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Subject: Re: open/collaborative human chess database?

Author: Dann Corbit

Date: 21:43:46 12/02/05

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On December 03, 2005 at 00:30:18, Michael Yee wrote:

>I don't think one currently exists. But since all games seem to be free (at
>least for now), shouldn't it be possible?
>
>For starters, there's the old free SCID database (if anyone still has it),
>Jose's database, TWIC's archives, chesslib's free database, Dann's ftp site,
>britbase, norbase, etc. Convekta, Les Echecs, and other sites also have or had
>free games available.
>
>Tasks/goals for managing the database might include:
>
>(1) have a consistent unambiguous system for player names, place names, etc.
>(2) ensure accuracy of ratings (or add them if missing)
>(3) ensure accuracy of moves (by checking multiple sources?)
>(4) differentiate between classical, rapid, blitz, correspondence, internet,
>etc.
>
>Note: I'm not opposed to buying a commercial database one of these days. But it
>just seems funny/strange that they all seem to be selling essentially the same
>free data (aside from analysis and other extras).

I think you underestimate the quality control that goes into a commercial
system.

Take any freely avaiable database (such as junkbase) and count the player's
names.  There are hundreds of thousands in a 4 million game file.  Of course,
there aren't really that many.  It is due to dups and bad spelling and a host of
other issues.

Besides the features, the commercial systems are selling you quality.

If you want to get a really good database from free sources, you will have to be
really, really careful about where you get your games.



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