[fred]

"Full Disclosure" (FD) is a new program that will be used to create and display a new type of convention card on BBO. FD convention cards have many advantages over the traditional BBO conventionc cards. For one thing, FD convention cards allow for automatic explanations of bids.

FD support is now enabled on the main BBO server, but you will need version 4.5.2, the latest (test) version of the BBO client program, in order to properly access this facility. Instructions for downloading and installing version 4.5.2 can be found at the end of this post.

At this point in time we do not have any "stock" FD convention cards available on the server. So, unless you have made your own FD files already, this facility will be of limited use to you. That should change within the next couple of days.

We really need to populate our "stock convention card" database with some files that people can use for testing. I am asking again for people who have created FD files that they don't mind having us distribute, to please send me copies of your latest work by e-mail (fred@bridgebase.com).

Don't be shy! For now we don't really care if your sample files are accurate or complete. Don't worry if you have already sent me a file - please send it again!

You can access all FD-related functionality through the green CONV button on the BBO toolbar. You can also access the "old" BBO Convention Card window, as before, through this button.

A nice new FD-BBO feature is you can now (optionally) have FD automatically explain the meanings of the alternative bids, BEFORE you select your bid. Also have a look at the "Options..." command that appears at the bottom of the CONV menu.

There is quite a bit of new code in this version and my work was interrupted by a 3-week bridge tournament. Sorry in advance in the not unlikely event of new and unexpected bugs. Several existing bugs have been fixed in 4.5.2.

While I am on the subject of sorrys, sorry again to the FD-euthusiasts that it has taken us so much longer than expected to get to this point. It has been a busy time for us and there have been several unexpected distractions.

Once whatever bugs are found and fixed, there is not much more in terms of new functionality planned for the next autoupgrade. We hope that this will happen some time in mid-December, but we think it is important to have at least reasonable skeleton FD stock files for systems like SAYC and 2/1.

Most like we are soon going to appoint a person to be FD-file Czar on BBO. The Czar will be responsible for:

1) Deciding which files become stock convention cards or stock conventions
2) Organizing teams of people to work on creating such files
3) No doubt other things will come up

Version 4.5.2 can be run on Linux machines under WINE. In order to do this, please upgrade to 4.5.2 and then add the following to bbover.ini in BBO's home directory:

[SYSTEM]
LINUX_WINE=Y


Instructions for upgrading to version 4.5.2 follow:

IMPORTANT!!! Make sure you exit the BBO program COMPLETELY before you begin the ugrade process!!!

You can upgrade to 4.5.2 at:

Click here to update!

or download everything (including all the latest files) at:

Click here for everything!

I suggest you use the first method, but however you do this, please make sure you exit the BBO program COMPLETELY before you start the download process.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com