Game Downloads

[George Neave]

- it's one thing to put pressure on stingy Scots to join Chess Scotland,

I don't think its a question of being stingy its a question on what people want and get from chess. People already pay membership fees to their clubs who in turn pay fees to chess Scotland for affiliation. If chess Scotland want to illicit more money from punters it should be done more proactively. I agree game downloads could be seen as a potential revenue raiser but I don't see how you can do this due to the question of ownership of material. I certainly wouldn't be happy if was playing at the highest level ( which I certainly don't) and finding that chess Scotland or any other organisation was selling my games. My games belong to me and my opponent.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. If Chess Scotland want to encourage a membership fee, there are plenty of ways to do it , such as a school affiliation fee which would allow schools amongst other things to have access to Chess Scotland resources such as Chess Scotland affiliated chess clubs and leagues. An online chess playing website run by Chess Scotland website would also accommodate remote playing chess clubs and allow people to playing as teams and as individuals from one end of Scotland to another. I'm sure players presently not taking out a membership would possibly have a change of heart if they saw tangible benefits for them rather than the intangible benefit of supporting Chess in Scotland.

Chess Scotland doesn't have enough money - the site is begging donations to subsidise junior events just now. We should do all we can do avoid running the organisation in a way where it cannot operate without reliance on such donations. It follows we should charge where we can. I am much happier to give when I am getting something I value in return. Chessbase doesn't give databases away for free. Chess is one of the cheapest pass-times I can think of. Put the membership fee up to cover basic operating costs then make sure the core product is as attractive as possibly by including such benefits. This is a "no brainer" for me.