Author: Dann Corbit
Date: 17:49:37 12/17/99
Go up one level in this thread
On December 17, 1999 at 18:09:26, Greg Lindahl wrote: >On December 17, 1999 at 06:31:59, Tom Kerrigan wrote: > >>Instead, his attitude is, "My idea obviously works, you guys don't know what >>you're talking about, I didn't come here to discuss it, now who feels like >>working for me for free?" > >I disagree. I didn't say that, and putting words in other people's mouths >doesn't exactly square with the moderation guidelines for this list. > >Moderators? Can you please ask this guy to quit putting words in my mouth? >I've asked him myself several times with no result. I think the problem was that you got started off on the wrong foot. Let's refer back to the original post: "http://www.icdchess.com/ccc/message.html?82638 Subject: new computer chess effort Posted by Greg Lindahl on December 15, 1999 at 14:39:18: I'm interested in coordinating an effort to build the next world-champion chess program. FPGA technology has advanced since Deep Blue's construction such that replicating its architecture is now inexpensive. All you need is a cluster guy (me), a pile of FPGAs (corporate sponsor), someone who knows how to route a board evaluation chip, and someone interested in building a message-passing chess program which uses the board evaluation chips as an accellerator. In the tradition of Deep Blue, I'm fairly clueless about chess. Unlike Deep Blue, I plan on making this engine available for more than just a few games, so that its behavior can be studied. If you are interested in this project, please drop me email. I'm especially looking for a person/group seriously interested in constructing the overall program. I can provide the cluster & support, find the FPGA corporate sponsor, and find someone to route the chip. -- greg" Now, in this post you are clearly asking for volunteers. Do you now understand why I thought you had the project costed out and planned? You say that "All you need is a cluster guy (me), a pile of FPGAs (corporate sponsor), someone who knows how to route a board evaluation chip, and someone interested in building a message-passing chess program which uses the board evaluation chips as an accellerator." That indicates to me that you have some kind of plan in place. You seem to think that the technology objections raised are insults. I don't think so. If I ask a question and someone says, "It won't work because of 'x'." Then I will try to find out if 'x' is really a barrier. That does not mean that I won't try it anyway. In fact, I become very motivated when someone says, "You can't do that." or "That is absurdly impossible." or things of that nature. But don't consider the technical problems raised as impediments -- rather consider them as a resource. If you can overcome each technical objection then you may have a feasible project. If not then you don't. I also misunderstood you. When I asked questions about feaibility and cost projections I was making a genuine inquiry. You responded that I was just rattling your chain, which was not the case. Instead of imagining that anyone with something negative to say is an opposer, imagine that what they really are is people who are trying to be helpful. When I said I did not think you would succeed, I meant that, but I also meant that I really hope that you do. I think if you had started out differently, things could have gone a lot better. Imagine this: "Hello, I'm interested in coordinating an effort to build the next world-champion chess program. I don't know a lot about the subject and would like some ideas on what would be needed. What sort of technology should be employed? What are the impediments to message passing as opposed to clustering or SMP? If I am to succeed on a project like this, I will need the help of people who are experts in many different fields. Since I am just gathering requirements at this time, I would like your assistance in that endeavour, and eventually, if we determine that the project is feasible, I will need volunteers for the actual design, construction, and testing of the device. The ownership of the project will belong to <the public domain/GPL/Me/whatever> and the work is to be <unpaid volunteers/negotiated contracts/whatever>. Is anyone interested?"
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