I haven't used Checkmate in depth, but I have seen it a few times and played a little on it. Ross Poppel also uses it, and we compared it a bit just a couple weeks ago side by side, laptop to laptop. We had them side by side comparing functions and look and use.

What we found was that a big issue with Checkmate is that what you get with the report mode is ALL you get. In other words you don't have the luxury of modifying it at all. You're stuck with what they decided to give you...one look.

The screen shots for Carlisle are misleading as they are set up wierd. The screens are such that you can completely modify them to your own liking. 100 percent cutomizable. Also a wonderful feature is the ability to have up to 20 scans attached to one single entry. The reason this was created was for those people that have many of the same item. But that's not where the real sweet use is. The sweet use for this function is for roulette chips. For intance you can make a single entry of BORGOTA TABLE 10. From there, your photos screen can have all of the different colors. So if you have a casino that has 15 different tables and 8 colors of each you will have only 15 line items, not 120 !

The software was created my Tom, a coin collector. Although he has had a few chippers giving ad vice over time, he has been very open to some changes that were needed. There were some issues with the picture files where ther was a 144k .tml file created for each scan that doesnt need to be there, and some other simple things.

I've customized the item dertail screen to make it for the chip collector. BUt as I said before, it's completely customizable.

There are also some additional screens that can be very handy. The screens are set up in a tab format.

Also, you can print out 2x2 papers for flips, print out all your scans, print out your collections and scans on 3 x 5 cards, and a wealth of other features.

You can also make you "collection grid" look anyway you like. You have the ability to create numberous viewing (sorting) formats, so that at just a click you can have all of your collection displayed in any way you have selected.

I guess the most significant word i can come up with for this program is "versatility"

Right now, the only thing that Checkmate has that Carlisle doesn't is the "Quick Search" feature, which Tom is working on as we speak.

A couple of the other changes are some basic functions that i thought would make things easier. For one, right now if you delete an item, the collection resorts and you end up back at the top of the list. Tom is making it so that when you delete, the curser will stay put where you were. The same is true when you add an item.

Right now, the only thing that Checkmate has that Carlisle doesn't is the "Quick Search" feature, which Tom is working on as we speak.

Again, I didn't use Checkmate extensively, only superficially. So there very well be things I'm missing. I do know that the report issue with Checkmate is a significant shortcoming.

I have sent the modified screens to Tom, who will be examining them closer and incorporating some of the changes the program as a standard. It will still remain completely customizable, but at least the starting point will be much better, and for most, hopefully all they would need.