Image courtesy of funkyj
See more at funkyj's flickr site(sets)
Disclaimer:
I feel I need to stress that this section represents my personal opinions, and only
that. I am not affiliated with anybody and I do not get anything for advising
you to get this or that sort of software or equipment. I speak out my mind.
You make your own judgements, on your own terms, please. If you wish to follow
my advice and then are disappointed, do not blame me. Remember - your own actions
are your own responsibility, no matter what people try to convince you of.
Moyo Go Studio by Frank de Groot is possibly the most revolutionary piece of Go database software to be had. From what I have been able to determine, it simply leaves the competitors in the dust, both in terms of included games and in terms of processing power and functionality. In short, it is a quite remarkable tool, one I think every serious Go player should include in his or her library. It is well worth the money.
I could go into great details about the functionality of Moyo Go Studio but what is the point - the program grows and evolves to something bigger and better constantly. Frank de Groot is very sensitive to the needs of his customers, to the point that he provided a special forum dedicated to the software he develops. In view of that fast growth of the program, I think I better just point you to the original description on Frank's In Depth page, which, I assume, will be updated much more readily than I will ever be able to do by following up on the new and exciting features of Moyo Go Studio.
A Word of Caution:
If you follow the discussions on
rec.games.go
related to Frank de Groot and his software, you will notice that there is a lot
of controversy surrounding him and it. The reasons for this is best for you to determine by
yourself. Frank is a very "colorful" character, which certainly does not
help in soothing some offended egos. What I would like to say here is that, whatever your
final opinions are on whatever issues you come across, please also have an open mind
and listen to the other side. Do not rely on
rec.games.go
alone when casting your judgement - also read Frank's own
forum
as well, and maybe even more importantly, his
blog
to experience both sides of the story. Its only fair, no?
Another Disclaimer:
I push for
Moyo Go Studio
because I strongly believe in it. This is my own personal opinion. Some of its
competitors, such as
SmartGo or
BiGo Assistant
also provide good value. And they might be more suitable for your needs, I don't know.
Do your own research before you spend your own money, this is the best advice I can
give you. :)
Of course, next to Moyo Go Studio, there is much other software which is worth having. Most notably, there are all the Go playing programs, from the little free IGoWin to the full version of Many Faces of Go, and everything in between (and above.) There are dedicated SGF and other game record editors, such as Drago or MultiGo. And, not to forget, are the internet server clients, from CGoban2 to glGo. The choices are endless.
My personal preference circles around the programs I mentioned above, but you should certainly investigate on your own, and make up your own mind and preference. I just hope to provide you with a good starting points.
You can find more links in the Go Software section of my Go Links page.
I have already talked about books and which books are the most suitable for you as a baginner in the Books section. Here I would like to expand on that a little, and with the eye on the future, give you some advice about books which, even if not totally right for you now, I think will be invaluable to you one day. So you can invest your money wisely.
These books include mostly dictionary-type look-up books, which are not as much meant to be read from cover to cover, but rather to look in when you encounter a particular problem and need a hint. These books are in addition to the ones I have suggested to you in the Books section.
So, without further ado, let me just give you the titles.
And i don't care what anybody says! For a Go player, nothing can compare with the satisfaction of placing a nice shell stone on a kaya board and listening to the gentle "twang" of the sound it makes. Nothing! You will not know real fulfillment as a Go player until you experience this joy. Trust me. :)
Of course, you do not need to dish out for the super expensive slate, shell, and kaya. There are quite good sets to be had for much more reasonable prices. Samarkand has a cool selection (this is where I bought my first "real" set), and I recommend you check it out. Other vendors have good choices too.
You do not need to invest much. A simple wood board, and simple glass stones suffice. Please do not get plastic stones - you will end up regretting it in the future. Get a nice thick stones, 8mm or more. Plastic bowls are ok. Still, if you can afford wood bowls, get them. Buy a nice set which you will not have to upgrade for a while, and which will enhance your pleasure from studying the game.
Cardboard and plastic just don't cut it!
You can usually get Go equipment from the same vendors you can buy books from, but let me give you the link again, so you're all set. Here it is:
You can find more in the Commercial Sites section of my Go Links page.