need new program

I am training myself to become as good as I can at chess, so of course I like to play against people and computers, as well as reviewing master games and playing games on this site. However, I have grown too disgruntled with Chessmaster, my program, to play it anymore; I'm just sick of it. So I want to switch to a new and hopefully better one. What program do you all use for improving at chess? Or what (other) method(s) do you use to improve your skill? I am mainly asking those who, like me, are striving to achieve their best, and not merely playing as a hobby, etc., but any contributions and insight are appreciated.

Maybe if you explained what it is about Chessmaster you're sick of, it might help us to help you.

Well, I have a hard time putting my finger on it, but something about the computer personalities drains my motivation to keep playing against them, somehow. Maybe it's because I have to play a game seemingly perfectly in order to have a chance to beat a 1600-1700 player (in 60-80 moves), but if I make one blunder, that same player will take advantage of it and blast me apart (and the game lasts 15-25 moves). The personalities do make blunders, and I can see them and often spot them, but Chessmaster always makes it such a chore to beat even players rated as low as B or C class.

Of course I have to concede that this is an excellent thing in a sense, because it trains me for tournament players who fight like crazy when they fall behind. I also should not (and do not) want the personalities to go soft on me; I appreciate a good test. There's just something about them... it gets laborious to play that way game after game after game. Maybe it would be this way with any program, and if that's the way the real chess world is, then... lesson learned.

And actually, the issue that was the last straw for me: GM Edition keep stats, which I find extremely helpful. Unfortunately, they are bugged. Recently, I followed a master game for the first 59 moves, when the annotator stated that Black resigned due to a mate-in-3. I set Chessmaster to play Black and tested myself to find that mate, and I succeeded. The program then credited me with a legitimate win against Chessmaster! I didn't beat Chessmaster; I didn't want that win in my stats! I found no way to undo or erase it. Granted the game was unrated, but my playing history is now permanently inaccurate by reflecting that I have defeated Chessmaster once, which is not true. It was just the finishing touch on a series of small-but-nagging issues that have been really bothering me.