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Subject: Re: The old chess program "OwlChess"

Author: Dann Corbit

Date: 14:15:12 01/11/01

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On January 11, 2001 at 17:01:45, Ulrich Tuerke wrote:

>On January 11, 2001 at 16:50:36, Dann Corbit wrote:
>
>>On January 11, 2001 at 16:42:21, Christophe Theron wrote:
>>[snip]
>>>I suggest null move and futility pruning because they are easy to implement and
>>>well documented, and will definitely make the program much stronger at a low
>>>cost.
>>>
>>>I do not suggest that by using these two techniques you will create a top
>>>program.
>>>
>>>I guess that you already know that the most successful techniques are not
>>>publicly documented. That's the fun of chess programming: do it yourself.
>>
>>No, that's the tragedy of chess programs.  Because money can be made,
>>information is hidden instead of shared.
>
>I don't think that it's a tragedy. If all these tricks were published, we would
>probably not have this variety of chess programs; instead of "individuals" we
>would probably have a group of rather similar programs. Couldn't this be a bet
>boaring, Dann (even if each of these would play a bit stronger than today's
>toppers thanks to wisdom sharing) ?

Bad science.  We benefit because we hide what we learn?  I don't believe one
sub-atomic particle of that.

Whoever says this is shouting a big lie.  If we should shout it loud enough and
long enough people will believe it.  But that won't make it true.

Mankind benefits from the sharing of truth.  Whether this truth is mathematical
or philosophical or metaphysical or whatever.  Hiding the truth is *ALWAYS* so
that we can benefit _ourselves_ rather than others.  Isn't this completely
obvious?  We can justify it any way that we like.

Now, I also understand economic reality.  If you share what you know in computer
chess, other people will try it.  If you have a competitive edge and you
describe how you got that edge, you just lost your edge.  That is too bad, and
that is what drives the secrecy.  The sort of ideal world I envision is entirely
impractical, and I am aware of that.  It does not stop me from lamenting,
however.



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