Hello again, The original idea sprung when writing a document I once called "Scid for the Impatient". In this kind of tutorial, you introduce the reader to the basic usage. Scid's on-line tutorial does that, but with an almost random database [^tutorial].
So I think we need a sample database. It should not be too big, just enough to see how things work. It should be interesting to have for its own sake. I like Winter's idea. It's not for Chessbase to decide if we can use the collection, but Edward Winter. I doubt he would mind. (And if he does, we would just need to remove three of the four Tartakover's games to respect intellectual copyright. That would lose naturalness, though.) But if we don't want to indulge with it, we could go with a collection that has no intellectual rights : + Morphy's games -- not big, essential knowledge, always entertaining ; + Zürich 1953 -- essential knowledge again, high-level games ; + World Championship matches -- very good idea, Alex ! There are two other ideas I forgot to tell you. Nicbase once came with a very nice collection of games, and I think they rendered their stuff public domain. I am hearing Pascal's thinking regarding marketing, so here goes my next idea. Beginning last autumn, I pick a miniature I post in some chess forum that allows the viewing of games. See [1] for an example. What I do is simple : upload the weekly TWIC ; filter the games with a saved search (+2500, less than 35 moves) ; select the one that appeals the most to me. Here is what I think. This collection takes more time, but I like to do that. It does not prevent one to include Zurich 1953. It does give some more tactical exercises (wink wink). I gives some distinction to Scid. It's a cheap way to have something more to share in some eventual "resources" page, cheaper of course than a really big database and a good opening book [^big-stuff]. This collection could grow into becoming something like a medium-large database. If that idea is not taken, or if it is, I am thinking about building a little website (I only believe in little websites) to show them. The database, anyway, should come into Scid's format. (Chessbase's proprietary format is the main reason I consider it evil, besides its lack of non-Win support of course.) It should also have its header cleaned up so that good archivistic manners are exemplified [^wish]. I wish you all only the best, if there is for all, Warmest regards, Benoit ## Notes [^tutorial] Update on this matter will follow shortly. [^big-stuff] Building an open opening book and providing people with a really big database are two very important ideas. I am having difficulty to find the time for the Scid's documentation overhaul I began, but it's on its way. I underestimated the work needed for its information architecture. I am sure there is problems with the ideas of database and opening books too. So as for myself, I suspect I won't deal with those until 2009. [^wish] Wish-speak on. The database could also come with some premiliminary comment, but I don't know how it could be done in Scid. It is a pity we can provide information for games, but not for databases. It would certainly be interesting to have more information about the databases in the File Finder window. But it seems chess databases are condemned to remain big bags that are impossible to maintain strictly. Wish-speak off. ## Reference [1] http://quebecechecs.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4817 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the new SourceForge.net Marketplace. It's the best place to buy or sell services for just about anything Open Source. http://sourceforge.net/services/buy/index.php _______________________________________________ Scid-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/scid-users
