From: Bob <angelos <at> VOICENET <dot> COM>
Date: 25 may 1998
Subject: Sam Sloan et. al.

This is my first post to anything ... so please ignore if I offend :)  I don't mean to.

I found rules to the game of Shogi when I was a kid, and was fascinated it back then - but couldd find no opponents, so I forgot about it for a while.  15-20 years ago I happened across an ad and sent some money to some place called the American Shogi Foundation for a lifetime membership or subscription or something hoping that it would succeed.  After a few issues of a newsletter I received a letter saying that there would be no others as some other shogi organization complained and I also would not receive my money back as it had been eaten up by legal fees and what not.  Needless to say this left a very bad taste in my mouth for Shogi *people*.

My kids are older now and I have taught one of them the rules ... and have subscribed to the list hoping to learn how to play better.  Regrettably I don't have time to even play over all the games that are posted here, but I hope to someday.

I would venture to guess that most of the subscribers are like me in some respects - they don't read Japanese; don't have access to many books or opponents; and are hoping to advance their knowledge of how to play the game.  I appreciate knowing about the computer programs available ... and the books ... and the discussion of the moves (one particularly memorable posting for me was from Larry Kaufmann explaining why the Gold's best position was best ....).

There has been precious little of that lately .. which is understandable at times and not something *I* can remedy as I am NOT knowledgable about anything ... including my rating!

If I could say a few words, then, about the latest content and then offer a suggestion:  I hope that Sam Sloan does rethink the value of some of his postings.  To me, the people on the list are not going to be drawn to Shogi because of whatever "color" or scandal material is posted about the players - they are ALREADY drawn to Shogi because of something else and want to play better or advance the popularity of the game.  Sam may think he is doing a lot to popularize the game, but he is not.  He comes across to me as a bitter angry man ("I am extremely enraged ....", "... sent the following outrageous message.").  I sent a note to Mr. Stouten after the "girls" incident thanking him for his intercession - and I wish to thank him publicly for his moderation of this list and watching out for people like me who are not good players but are interested.  My past experience causes me already to tread carefully, and I would have to say that if it is up to people like Mr. Sloan to popularize Shogi, I would conclude that the playing of the game turns people into sociopathic con men and I would burn all the Shogi stuff I have in the house.  30 years ago, Ishi Press was a fine outfit (from my experience) and they published a lot of books I was thankful for ... the only people I've ordered from recently is Kiseido and I was pleased with their service and thank to this discussion they are likely to remain my sole source for a long while to come (but they shouldn't get excited ... I don'tt spend much!).

A suggestion ... perhaps it is possible to set up another list?  One would remain for discussing the game and moves and the reasons why they are good and so on; and the other could be used to relay news about the Shogi community (pics of players, news of matches, how Shogi is being viewed in the papers, etc.?).  I have no idea what the cost of managing a list like this is .... but I *am* familiar with the potential aggravation of a man who wishes to devote precious time to promoting the game he loves and is faced with a majority of material about how wicked Hartland Snyder is (whoever he is!) or where you can get pictures of girls that play Shogi or other peripheral issues.  I am not denying that couldd be off some interest to many of us ... but I hope we all respect the wishes and intentions of Mr. Stouten who is thanklessly providing a service that I value.

Or perhaps another suggestion:  I would welcome posts from Mr. Sloan that would explain some basic strategies of Shogi that I dont know, and wouldn't mind a bit a *short* discussion at the end about some of the peripheral things with URLs that would expand on the issue if the reader is interested.  Lately it just seems like airing dirty linen, or worse .. cranky ornery people yelling back and forth at each other.  It certainly does not make me anxious to be associated with "Shogi players" :)

Regards - Bob