Engine Updates

Dirty 6J-22 (WB)
Win32
"It seems to be quite better (+75 ELO (?) ) than former Dirty 14M-22 but let's see..."
- changes in search
http://www.dirtychess.com/

GullChess 03 (UCI)
new engine by Vadim Dem (Grapefruit); found by Michael Diosi
C++ source; Win32/64
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gullchess/
http://cap.connx.com/chess-engines/new-approach/gullchess.7z (Win64 by DC)

Redqueen 0.4 (UCI)
3 commit(s) to the C++ source code (commits= 244), no new build
- 242: changed search parameters
- 243: tests
- 244: improved evaluation
http://sourceforge.net/projects/redqueenchess

Sissa 2.0 (UCI)
C source (comments mostly in French with some English); Win32
no Jim Ablett build yet
- new: homepage
- added: auto-versioning with Code::Blocks plugin.
- updated: board representation changed (8x8 two-dimensional array -> 10x12 one-dimensional array)
- updated: hash values are now numbers of 64 bits
- added: move identifier added to move structure to facilitate comparisons
- new: transposition table
- updated: new UCI options are implemented ("Hash" and "OwnBook").
- updated: modification of compute_time function (for the UCI option "movestogo")
- updated: evaluation simplified to increase the general speed
- updated: for building openings book & hash test, program now reads games in PGN format
- updated: new modules (game, pgn, ttable) with the relocation of several functions
- updated: debug mode modified to improved the readibility of the code
- new: new options in console mode ("pgn", "replay", "blind" ...). Refer to the help file
- new: plenty of parameters to control the search. Refer to the config file
- new: "null move" algorithm is introduced in the search
http://devzero.fr/~mnc/SISSA/en/index_en.html

NOTE: 'new' engine Crab, a Stockfish derivative is available here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ztewrmyjyhe (source code only)

Chess News

NOTE: It looks like CCC, a commercially-financed board and once held in great
esteem for its impartiality, will be imposing censorship to promote commercial
products. It is sad to watch this board splinter.

Down/Problem Chess Websites
Alex homepage down for 47 days ("Temporarily Unavailable")
Amundsen homepage down for 52 days
Brama homepage down for 81 days
Cylone homepage down for 8 days
Demon homepage down for 8 days
Dika homepage down for 82 days
Fire homepage down for 8 days
Flux homepage down for 20 days
InmiChess homepage down for 9 days
Mizar homepage down for 14 days (no download page)
Nesik homepage down for 56 days
Numpty homepage closed until further notice (43 days)
Postmodernist homepage down today
RobboLito homepage down for 8 days
Toga II 2.0SE homepage down for 8 days
Wilhelm homepage down for 31 days
Sissa homepage back up after being down for 47 days
NOTE: Sissa has a new website URL: http://devzero.fr/~mnc/SISSA/en/index_en.html

Wiki Changes
Nothing new today

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

CodeLite 2.5.3.4075
excellent open source cross-platform IDE for all C/C++ compilers. Recommended
Features: syntax highlighting for many languages, plugins, version control, code completion, function call tips, etc.
http://codelite.org/ (homepage)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/codelite/files/ (download)

Miranda IM 0.8.25
open source instant messaging program
http://www.miranda-im.org/

Thunderbird 3.1 RC 2
preview of next major version of Thunderbird email program
this is a *release candidate* intended for testing purposes only
http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/early_releases/downloads/

Vuze 4.4.0.6
open source Java-based BitTorrent client formerly known as Azureus
http://azureus.sourceforge.net/index.php

Wireshark 1.2.9 & Wireshark 1.4.0 RC 1
open-source network protocol analyzer (packet sniffer) for advanced users
http://www.wireshark.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