I've been playing at FlyOrDie off and on for about 5 years now. After breaking the 400 barrier, I became aware of computational aid that most players abused to make the top of the list. FlyOrDie moderators put forth the effort in decreasing these numbers (permanent & temp bans, demerits, calibrating point totals back to zero, etcetera); however, this only stirred more problems for users because banned players would create new accounts, complain, and cheat their way back to the top. This positive feedback loop persists and I'm afraid not much can be done to resolve this issue; after all, there is always a way to get around things with the internet. FlyOrDie staff have implemented "tagging" profiles as a way to notify players of suspected program-users and made those profiles accessible by everyone. I'm not sure how the detection or scan process goes in determining who those players are, but I do know that program users are undetectable when they use 2 separate computers to play. For example, a desktop computer to host the program (Fritz, Shredder, Deep Blue, Jester, etcetera) and a laptop with flyordie open, but this is just one possible scenario among millions. The number of program users has increased dramatically since my first login, and while I developed a really strong opposition against prog users, I'm really apathetic about it now. Like the predominant proportion of our society go online seeking status and value and respect, which is often lacked outside the realm of their online networks, program users do too. For some people whose conscience has little effect on them, being able to act as if they are true grandmasters makes life so much better for them. For I and others, who simply want enhance their skills in chess (gaining opposition, tactics, strategies, openings, variations, etcetera), don’t depend on their rank or win-loss ratio. I’m not saying that this isn’t accomplished by the use of programs because hey, if becoming a mindless, mimicking zombie enslaved by chess software is your learning style, then go ahead. Winning is great, but so much is learned more by our losses because only then are we fully aware of our mistakes. I’m beginning to grow tired of this subject, but emphasis on this “problem” grows every day. Since the industrial revolution, man has been predisposed to technology and developed an innate dependency on innovative technology. Technology is great. It makes life so much easier and allows us to get things done so much faster. Whether it be using your TI-89 to integrate differential equations or using that program to cheat in chess, we all do it sooner or later and often forget the real reason we even got involved. I know I didn’t start playing at flyordie with the intentions to “prog” my way to the top or take calculus with the intentions of not retaining any of it afterwards because I used my calculator to solve everything! So, it really just boils down to what and how much we care about things. I’m not sure how well my thoughts will be portrayed in this forum, or if anyone will even bother to read this. I played a few games in chess informant and a few in gomoku today. I saw this post and the one that followed, and felt it was exigent to reply and show how much some people do care.
