Seeking the GoGoD Encyclopedia

[althus]

The history and culture encyclopedia that was discontinued in 2013 or so. I have tried for years to get my hands on a disc, without success. I'm practically distraught

Can anyone help out? Pleeeeeease?

[CoolBoots]

I've also been long interested in finding a copy of this. Seems like a big loss that it's no longer available.

[John Fairbairn]

The Encyclopaedia was discontinued mainly because of the death of T Mark Hall at the end of 2013. He didn't actually contribute to the Encyclopaedia or New In Go, but did much of the other GoGoD stuff and so freed up my time to do those two items. They were only a back-up to the database, which was the primary product, and so I had to shift my attentions there once Mark had left us.

I did keep the Encyclopaedia going for a while for my own benefit, but that version has never been made public, although some of it (and New In Go) was recycled in things like The Go Companion.

However, I could consider making a download available online for a small fee on the GoGoD website. It's about 100 MB, I think. The real value is not actually in its size but in stuff you can't get elsewhere in English. (Some things do seem available elsewhere but, strangely, they contain the same mistakes as in the Encyclopaedia...)

On the down side, though, many items are way out of date (especially tournament data), there are some gaps where I have not finished working on a series, and I have not made all the corrections. It looks old fashioned. And there are also potential problems with browser and javascript compatibility, although almost every file is just standard html. At least I can still read all the files on Windows 10.

If enough people indicate a willingness to accept downloads on that entirely as-is basis, I will consider bestirring myself. What is certain, though, is that I will not consider answering any questions or doing anything else adminny.

Please suggest a fee if you are interested.

[xela]

Looking at my GoGoD 2008 CD, the files seem to be fairly plain HTML with some simple CSS. No Javascript, no fancy tricks. I'd expect them to work just fine on nearly any computer, operating system and web browser.

For me right now, I'd happily pay around US$10 for a download that's more up to date than the 2008 version. Hypothetically, if I were studying go more actively, I might stretch to $20. I'm naming $10 as around the midpoint of SmartGo books, and a little less than the GoGoD database download, which I use a bit more often. I acknowledge that the encyclopedia is a lot more substantial than most books (I count about 3000 HTML files on my disc), but it's something that I use only as an occasional reference, not something I'd try to read end to end. I also acknowledge that $10 is nowhere near the "true value" in terms of the hours that John has poured into this amazing resource, and I won't be at all put out if I see it appear at a higher price.

[SoDesuNe]

I have the July 2012 edition and I guess I would pay up to EUR 50 for an update.

Since I also recently discovered that SmartGo books are available in epub (I previously thought they all needed the iOS app), this will be - again - a pricey time in my Go "career" : D

[Charlie]

I'd absolutely love to get my hands on the Encyclopaedia of curiosity content, already having the SGF game records from the database.

I suppose I'd expect to pay between 20€ and 30€ for such a thing. I, personally, could afford more but you'd have to sell me on the idea in order for me to choose to do so.

At 20€ to 30€, you're alive in gote. Perhaps the ko variation would be better but then it's you to find the first ko-threat.

[xela]

For anyone who may be subscribed to this thread but hasn't noticed the other thread: this is now available to buy on the GoGoD web site!