming Phantom?

Yes, he does.
Why he should do different?
The engine he currently put in one machine after the other is a 1700 Elo thing, more or less. If he would expend big effort and invest huge amounts of time he could get, say, a 1800 elo machine.
So what?
Lower than many dedicated units already existent and extremely lower than even average software.
1700 elo is more than enough for the casual customer that purchase those machines. For those guys a 1400 machine is already too strong. And, if not, 1800 Elo would be not enough anyway.
In other words, any increment after hard labor would me irrelevant. Lot better and more sensible to add gimmicks, lights, frills, voices, a pencil sharpener, etc.

Long Life for Ron regards
Fernando

[mclane]

thats your opinion. i would like to see excalibur selling stronger programs/machines. because i will not buy those 1700 /1800 programs.
the latest 8 bit machines of the 90ties with 5 mhz (milano/superforte C...) were 2000 ELO.

[fern]

T, I was not talking of what I like or not, just about the rationale behind Nelson stagnation.
I do love 1700-1800 machines: I can win them...

Fernando

[Larry]

T, I was not talking of what I like or not, just about the rationale behind Nelson stagnation.
I do love 1700-1800 machines: I can win them...

Fernando

Hi Fernando, I take your point, but these days surely Excalibur
can put more than one program in a computer, especially one
designed to be a classy machine like the upcoming Robot.
They could put 5 or 6 programs in the Robot. Throw the program
authors a few bucks per machine sold and put the price of the
machine up a bit to cover it. The strongest program could easily
be rated 2300 or so. This would suit all tastes, and preserve the
resale value of the computer.
Think I might contact Excalibur with the idea, so it can be
incorporated in next year's "Robot II".
regards
Larry

[Bill Rogers]

The problem with this discussion is that most likely the members here are or carry a fairly high rating and thus want stronger machines all the while forgetting that the average man in the world according to all the chess organizations is rated more or less than 1,600 points and that is a high estimate. A great many buy a chess machine not only for the challenge but with hopes of beating the 'machine' once in a while, not getting their butts kicked everytime they turn it on.
I think that is the real point that Fernando was trying to make.
Bill

[mclane]

if you buy a car, and you have a speed limit in that country, can the car drive faster?