Top Ten Reasons to Upgrade your Chess Openings Wizard

Here are the top 10 reasons to upgrade to Chess Openings Wizard Professional.

(You’re not going to believe number one.)

10) The new database format can handle up to 140 Terabytes.

The old file size limitation was 20GB. There are theorists who are using Chess Openings Wizard to solve chess. No kidding. They might need the larger files.

9) It is so much easier to share your data – and make backup copies.

Ebooks in the new format are stored in one single file. That makes making backups easy. It makes sharing your ebooks with students and coaches as easy as it can be.

8) The new format is used on iPad, iPhone and Android.

Windows and Macintosh are using the exact same files in COW’s new database format (SQLite3) so you can now study your chess openings on your favorite devices (iPad, iPhone, Android phones and tablets). Programmers can easily get at the data and write their own apps that use COW’s data.

7) The new program is more robust.

Ebooks in the older format would require rebuilding if Windows crashes or the computer loses power. The new format tends to survive these things intact.

6) The new program is built for the latest versions of Windows and Macintosh.

The old program was optimized for Windows 7. Since then Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 and Windows 11 have come out. Those versions of Windows show error messages when starting the old version of COW (which thankfully doesn’t stop the program from working but error messages are still annoying).

COW now runs natively on Macs with M1, M2, M3 Silicon chips. It is full tested through Sonoma (2023).

With Microsoft and Apple updating their OS’s as often as they do, you’ll want the latest version of Chess Openings Wizard.

5) The Pedigree game tree.

One of the most common questions when choosing opening moves is, “How do my moves compare to the games of grandmasters?” The new Pedigree game tree in the Professional version of COW shows you instantly at a glance how your moves compare to those of 2600+ rated players over the last 65 years.

4) No more error messages.

The current format was optimized for Windows 11 (and tested on Windows 10). Older versions of Windows give error messages when starting older version of COW (which thankfully don’t stop the program from working but error messages are always annoying).

3) Macintosh.

Our older version for Macintosh was supported from 1986 through 1992. New development tools have made it easier to have the program behave the same whether on Windows or Macintosh. Data files can be shared easily without conversion. The new support for Macintosh is bringing thousands of new chess players into the COW community. Some folks are even switching from Windows to Mac, and taking advantage of the cross platform upgrade discount.

2) It is not copy protected.

While you must register the program with your product key, the program itself contains no copy protection. Your product key entitles you to use the program on up to three computers that you personally use – and to move to other computers without any issues.

1) Updates are free.

Registered users of Chess Openings Wizard Professional get the minor updates for free. When there are big upgrades every couple of years, there is a $37 upgrade fee. You are indeed getting eight years of development for your upgrade if you are moving up from an app prior to 2016.

0) It backs up your ebooks to your Google Drive or your Dropbox.

Chess Openings Wizard now moves copies of your ebooks to the cloud so that you will never lose your work. Even if someone steals your laptop or your phone goes into brick mode, just get a new one and install the latest app and download your work from the cloud.

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