I personally would LOVE a desktop application for Chess.com, It could be a small window you keep open that just shows the Game, it's comments, options (next game, resign, draw etc.) and probably a small ads section (if you do this I want a free ad for a week!).

I think this would be a great alternative to having the chess play browser-based chess going, as a Lo-Fi version would help those of us who are very busy on their computers.

Good idea?

No interest?

I really think this is a good idea! BUMP!

Sounds like a good idea to me!

Just one question...

Why?  Sounds like re-inventing the wheel to me.

isn't that just the online games section of the site?

Very good idea!!

Just to answer xoise and Nachos, for me to use Chess.com I need to have a full screen window open to play, meaning I can't do anything else, I can't NOT play, and I'm a busy person. So if I could install an OnlineChess.exe that runs on startup, is stuck on my desktop, that just refreshes when I need to make a move, would be excellent.

Here's some previews of how the finished article could work;

After Clicking the Icon

[img]http://img258.imageshack.us/my.php?image=chessapp1sp5.jpg[/img]

After Clicking the Arrow for More

[img]http://img249.imageshack.us/my.php?image=chessapp1moreko3.jpg[/img]

Whilst Hovering on the Board itself (making game clearer)

[img]http://img66.imageshack.us/my.php?image=chessapp1morehoverbf1.jpg[/img]

Anyone second this idea?

Not asking for it right now, but it'll make chess.com a big part of people's computer use.

sounds good if you ask me

Support feels goood :)

I may eventually actually do this :)

But not right now while I'm busy with school and a chess engine I decided to try and make. But first things first. We need to know what you're really asking; from a programming perspective:

1. A taskbar pane application

2. A GUI

3. Mouse interactions

4. Network communications

5. A chess move parser and a check for illegal moves.

Most of these aren't hard (#1 is trivial); but they take a fair amount of time to get right. Not to mention making it look nice (which would be simpler if Erik allows the use of his Chess piece bitmaps; but not much...). I'll have the parser and move checker done soon; but network comm isn't something I know much about but do know it's not to be considered easy. Mouse interactions are more of an annoyance than anything else; and save network communications; should take the longest.

Maybe if we have you on board, we should look for someone else with similar skills, but who knows network comm to work with you?

put the bookmark on you desktop duh

One of the "perks" of chess.com is the fact that you don't need to download anything to play.

To implement a downloadable client or application is a bit hypocritical - but I agree, it makes playing chess easier.

It's not a mandatory download, it's an add-on for busy peeps :)

Titan, putting a bookmark on my desktop solves 0 problems. Read first, bro.

I still don't see how clicking down on the taskbar and opening up a little mini app is easier and better than having Chess.com open in a separate tab in your broswer.

you still be conectned to the internet either way so ya..

I am working on a project for myself... but all it does is let me know when I have moves to make. If you want it I'll post a link to it, so you have something, at least for now. I would be happy to help any who wants to tackle the project.

(I know python, html, css, js... and hopefully C# soon)

Luke