From: Yoshi Niwata SEA UCATV NE JP> Date: 2 sep 2002 Subject: Re: Yahoo USA shogi lounge Dear Andy and all, Yes, I agree with you especially on the your view on "How to play" area. I think it is better to have a free soft-ware to teach shogi rules visually on PC and the site which people can play shogi in English internationally. I am looking forward to seeing an international online shogi tournament in the future. (Maybe already you have ?) Thanks, Yoshi Niwata > -----Original Message----- > From: The Shogi Discussion List [mailto:SHOGI-L TECHUNIX TECHNION AC IL] > On Behalf Of Andrew Okun > Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 1:24 AM > To: SHOGI-L TECHUNIX TECHNION AC IL > Subject: Re: Yahoo USA shogi lounge > > > I learned of the Yahoo! English language shogi page a couple of weeks ago > from a Yahoo! staffer during an online Go tournament. They have had it > ready for some time but have not linked to it yet because they do not have > the ancillary text ready, including the "how to play" page. I offered the > free services of you all on the Shogi list in the most generous > way, saying > we could supply a good how to play text to their chosen length in a jiff. > He commented something like "give us a chance." > > My impression is that they have a tiny staff and while the Games page is > wildly popular, with more than 100,000 people playing at any given time, > they need to concentrate on revenue generating things first, like the solo > games that companies sell nicer versions of and the Yahoo! All Stars > memberships. Yahoo! generally is trimming back offerings and staff and > trying to bring revenues and expenses closer together. > > Nonetheless, Yahoo! Games is remarkably easy to use, much easier than any > other game site I have tried. This is why they have so many > players all the > time. I play Go on Yahoo! a lot and notwithstanding one truly awful > programming blunder, (No byo-yomi... In a game with no > check-mate and that > ends by mutual agreement of the players, this offers idiot 12-year-olds a > way to win a timed game: Just keep dropping dead stones and never pass) it > is a remarkable evangalistic tool. There are many people who > pass through, > start games and after a few dud moves, ask "how do you play this > game." If > you type some instructions quickly, it is possible to get them going and > convince them of the merit of the game. Granted Shogi has more > rules, still > with Shogi players ex-Japan numbering, generously, in the thousands, > something that could add a new novice player every few days would make a > significant difference to the game. > > Perhaps they will be inspired to link to the Shogi rooms if we > play on there > a bunch. > > Andy Okun > > Entertainment Law Digest > Glowworm Publishing LLC > 10951 Pico Blvd., Third Floor > Los Angeles, CA 90064 > Phone: 310-448-3124 > Fax: 310-448-3125 > E-Mail: aokun glowwormpub com > Website: http://www.entlawdigest.com >