I am a Mac user. I do not have an engine either, let's not even mention any Chessbase product.
The problem with installing windows on my Mac for the purpose of a database is that I will have to reboot just to run Chessbase since loading windows will force you boot-up in WIndows. Running a parallel is not an option for me. Engine, database, and my other Mac functions and we are talking about a huge resource hog.
I want a database for MAC, I would be willing to pay out some good money for it.
@bladezii - you do not need to reboot into Winduhs. I use VirtualBox (it's free) - Winduhs becomes then almost just like any other application.
Parallels and VMware are non-free alternates, and some people prefer one or the other.
There is also the new Hiarcs Mac Chess Explorer Database, in addition to the ExaChess Database. See http://www.hiarcs.com/mac-chess-explorer.htm
So I have "Virtual Box". I just got it today ! I have question, good friends: Do I need to install Windows still? I have not done this before but I am wanting to get this to work so I can purchase Chessbase and install it for my first time on my Mac. Thank you for the help.
You need a .iso/iso image of windows. If you don't have this... there a legal ways and... other ways to obtain this. The choice is yours. If you aren't sure, just google how to obtain a windows iso image and you will find both the legal ways and... of course... other ways. Enjoy!
All right, I found an article that starts off saying - "Create a folder of the stuff you want to put in the image."
My question is what DO I want in there? What don't I want to leave out of it?
One of these days some genius will design a database program for Macs, call it "iChessbase" or something like that, overcharge horribly for it, and issue a new version every year with minimal changes but some cosmetic updates.
He'll get filthy rich, too.
There ALREADY ARE two or three chess databases for Macs. ExaChess from Australia is one. Hiarcs Chess Explorer is another.
Above, James Coons mentions others
One day Chessbase will decide to get themselves a modern development methodology, and release a Mac version. But until then, we'll survive with the myriad of options available to us.
Hiarchs team should offer a business deal to Chessbase. "Let us provide Mac users to Chessbase content by enabling Hiarcs to translate the proprietary file format from Chessbase to a format Hiarcs can read or Hiarcs team could support .cbh and .cbv formats.
They could work a deal. Chessbase, via Hiarcs, would be able to serve Mac users.
That is just one idea.
That idea has been suggested to ChessBase several times in the past for ExaChess, over several years. It has also been suggested that ChessBase share the proprietary file format and allow the construction of a Mac CB to PGN converter, charge $25 for it and split the revenue with ExaChess. ($25 may seem expensive, but its cheaper than having to buy Parallels and Windows!)
ChessBase has never acted positively on those suggestions.
To be fair, if CB has registered their file format as a trade secret (a possibility) then sharing it with anyone deteriorates their IP, even if they have non-disclosures in place. Further, if CB has some idea that at some future time they'll mvoe to the Mac platform, then they are cutting future revenue streams if they create their own competitor.
Now, if Mac users wanted to be truely proactive about it, they could get together, create some sort of joint fund account and see if Friedel would allow Mac users to pay for a port that would then be sold to them at some small discount. If the mac users could raise the funds, then viola! they get CB on the mac.
But I don't see that happening unless some independently wealthy mac user decides they really want CB.
I think its likely given the fact that they can't even seem to fix many of their existing bugs. that the codebase of Chessbase would not permit an easy port to the Mac. The code is bound to be huge, old and tightly connected to the Windows Operating system. Some things such as their tight integration with windows media are not even supported on the Mac and would require a complete reimplementation.
Integrating with the MAC quicktime application is a lot smoother with OS X, is it not ?
I know it's another subject, but I really wonder if the issue at heart is THE BOTTOM line. They think there are not enough MAC users who will buy the chessbase products.
One of these days some genius will design a database program for Macs, call it "iChessbase" or something like that, overcharge horribly for it, and issue a new version every year with minimal changes but some cosmetic updates.
He'll get filthy rich, too.
There ALREADY ARE two or three chess databases for Macs. ExaChess from Australia is one. Hiarcs Chess Explorer is another.
Above, James Coons mentions others
I know that.
BUT they omitted the key "i-" prefix, which is like a dog whistle signal to Apple devotees to open their purse-strings.
This ˆˆ
One of these days some genius will design a database program for Macs, call it "iChessbase" or something like that, overcharge horribly for it, and issue a new version every year with minimal changes but some cosmetic updates.
He'll get filthy rich, too.
There ALREADY ARE two or three chess databases for Macs. ExaChess from Australia is one. Hiarcs Chess Explorer is another.
Above, James Coons mentions others
I know that.
BUT they omitted the key "i-" prefix, which is like a dog whistle signal to Apple devotees to open their purse-strings.
This ˆˆ
While quite funny, the real problem is that none of them are available on the App store.
i managed to install chessbase on my mac with "wine".. the problem is that i don't know how to install the databases on it. When i look for the files in the program i have totally different folders than in my computer. i tried to put the files under the folder "wine files" and even inside the chessbase program directly, nothing seems to work :o
Scid vs Mac certainly has a lot more features than ChessX. I personally don't like the user interface for Scid vs Mac. Others might like the user interface. I don't mind having fewer features as long as the program does what I want it to and does it well.