Normal Topic Why don't publishers provide access to pgn files? (Read 3393 times)
Antillian
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Re: Why don't publishers provide access to pgn fil
Reply #7 - 11/28/06 at 23:47:13
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Alias wrote on 11/28/06 at 13:09:24:
New in Chess has pgn-files for their magazine and yearbook.

I've started to use Bookup. For that I make pgn-file of games from books, like Cox's d4-book. Then it's easy to add lines and analysis to that. (Of course, this could also be done in other programs like CB or CA.) It would save some time if the publisher would provide that file. Also, before purchases, especially of repertoire books, games would help to see which lines are recommended.



Yes, I too use Bookup to study opening books. First thing i do when I get a new opening book is to download all of the games (It helps when the book has a game index, which many still don't do) and then import them into Bookup. Bookup is indespensable for opening study. (Okay, Mike, you can pay me later  Grin ) I don't have the professional version, but I find the Express version is good enough. 

However, I am never able to find all of the games and I often have to reconstruct several game manually - a waste of time in today's technological age.
  

"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Antillian
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Re: Why don't publishers provide access to pgn fil
Reply #6 - 11/28/06 at 23:32:38
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Alias wrote on 11/28/06 at 13:11:15:


Thanks for the link. I am familiar with the http://wwwu.uni-klu.ac.at/gossimit/c/book.htm wesite and I too think it is a fantastic resource. Unfortunately, it has no recent books.  Sad

Interestingly enough, accordingly to this site, Gambit Publications objected to game files of their books being uploaded. So there are no gambit books available at this site. This makes me think that  publishers are really nervous thta their book sales will sufffer if they provide access to the game files.  Undecided 

When I decided recently to embark on a comprehesive middle game study, I chose to purchase books that I knew already had game files available on this site ! (Fortunately, a lot of the great classics are here.) So the publishers benefitted in my case from having the game file available. 

But alas, I fear I am fighting a lost cause. Since when did business listen to their customers  Huh
  

"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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GMTonyKosten
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Re: Why don't publishers provide access to pgn fil
Reply #5 - 11/28/06 at 18:26:37
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Fortunately for the opening you can download ChessPublishing eBooks, which include all the games annotated! Smiley
  
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Re: Why don't publishers provide access to pgn fil
Reply #4 - 11/28/06 at 13:11:15
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Don't check me with no lightweight stuff.
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Re: Why don't publishers provide access to pgn fil
Reply #3 - 11/28/06 at 13:09:24
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New in Chess has pgn-files for their magazine and yearbook.

I've started to use Bookup. For that I make pgn-file of games from books, like Cox's d4-book. Then it's easy to add lines and analysis to that. (Of course, this could also be done in other programs like CB or CA.) It would save some time if the publisher would provide that file. Also, before purchases, especially of repertoire books, games would help to see which lines are recommended.
  

Don't check me with no lightweight stuff.
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Antillian
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Re: Why don't publishers provide access to pgn fil
Reply #2 - 11/28/06 at 09:26:51
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IMJohnCox wrote on 11/28/06 at 00:15:32:
You mean just the games? Sounds like a good idea to me. I don't know.



Yes, just the games. And the positions or game fragments in the case of endgame books or other cases where they aren't actual real games.
  

"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Re: Why don't publishers provide access to pgn fil
Reply #1 - 11/28/06 at 00:15:32
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You mean just the games? Sounds like a good idea to me. I don't know.
  
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Antillian
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Why don't publishers provide access to pgn files?
11/27/06 at 23:56:41
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It makes it so much easiar to study a book when the pgn files are readily accessible. In the past I used to search for the games one by one online and download them, since I don't own a database.

So why don't publishers provide access to pgn files?  Everyman did it once for Tango! A Dynamic Answer to 1 d4, Richard Palliser, However, they have not repeated it for subsequent books. Was this just an experiment that did not work? Why has it not been done for subsequent books?

Do publishers really fear that book sales would suffer if the pgn files were available to download? I suppose if the book were only a database dump, then that might happen. But the value of a  genuine quality chess book is not in the mere games and game fragments, it is the commentary and explanations. On the contrary, I would be more likely to buy a chess book if I had easy access to the pgn files.
  

"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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