Sorry, but I don't understand what you're looking for. There is already plenty of software to analyse chess games or positions available for every desktop or mobile platform. Perhaps you think of some cloud service, like the one ChessBase has introduced with the latest version.
In any case, a TD who is able to silence a few kids would be a better solution because devices capable of running chess engines should be kept away from tournament areas.
I'm not looking for a program with a chess engine in it. I just want a digital board where the pieces must be moved by a human, but there are infinite take backs and you can go back to a certain move. If you were ever in a scholastic chess program, do you remember the scaffold where you hung a board vertically and it had pockets where your teacher moved pieces around to illustrate openings and ideas? I'm basically looking for a digital one, preferably one that will also keep notation and allow the recording of variations (think chessbase READER for linux [preferably Ubuntu] with no chess engines) or an iOS/Android app.
The IDEAL program would have LAN capabilities (able to connect to a local network, but not the internet) and have a chat feature, so people could be in different places of the building.
And yes, a TD could quite easily force a bunch of 6-9 year olds to be quite and with with their hands folded, but then they will probably stop coming if you go too far and don't let them have any fun. Personally, I think refusing to let them play bughouse is going too far, and that alone will make it loud and noisy.
A lot of programs can do most of what you want, and they all allow to switch engines off. What these programs lack is multi-user functionality. This should be added as a cloud service because internet access is ubiquitous and a web server is easy to set up while a LAN-based sevice requires local server-side ressources and communication infrastructure.
I already mentioned the ChessBase cloud service. It seems to me that they offer all that you want. There's a recent article on their site: http://en.chessbase.com/post/mygames-free-cloud-database-on-the-web-1-2 (with follow-ups).
Hello
I have been in discussion with a TD about how to improve the experience for people at the local tournament inbetween rounds and I came up with the idea game anaylsis using software over a LAN connection or a mobile app.
Think about it - the Skittles room at most tournaments is where this in theory should be taking place - however, even at Open events, there are quite a few scholastic players (in our experience) and the Skittles room gets LOUD and choatic - some of it just kids being kids, some bughouse games going on - its just not the ideal setting to do serious review of your most recent games with either your opponent, coach, or friends. The first thought we had was an "Analysis Room" in addition to the Skittles room. The anaylsis room would be like a more relaxed tourney hall - yes there is talking, but everything should be calm and orderly. The problem with this approach is renting rooms cost more money. That was when I thought of digital anaylsis - you could find a quite place, possible even with some distance between the reviwers if using a wireless connection, and review the game without the need of finding tables to set up boards. The thing is, most anaylsis software is designed for review of a single person, or for a person to post the game for review online.
Ideally, I would LIKE to find this software already developed, but a precursory search over the internet has turned up nil. I have elementary skill as a programmer, but it would take me a LOOOOooooong time to develop the program from scractch, as I'm just a hobbyist, and not a very dedicated one at that.
However, if I HAVE to develop a program, I'm also wondering about the platform. At first I thought about a pc app - but not many people carry their laptops to the tournament hall for security reasons, some people use mac over pc, and it could create a big headache if people's computers started going missing. Then I thought about a mobile app. But again, I would probably need two develop at least two apps - iOS and android. Then it hit me - Linux desktop program with raspberry pi! The TD is already making use of these for other purposes, they are affordable enough that our association could invest in a few that users would have access too.
Of course, I would rather not do any development at all - but if I need to, can anyone point me towards an already developed pgn platform that is open source so I don't have to start from scratch? And of course if any developers are on here and would like to take a crack at it, let me know.
Looking forward to hearing suggestions, thanks!
CAL06
EDIT - I have some programming experience in iOS only - but I would be willing to learn other programming languages and experiment in other platforms.