From: Stephen J Lamb DEV ALS CO UK> Date: 30 oct 1995 Subject: Re: Internet Shogi Server > I am a somewhat isolated shogi player from Sweden. I have one > question that is important to the future popularity of shogi in > the world. Why does not a separate internet shogi server exist? > Playing shogi on the go server does not work, really. Everyone > there thinks that you like to play go. The chess servers and the > go server are very successful. I would guess that several hundred > shogi players outside Japan, and several English speaking players > from Japan as well, would be interested. An internet shogi server > would be much more useful to all the shogi players spread out over > the world than endless discussions about "King in check" or "Shogi > variants", even though those topics may interest a few people. I have been thinking about using the Java programming language to help create a WWW-based "virtual" shogi club. When you enter the club's play area the server would automatically match you up with the most suitable waiting player and suggest a handicap and time limit (which can be negotiated by the players). When the game begins, the board could actually be displayed in it's own window and pieces moved around by dragging them with the mouse. The server could also keep track of each player's grades, awarding points for a win and subtracting them for a loss, and award club promotions to suitable players. The play area would only be one room in the club. There could also be a lounge area where people can go to discuss, in realtime, all things Shogi. There could be a shop, where it would be possible to buy Shogi- related products. Notice boards could give out the latest club information... The club could also hold simultaneous events given by visitng pros. Hell, it could even host tournaments. Imagine a tournament where you didn't have to travel halfway across the country, paying extravagent travel costs, only to find out about half a dozen people turned up. Java could conceivably make this sort of interaction possible on the WWW. The club could be used by anyone with access to a Java- capable browser (such as Netscape, for example). It would be very user friendly... there would be no need to fiddle around trying to install Gnu-Shogi under Unix or DOS. Just click-and-go :-) I would be interested on anyone's views and suggestions on the ideas given above. Although this is only at the idea stage at the moment I do feel that, given time, something like this can be become reality. Feel free to post your comments here, or if you prefer you can talk to me privately by e-mailing me at "sjl dev als co uk". Steve Lamb. PS. Yes, I do think Java is the best thing since sliced bread. For information about it, visit "http://java.sun.com" or check out the comp.lang.java newsgroup on usenet.