Author: Mogens Larsen
Date: 16:40:25 05/16/00
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On May 16, 2000 at 18:58:58, Adrien Regimbald wrote: >The discussion comparing computers being withheld from human tournaments to >opressing minorities is rediculous to the extreme. A computer/computer program >doesn't have any rights - they do not have a right to play in a chess >tournament. Computer programs are allowed to play in tournaments by the grace >of the players in them, not for any other reason. The rights of computers have been raised before and I agree that it's a rather ridiculous point. I think the word "apartheid" has been used frequently as well. There's also the question of the rights of the programmer, which you don't address at all. But this attempt at ensuring rights for computer programs and/or their creator doesn't work either, since the programmer is at most an operator and not the active player. Just as some "objective" observers pretend to be a GM player because they own a copy of the program, or pretend to be playing the GM themselves. This means that there's a lack of objective commentary. I think there's a tendency among some to confuse the programmer with the actual program, which explains the controversy about the draw offer. The personal integrity of the operator is irrelevant in this case, but the proper usage of the rules available isn't. I know precious little about tournament rules, so I won't speculate about that. I have noticed however, that very GMs play on with a two pawn deficit. >There has been some talk about how the GMs should be grateful for the >opportunity to play a strong computer. While I am sure many GMs use computer >software of some sort for training purposes at home, you will be hard pressed to >find any of them who will say they like having a computer playing in a >tournament with them. Another good point. I keep hearing that the possibility of computer counterplay increases the strength of human players as well. Considering the reluctance by GMs to participate in tournaments where computer programs are allowed, this argument sounds rather hollow. If GMs want to use computer programs to improve their chess ability, they would rather do it at home I think. Playing against a computer in any tournament is a no win situation for most players, so why bother with it at all. It's not going to work out if computer chess people in general set the demands for human vs. computer games, ie. complaints about the introduction of restrictions on the hardware/software involved, since the GM player can chose to play a computer or not, but a computer can't chose to play against a GM. That's the simple fact. GMs are not obligated to play _any_ computer program, which is a rather good bargaining position in my view. It would make things a lot easier if everyone accepted that. Sincerely, Mogens Chr. Larsen http://home1.stofanet.dk/Moq/ "If virtue can't be mine alone, at least my faults can be my own."
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