Bear in mind that the article is a bit dated (2002):
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627013711/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman25.pdf
Help me understand the use of computers in today's chess world
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Nov 16, 2016
0
#3
Some basic functions are saving your games for easy access, using a database for reference (much faster and more comprehensive than a book), and using an engine to nearly instantly find all gross tactical mistakes.
Ok, now some basic non-uses. An engine is not so good as a sparing partner (at least not at full strength). It's not so good at finding improvements in quiet positions and endgames (at least not with a novice user/player), and it can't tell you anything about practical chances (for example whether a specific attack is easier to play for the defender or attacker, or how easy a certain opening is).
Thanks for the info so far. Anything else to offer?
How specifically do you use computers in your regular chess routine? For instance, last week in what way was a computer helpful for you?
Nov 16, 2016
0
#5
RenegadeChessist wrote:
For instance, last week in what way was a computer helpful for you?
I knew my opponent played a certain line, so I loaded up chessbase and explored which moves GMs play. I also had my engine running as a kibitzer so I could try to guess when moves were playing with a win in mind or going for a more level position (of course the engine doesn't tell you that specifically, but combining what I know about chess and the engine's eval I can make an educated guess). Oh, and the database stats like win% helps determine that too. You can also sort by rating again and see, for example, if white is often using this line against a higher rated black opponent (you might assume then it's for a draw, or that even if the win% is low, it's not a bad line as long as the engine isn't complaining).
I made some notes as to why certain moves were played, then tried non-book moves to test if I'd gotten the idea right (I play "bad" moves and I watch the engine's suggested moves). I also tried to mix ideas (like amateurs incorrectly often do) by setting up for one idea, then trying to play a different one in the middlegame and I noted whether, and in what ways, that was bad.
Oh, and I sorted the database by highest rating, and I opened the first few games and quickly played over them to get an idea of how the game progresses when two professionals handle that position.
After my exploration was done, I made some summary notes and saved it in a file.
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After my tournament game, there were some very tactical moments where we weren't sure what the best moves were. After I went home I put the game into the computer, and going to those spots I turned on the engine to see the eval and the top few suggested moves. I played out a few of the suggested lines (until they made sense) and cursed at myself for having missed various wins 
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That's a pretty standard use for me. I also had some interesting endgame positions I want to explore on my own first before feeding them to the engine. But in pure crazy tactical positions I feel like it's a lot better to just let the engine crunch the numbers.
So yeah, title says it all. I am mostly asking about the computers' role in chess training.
I see a lot of people on here talking about "engines" and different programs and how they help them analyze games and . . . I guess do other stuff, I dunno. Frankly, it's all Greek to me.
Trying to figure all this out I once downloaded SCID vs PC and seriously couldn't make heads or tails of it. I had no idea what to actually do with the program and none of the instructions I found explained it well.
To me, learning about chess has always been about having some good books and maybe some DVDs and a board. So treat me like I'm a five year old who is brand new to chess. What's the deal with computers and how are they used today by regular chess players?