Chessbase - unwanted behaviour

[Paul McKeown]

If I leave Chessbase running for a period of time, without interacting with it, it begins to analyse cloud positions using on engine on my computer. I don't want it to do this. However, I don't seem to be able to stop it doing this, as "Connect automatically" is ticked in "Settings", but grayed out, so I can't untick it. And no, I have zero interest in purchasing a Playchess.com subscription. Can anyone help me here?

[John McKenna]

Hello Paul, good to hear from you.

However, I was expecting a more topical critique of German general behaviour.
This technical problem might be circumvented by signing up to Playchess.com gratis.
Quite a few people have done so but never paid or played there, as far as I can see.
I am sure that others here are working on other, more technical, solutions to the problem.

Regards, John

[John McKenna]

PS It does occur to me that Playchess.com & FIDE Arena seem to be trying to encourage people to sign up for free.
It may become a prerequisite for using their products and services in the future and eventually chargeable.

[LawrenceCooper]

If I leave Chessbase running for a period of time, without interacting with it, it begins to analyse cloud positions using on engine on my computer. I don't want it to do this. However, I don't seem to be able to stop it doing this, as "Connect automatically" is ticked in "Settings", but grayed out, so I can't untick it. And no, I have zero interest in purchasing a Playchess.com subscription. Can anyone help me here?

I've also had this but have no idea how to stop it happening and end up closing everything and re-opening whatever I'd been working on.

[MartinCarpenter]

Is this really what it sounds like - using your computer to do distributed computing for them in its spare time?

Really not terribly polite to have that as a permanent feature if so.

[Paul McKeown]

Martin, that is exactly how it appears to be.

[MartinCarpenter]

I'd think that that'd be getting a long way into malware territory. Chess engines can really work CPUs so the electricity cost might not be totally trivial over time. Or batteries on laptops etc.
(Still struggle to believe it mind.).

[Roger de Coverly]

However, I don't seem to be able to stop it doing this, as "Connect automatically" is ticked in "Settings", but grayed out, so I can't untick it.

You might test how it behaves if you disconnect the computer from the internet.

[Roger de Coverly]

(Still struggle to believe it mind.).

This is from a recent review
http://en.chessbase.com/post/new-chessb ... -number-13

“Let’s Check,” which first appeared (if memory serves) in the Fritz 13 GUI, is something like a gigantic, decentralized database of analyzed positions. If you are connected to the “Let’s Check” server while you work, ChessBase 12 uploads your engine evaluations of positions studied to the cloud, and it gives you access to the evaluations of others. This can be very useful if, say, you are looking at games from important tournaments. In some cases you are able to ask the server to ‘annotate’ games played that same day, leaving you with suggestions and evaluations from users around the globe.

Even more interesting was the launch of the “Engine Cloud.” In simple terms, the “Engine Cloud” allows for remote access of analytical engines anywhere in the world. Those with powerful hardware can, in essence, rent time on their computers to other people, granting them access to their analytical engines for a small fee. (You can also configure your own hardware to be privately available to only you.) Those of us without ‘big iron’ at home can, for very reasonable prices, have blazing fast engines at our beck and call; you might even, if you investigate usernames, get to use a former World Champion’s hardware in the process. Brilliant, brilliant stuff.

It does seem to imply a takeover by ChessBase of your hardware. Apart from the obvious but brutal solution of disconnecting the computer from the internet, what other control can be exercised?

[John McKenna]

Is it possible to reclaim and retain your engine from "Let's check" by clicking on the "Contribute Engine" button?

[MartinCarpenter]

Could always uninstall ChessBase of course Or downgrade a bit I suppose.

Looks logical to try their technical support. Still finding it very hard to believe these features aren't at least meant to be under a very strict user opt in. They very definitely should be but its the sort of thing companies do seem to mess up from time to time.