I think the whole touch-move rule is a load of crap. if my opponent touched a piece he doesn't want to move I would gladly let him make the move he desired.... prefer to win that way than by having my opponent accidentaly touch a piece with his elbow and having him forced to move it...

Who thought of this rule? Why is it there?

And am I the only person who lets people make a different move when they grabbed a piece... I probably am... call me dumb but I would rather win or lose a game by people who did the best they could than having them accidentaly touch a piece and force them to move that piece, regardless of how important a game is.

I agree

Rules are rules just have to live with it.

Before playing online I played a lot of tournaments in high school where the touch move was in effect. Even some tournaments where if I touched a piece which to move I would lose my king, I would still have to make the move. I really liked the touch move rule, maybe its just because I was used to it. When I play with friends I usually let them play without it, since they are friendly games that we value not so much victory, but victory through means of learning. But in competition when the goal is to win, then in my mind the touch move rule is essential. If you touch a piece and are about to move it, and then when the piece is out of the way you see a problem, thats more a lack of vision that needs working on and a lack of discipline.

Online however, I see need for it only in chess with a clock.

Bermuda> prefer to win that way than by having my opponent accidentaly touch a piece with his elbow and having him forced to move it... 

Bermuda> them accidentaly touch a piece and force them to move that piece

In USCF and FIDE tournaments, a player would not be forced to move a piece if he accidently touched it with his elbow, or any other body part.

Bermuda> Why is it there?

It's not, at least in standard USCF or FIDE chess.

Bermuda> Who thought of this rule?

I guess you just did, but you aren't the first.

It's a great idea to read your rulebook before participating in tournaments--I read the USCF rulebook cover-to-cover. I also carry it with me. Many players don't quite know the rules, and some pretend they don't to con you out of a win or draw.

I think playing touch move helps to prevent the most annoying habit of making a move, then taking it back, claiming you never took your hand off the piece! without touch move i would theorecticly have an analysis board to play with! The rule in itself serves to ensure a more disciplined game, which is good. However in the case of an honest mistake, I think good sportsmanship, and of course common sense, should prevail.

(I am not talking about tourney play here, just casual play)

The touch move rule enforces the following:

• You do not touch the board until you have commited to making the move.
• You do not block your opponents view of the pieces while you sit there with your hand on various pieces.
• There is no danger of a player picking up a piece to move, changing their mind, and then putting the piece back on the *wrong square* whether intentionally or by accident. 
• There is no danger of you knocking other pieces around while you try to decide if your move is "the right one" by keeping your finger on it in its new "test" destination

It's not a "fun" rule and you don't have to be nitpicky about enforcing it, but the basic principles of the rule (the ideas behind the rule) make for better chess games and better chess players.