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Topic: Building an opening repertoire
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Go on. Learn a few. Then you can enjoy setting those traps for the unaware 
Chess will never be solved in the truest sense. Not by man anyway. He won't be around for that long. Besides, it would probably take a machine the size of the entire universe to accommodate the final tablebase.
Which is good. Isn't it?
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I've always had difficulties anyway in believing that there's an actual "solution" to chess. I mean, I truly think that some moves are equally good at some point and that they're really a matter of taste more than anything. Or maybe there's really a solution... but then I'd think more of a set of solutions rather than a point one.
I agree with you thinking it's a good thing. For some reason, I don't think it'd truly be the same if we were to be told that chess is "solvable". One could indeed just study the solution and "have lots of fun" (note the quotes). 
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Hi seigneur,
since you want to get interested in openings, you should stick to books that have a minimum of variations and a maximum of explanations. I guess databases are generally weak on the latter.
My personal favourite is Matthew Sadler's "Queen's Gambit declined". He writes in a unique Q-A form and does a tremendous job of explaining the ideas and especially the subtle difference between move orders, which are a big part of what opening theory is about. In my eyes the QGD would be a good choice if you look for an exemplary opening.
You should also check out the "starting out" series, which seem to go in the same direction.
You could also try to learn it by discussing it for example on this or another chess forum asking questions like "Why the hell do you play this instead of that?".
If you just want to get an overview of certain opening systems, you could use the opening book of an engine. There are probably a lot of these opening books available for free. At least the most common format shows at any position the frequency with which each move has been played.
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seigneur, I like BookUp, which has been replaced by Chess Openings Wizard. BTW; it's not cheap, but you can get a freebie version to check it out. If you decide to buy it, go to bookup.com/speedlearning, and you get a free opening book with the program, plus you can make payments. HTH.
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Excellent, thanks for that.
I just checked, and it is indeed quite expensive. I see there's a lite version, so I'll try that and see what happens.
Concerning Stefan's comment, I might try to look Chessmaster's opening section. Who knows, maybe I'll get used to it (tried that before, don't particularly like it).
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