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Subject: Re: "One Jump Ahead" highly recommended...etc.

Author: Will Singleton

Date: 19:25:42 04/10/00

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On April 10, 2000 at 21:05:04, Walter Koroljow wrote:

>I just finished reading "One Jump Ahead" by Jonathan Schaeffer describing the
>evolution of "Chinook", arguably the best American checkers program.
>
>It is 450 pages of excitement for someone that can identify with the creation of
>a program.  It is a parallel to Tracy Kidder's "Soul of a Machine".  Anyone that
>knows anything about chess programs will be able to follow this book easily.  I
>could not put it down.  Luckily(?!) I was ill and could read it at one sitting.
>
>I am not a programmer (Ph.D. in general relativity) but I can identify.  The
>excitement reminds me of the time I was working as a programmer for a small
>company circa 1970.  I was programming at a teletype (110 baud) connected to a
>PDP-10 (timesharing-remember?) at 1:00 a.m.  Someone had left the door open.
>All of a sudden, there is a cop with a drawn .38 revolver (possibly a .357
>magnum) pointing at me saying "What are you doing here?"  This was exciting.
>Very exciting.  I can recommend it for all of you who are jaded.
>
>He ended up phoning my boss who said it was o.k., etc.
>
>Well...if you know what I mean, you will love this book.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Walter

Sounds good, thx for pointing it out.  The Kidder book is excellent, imho, so
I'm looking forward to Schaeffer's.

I remember during the 80's I worked at a software startup that had offices on
Hollywood Blvd in a medical building, and crossing the street to the liqour
store at 1:30am was an adventure.  (Not the best area in LA)

Will




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