From: Peter Boddy <yangkmgtp <at> ROGERS <dot> COM>
Date: 24 nov 2002
Subject: Re: Under-developed software for shogi in English

I just started playing Shogi recently, after finding it on the ChessVariants
site.

I would have to say, after searching around on the net, Shogi is underrated
and underappreciated.  I am sitting on the Yahoo shogi site, with a table
open, and the two people who were in the room have left now.  >:-|

Pete

----- Original Message -----
From: Hirobi Yagamuchi <jestrada <at> EUROPE <dot> COM>
To: <SHOGI-L <at> TECHUNIX <dot> TECHNION <dot> AC <dot> IL>
Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2002 8:34 PM
Subject: Under-developed software for shogi in English


> Hello,
>
> In private correspondence, someone suggested I send the following to this
newsgroup for discussion.  So, here goes:
>
> -----------------------------------------
>
> As a newcomer to shogi, I am highly surprised at the lack of resources for
playing shogi on personal computers, as well as internet play against other
humans.  Considering how popular shogi is, it seems highly under-developed
especially when compared with other classical games like go, chess, and
xiangqi (chinese chess).  Consider the following comparisons:
>
> INTERNET SERVERS
> Go: Major servers like IGS (Internet Go Server), NNGS (No Name Go Server),
and many others
> Chess: Major servers like ICC (Internet Chess Club), FICS (Free Internet
Chess Server), USCL (US Chess Live), and Chess.Net, and many others.
> XiangQi: Major servers like Club Xiangqi, Movesky Xiangqi, Chess Hub, and
several others.  NB: The ICCS (Internet Chinese Chess Server) seems to be no
longer active.
> Shogi: Shogi Club 24 is the only major server (JavaShogi doesn't seem to
work for many users).
>
> GRAPHIC INTERFACES
> Go: Beautiful clients for the servers, like TanGo, PandaEgg, ViZiGo and
many others.
> Chess: Beautiful clients for the servers, like BlitzIn, USChessLive
interface, Thief, Chess.Net for Windows, and many others.
> XiangQi: Beautiful clients like CCCTWin and Movesky graphic interface.
> Shogi: No graphical interface client whatsoever, just java.
>
> YAHOO
> Go: http://games.yahoo.com/games/login2?page=go - many users!
> Chess: http://games.yahoo.com/games/login2?page=chess - many users!
> XiangQi: not on Yahoo
> Shogi: http://games.yahoo.com/games/login2?page=shg - NO users!
>
> PLAYING PROGRAMS
> Go: Many excellent freeware programs, like Igowin, Go Game Machine, and
many others.
> Chess: Many excellent freeware programs, like WinBoard, Arena, and many
others, with many free engines.
> XiangQi: Several excellent freeware programs, like XieXie, Milo's Chinese
Chess, Coffee Chinese Chess java, and several others.
> Shogi: Limited number of freeware programs, ShogiVariants and WinShogi
seem to be the only decent Windows ones and even they are somewhat inferior.
>
> DATABASES/EDITORS/ANALYSIS
> Go: Many excellent databases/editors for viewing/storing master games, eg
Yago, GoGoD95, Kombilo and others.
> Chess: Many excellent databases/editors for viewing/storing master games,
eg Scid, ChessBaseLight and others.
> XiangQi: Several excellent databases/editors for viewing/storing master
games, eg CChView, XB Database Browser, and others.
> Shogi: GNSB (GNU Shogi Database Project) is the only database, is not
up-to-date, and several features do not function properly.
>
> NEWSGROUPS
> Go: rec.games.go - very active!
> Chess: rec.game.chess (and many others) - very active
> XiangQi: rec.games.chinese-chess - quite active
> Shogi: fa.shogi - not that active, basically mirrors shogi-l list.  NO
rec.games.shogi newsgroup!
>
> Despite it's popularity, I'm mystified why shogi is not more developed on
the internet and in terms of software.  Why would this be?
> There certainly seems to be room for developing some good shogi software,
such as a good graphical interface for an internet shogi server.
>
> Or is my assessment above inaccurate, and have I missed some important
sites or programs?
>
> I look forward to any thoughts/comments you may have!
> --
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