It'll be different for anyone. I know one of my largest improvements was the day I started playing 5 or so games a day. If anything, I've found improvement as long as I continue playing. Doesn't really matter if I get destoyed by a computer player, or if I play friends, as long as I keep myself active. In your case, I suggest playing people on this website instead of Chessmaster 9000, but either one would work.
Aim for playing a couple chess.com games a day. Keep it up for a couple months and you're bound to notice improvement.
I used to play chess occasionally.Now I have decided to play against the computer and improve.My close friends are not interested in chess,so the computer is my opponent.My question is:how does a player(who has known the basics of chess since childhood)can advance now in the age of 30?Is chessmaster 9000 enough to begin with?It contains many lessons and practice questions.I also have Fritz.Which one is better?How long does it take a beginner to feel that (s)he can play in a satisfactory level?