| MacChess |
Dedicated to chess on MacInformation for Chess players, Chess programmers and Apple users |
Updated on : 10/10/2024 Version 1.59 En français 
|
| MacChess |
Dedicated to chess on MacInformation for Chess players, Chess programmers and Apple users |
Updated on : 10/10/2024 Version 1.59 En français
|
Q & A
Questions
A1) What is classic? Do I need it?
A2) What is the difference between OS 7, 8, 9 and OS X?
A4) I have a PC. What do I do?
A5) I have a PC and do not have the money to buy a Mac, what do I do?
A6) I must use a PC for my work, what do I do?
B1) Are you related with the MacChess program?
B2) What is your chess program?
B3) Are you related with a commercial organisation?
B4) What do you know about chess?
C1) I found an error on this site. What do I do?
C2) I did not find the information I was looking for. What do I do?
Answers
A1) What is classic? Do I need it?
Classic is the environment Apple provides for users so they can still run applications that were not rewritten when Apple released their Mac OS X environment. A user with a fast machine can configure classic in such a way that it automatically starts whenever the machine starts. Launching a classic application after this will go very fast as the environment is already loaded. (Top)
A2) What is the difference between OS 7, 8, 9 and OS X?
The operating systems before OS X were based on a non-multi threading kernel and were very proprietary to Apple. While some think it was better, others think that it was worse, it is no longer developed by Apple. OS X provides compatibility with the former systems by means of the Carbon libraries and the classic environments. Alternatively, a user can install a dual-boot system very easily. Just point to the start up folder from the system preferences and restart. (Top)
X11 is an environment that allows to run applications that are written for the XWindow environment to be run on Mac OS X. It was available as a beta download for Mac OS X 10.1. As a separate download for Mac OS X 10.2 and is now included although not installed by default on Mac OS X 10.3 (Jaguar). If you have an older version of the OS, you will have to download it, if you have a recent version you have to run the install from the CD and select the X11 system to be installed. (Top)
A4) I have a PC. What do I do?
Buy an Apple Mac. You will be able to use this site to its full extend. (Top)
A5) I have a PC and do not have the money to buy a Mac, what do I do?
Please have a look at the other solutions listed on this site. You will be able to run in a browser and play chess anyway.
In the near future, I will add some information about PC chess as well. There are plenty of sites that handle this subject. I can strongly advise you however to start by WinBoard (listed in the downloads page) because it is free and will give you hundreds of alternatives.
Alternatively if you make a trip to the US, at current exchange rates you will pay about 700 € less for the same Mac. Please have a look at cheap airfares. (Apple, please take the hint.) (Top)
A6) I must use a PC for my work, what do I do?
If you are forced to use a PC because your boss insists on it, you should consider changing jobs. PCs are far more expensive than Macs in their daily use and thus all this extra money does not go to you but goes to the PC industry. (Good for people like me who live from the PC industry but bad for you). If you do need to use a PC because you think that you cannot do the job with a Mac, you are wrong! There is a Mac solution for almost any problem.
Still not convinced, send me a mail with your question, I will try to help you. You can do so by clicking the link at the bottom. (Top)
B1) Are you related with the MacChess program?
No. I did however include a more recent version than the version available from the original site for download. (Top)
B2) What is your chess program?
It plays bad, it is not finished and is not yet available. It will be available for free in the near future. As soon as it is in a sufficient stable state, it will be published on this site. The beta-versions will be test-driven on freechess.org (Top)
B3) Are you related with a commercial organisation?
I wish I would make money out of this instead of paying about 600 EUR/year in order to share you this information. Donations are welcome. (Top)
B4) What do you know about chess?
!!! Nothing !!!
I am a chess player and programmer. My first chess program written in assembler 15 years ago had a rating of about 1400 Elo. I currently have a rating of 1950 Elo (USCF equivalent 2150). This is 150 points below the maximum rating I once had. You can meet me on GameKnot.com, on Freechess.org (FICS) or in the Belgian national competition. I do not play other tournaments any more. (Top)
C1) I found an error on this site. What do I do?
You contact me asap so I can correct this error. You can do so by sending me an e-mail or helping me to set-up a blog on this site. (Top)
C2) I did not find the information I was looking for. What do I do?
Please ask me your question. I will try to either include the information on the site or try to answer your question. Please do not expect me however to answer all questions you have. (Top)
C3) I own or represent a package that is listed on this page and want something changed, what do I do?
Please refer to the other disclaimers on this site. I am not related with any software that is listed on this site except for my own software, and that is free. I do not own all the different packages listed on this site. You can help me by:
Please contact me by sending me an e-mail. (Top)
