Old New York Times Article

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fourthirty
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Old New York Times Article

Post by fourthirty »

Not sure if this has been posted here before (I couldn't find it):

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/02/techn ... puter.html
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Fernando
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Post by Fernando »

It is like reading a report of the excavation in Tutankamon tomb...
I wondwer where is Shwartz by now.....

Fern
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fourthirty
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Post by fourthirty »

Fernando wrote:I wondwer where is Shwartz by now.....
Did Schwartz sell the shop? chessusa.com is the website, correct?

The only "chess computers" they are selling now are DGT boards...
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Fernando
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Post by Fernando »

Yes, he sold.
He saw coming the decadence of that businesses. I still wonder how he got a buyer.
He is part of the legend by now...

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Larry
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Post by Larry »

Fernando wrote: He saw coming the decadence of that businesses. I still wonder how he got a buyer.

This reminds me of a similar situation down here, and it's a rather sad
story.
Our chess community is quite small by international standards, we
are more outdoorsy people. We had one major chess book retailer. He
was a good enough guy, a fairly strong player himself, and in the know
when it came to the goings on in chess. He was a good source of information
about chess competitions, books, computers, etc.
However, he had a weak point. Laziness. The shop was disorderly to say
the least. As far back as 1990 or so the writing was on the wall regarding
chess tutorials. Personal computers were becoming powerful and
affordable, and the tutorials were going onto software. He should have
seen the signs and offloaded the business as soon as a sucker could be
found. He did'nt, and sat there with an ocean of chess books gathering
dust. He was renting premises in the city, and a rent increase of 60%
was the final nail in the coffin.
He retreated to a small house in a nearby suburb, still trying to find
buyers for his books, but buyers were few. People are not interested in
supporting a local business when a few dollars savings can be had buying
from Amazon books.
It was not long after that he went several days without leaving home,
without answering emails, nor even answering his phone. The police were
called to break into his home. He had been dead for about three days.
L
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

The Sad demise of Peter Parr and Chess Discount Sales
somewhat morbidly ...the web site is still active as if Parr was still alive working the phones
do we know what the cause of death was?

Post Mortum Regards
Steve
Larry
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Post by Larry »

Steve B wrote:The Sad demise of Peter Parr
do we know what the cause of death was?

Post Mortum Regards
Steve
It's a little over a year ago now since his passing, and I did read a
discussion held just a few weeks later. I guess it's not protocol to ask
until some time has gone by, but someone did ask for the cause, and
did'nt get an answer. You'd have to suspect suicide, but it would only
be speculation. He was 66 years old and fairly obese, but otherwise in
seemingly good health. I'll keep checking and let you know if any
reliable information comes up.
Dedicated chess computers were a lucrative business in their day, and
Peter did well out of them. I bought my Elegance from him, as well as
my Super Connie. More recently I bought some used units also from
Peter. He did'nt have any interest in dedicateds, they were only ever
a money spinner. I remember one day I was interested in buying both
an Excel Mach3 (bare board), and an ac output power adaptor, for
$20 each. He casually handed me the Mach3 with his left hand while
he considered the deal on the adaptor in his right hand. One day I
actually told him he should put some of his chess computers up on ebay.
He replied that yes, maybe he should.... but never got around to it.
L
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Fernando
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Post by Fernando »

Not that weird, the Parr case.
I am dead since 15 years and I still go to the fora and write from time to time.


From Hell regards
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

Larry wrote:

You'd have to suspect suicide, but it would only
be speculation. He was 66 years old and fairly obese, but otherwise in
seemingly good health. I'll keep checking and let you know if any
reliable information comes up.
Well lets hope it was not suicide
if it was...being obese..would rule out hanging
hard to find a rope strong enough to hold that much weight long enough without snapping

Hemlock Society Regards
Steve
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