Dodgy Download?

[stevencarr]

I just got an email from the ECf saying I could download Informator 123 for free.

Is this a genuine offer or an invitation to download some dodgy malware?

[Michael Farthing]

They're not that evil!

[stevencarr]

It might not be them. It just wants me to install some software on my computer, which I don't do (unless it is an email from Nigeria, of course)

[Carl Hibbard]

I would assume it's bad in the first instance and avoid.

[LawrenceCooper]

I've asked Dave Thomas to confirm. The rest of the e-mail refers to the finance meeting and looked official but after reading the comments above I thought I'd make sure first.

[Carl Hibbard]

I've asked Dave Thomas to confirm. The rest of the e-mail refers to the finance meeting and looked official but after reading the comments above I thought I'd make sure first.

Always, wherever it comes from and even then I don't like anything that wants to install...

PDF or a "book" type format would make more sense for this?

[LawrenceCooper]

Bob Kane has confirmed that it's genuine.

Maybe Carl could try it first though

[Paolo Casaschi]

I've asked Dave Thomas to confirm. The rest of the e-mail refers to the finance meeting and looked official but after reading the comments above I thought I'd make sure first.

Always, wherever it comes from and even then I don't like anything that wants to install...

PDF or a "book" type format would make more sense for this?

It's the March 2015 issue of the chess informant publication in chessbase format and in pgn format. Not sure why you would need a setup program for that, but chessbase material often behaves in their own ways. I looked at the pgn file and it looks ok, lots of annotated games.

[Angus French]

It's fine. I've downloaded and installed the file and it is a free electronic copy of Informator 123. The same thing, I assume, as is being sold for £19.69 here.

Further emails from Gold, Silver and Bronze members' representatives about the upcoming Finance Council Meeting should arrive soon. I'm not sure they're being sent by the same mechanism.

[Carl Hibbard]

Ok good news.

[Mick Norris]

Bob Kane has confirmed that it's genuine.

Maybe Carl could try it first though

[Colin Purdon]

It looks like a dodgy download, not least because the actual link (http://sut5.co.uk/...etcetc) is different from the text in the email (http://www.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/...etcetc) so it is natural to be suspicious.

However, as others have mentioned, it downloads and installs fine. The installer is for the (free) Chessbase Reader program that is used for many Chessbase publications (which can therefore be used by everyone, regardless of whether or not the have bought the full-blown Chessbase software).

In my view, this is actually rather a decent benefit.

[Ian Thompson]

However, as others have mentioned, it downloads and installs fine. The installer is for the (free) Chessbase Reader program that is used for many Chessbase publications (which can therefore be used by everyone, regardless of whether or not the have bought the full-blown Chessbase software).

I now have something called "Chess Informant 123 Hawaiian" in my list of installed programs from Control Panel. This created a load of ChessBase files on my computer and uninstalling it deletes most of them. Who knows what else it might have done? It's clearly not satisfactory that you are asked to install a program without having a clue what it's going to do. If all it needs to do is copy data files onto your computer it shouldn't be installing software at all. (It didn't install ChessBase Reader for me, but maybe that's because I've already got the full ChessBase program installed.)

[Colin Purdon]

It didn't install ChessBase Reader for me, but maybe that's because I've already got the full ChessBase program installed.

Come to think of it, I already had Chessbase Reader installed (and full Chessbase), and the Reader is what runs "Chess Informant 123 Hawaiian" on my PC - obviously that could be a simple file association. The link given by Angus above suggests that a reader (not necessarily Chessbase) should be installed before installing Chess Informant 123 Hawaiian, so it does look like the installer is just copying files about.