Engine Updates

Jim Ablett Win/Linux builds
Protector rev. 402 JA (UCI)
C source; Win32/64, Linux32/64; latest official version number is 1.3.5
"Re-compiled with shorter uci version string. Long strings cause problems in Chessbase gui"
- build of latest development version
http://homepages.tesco.net/henry.ablett/jims.html

Chess News

Harry Schnapp books
Opening Books for Arena, ChessBase, Aquarium & Shredder Classic
- HS-Masterbook 1.1.ctg updated (book for Fritz, ChessBase & Aquarium)
http://americanfoot.free.fr/echecs/hsbook.htm

Down/Problem Chess Websites

Akiba homepage down for 19 days (404 error)
Aldebaran homepage down for 10 days (no response in 60 seconds)
Aristarch homepage down today
Frenzee homepage down for 132 days (webpage taken down until new engine release)
NSVChess homepage down for 88 days (403 error: forbidden)
Holger Schluckebier Mac builds homepage down for 68 days (internal server error)

Wiki Changes

Online Databases / Game Collections List
update by Norbert Raimund Leisner
- added Opening Master (commercial database)
http://computer-chess.org/doku.php?id=computer_chess:wiki:lists:online_databases_game_collections_list

Bonus Notifications (recent releases of free stuff)

Warnings:
- do not install unwanted toolbars, etc.
- alpha releases have new features; crashes and bugs are to be expected
- beta releases have new features; they may contain bugs or crash
- release candidate software may contain minor bugs; crashes are rare

Drupal 7.0 RC 4
open source PHP-based content management platform for websites
this is a *release candidate*
http://drupal.org/home
http://drupal.org/drupal-7.0-rc4 (announcement)
http://drupal.org/node/1005976 (release notes)

PyPy 1.4.1 (Python)
cross-platform, open source Python implementation; choose JIT (default), no JIT, stackless, or sandboxed;
also available: back ends for .NET and Java (see: 'Features' page);
other languages that run in the JIT: Prolog, Smalltalk, JavaScript, Io, Scheme and Gameboy
- Windows 32-bit binary is now available
http://pypy.org/

SoftMaker Office 2008
commercial office product for Windows or Linux
this is a special offer of an older product: free until December 31, 2010
word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software with macro editor/programming
you will need to reveal your email address to receive an activation serial number
compatible with Microsoft Office formats and OpenDocument Format
Ashampoo Office uses this software in its rebranded offering, but the macro programming ability is missing
http://www.loadandhelp.de/home-en.html (free offer)
http://www.loadandhelp.de/faq-en.html (more info)
http://www.softmaker.com/english/of_en.htm (commercial homepage)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoftMaker_Office (Wikipedia)
http://www.infoworld.com/d/applications/better-office-alternative-softmaker-office-bests-openofficeorg-445
(InfoWorld review) "successful loading, rendering, and saving of our Microsoft Word 2003 torture test document"

System Explorer 2.6.1
free; detailed info about tasks, processes, modules, startups, IE addons, uninstallers, windows, services, drivers,
connections and opened files; graphs monitor usage of system resources in real-time
http://systemexplorer.mistergroup.org/

Meaning of Colors

Red = New or Warning
Green = Updated
Gray = Info Only

Engine List: http://computer-chess.org/doku.php?id=computer_chess:wiki:lists:chess_engine_list
Chess News: http://computer-chess.org/doku.php?id=computer_chess:wiki:lists:chess_news_list

NOTE: If you want me to track a website for you, please email me and I will add it.