Well this seems to be one of those few times where i can't agree with Erik.

I think for a silly hobby magazine competition, the effort to create a "one of" chess playing device is just fine even if it was implemented with "water clock" and "spit rag" technology.

I am biased as i have used '51 technology to host a variety lot of projects where conventional logic would argue for alternate device approaches. I have always been satisfied.

It's very typical (for me)to create challenges, find unique and interesting solutions and then find i have learned a great deal that, perhaps, i would not learn otherwise.

Production issues require a very different approach to characterizing solution "appropriateness" against the project goal, and i believe this is "core" to Erik's thinking.

There are folks however, who find "hobby" programs actually enhance the subtlety of mind, reduce the junk box inventory, and result in some very useful or at least interesting projects.

regards,
p