Author: Christophe Theron
Date: 18:14:00 08/26/00
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>>Organizing a uniform platform event has indeed proven to be almost impossible. I
>>would personally prefer to enter such an event, but most programmers are
>>apparently afraid to play with equal weapons. Some are hiding behind their
>>alledged superior architecture (but almost nobody can afford it so it's really
>>of little interest), some others know they have more money and are counting on
>>this to get an advantage...
>
>
>I don't like the "hiding behind" nonsense. I would rather characterize it
>as follows: "some programmers are too lazy to make their programs compatible
>with a wide variety of architectures. Rather, in order to do as well as
>possible on the SSDF and similar tests, they do everything they can to optimize
>for one specific platform, the world of the X86."
Which is probably the case of Crafty, as it is using optimized assembly code in
its PC versions.
I don't mind to compete on another architecture than the x86. Chess Tiger is
written entirely in C, no assembly at all. It currently runs on several
different processors from totally different families.
However, if the tournament is run on the Alpha architecture, I first have to
find an Alpha in order to recompile (or adapt a little bit) my program to it.
Every other programmer willing to run on a non-x86 architecture will have to do
so, and will have the same problem: where can I borrow an Alpha (if the Alpha
architecture is selected)?
On the other hand, the "where can I find a PC?" question has a simple answer:
everywhere.
So it's simpler for the majority of programmers to have a uniform platform event
run on x86.
It's also more interesting for the vast majority of people to know how the
various programs perform on the computer they have: x86 PCs.
>I see _no_ reason anybody would/should not use an alpha. Bruce bought one.
>Shredder ran on one in Paris. As did Dark Thought. As did Crafty. I can run
>on _anything_. So uniform platform is ok (albiet a stupid idea as why do we
>eliminate things like the alpha, and others? uniform platform would have
>eliminated Rebel for many years since it ran on an ARM) pick-your-own platform
>is ok too.
Why don't you propose the platform you want to see used in the event. Next,
let's vote and see what people want us to use.
There is an obvious reason to pick the x86 platform: almost everybody has an x86
PC.
>It seems to me that it is much easier to say "lets use uniform platform to make
>it fair" rather than "I'm going to support _all_ architectures so that I can
>
>use whatever I can get..."
If I have the choice, I'd prefer spending time in improving my engine than
spending time in making in it compatible with _any_ platform. Especially when
there is a totally dominant platform, which is the x86 and my program already
runs fine on it.
However, I have already spent some time in making Tiger compatible with several
processors, so it would not be a huge problem for me.
>Wouldn't the world of auto racing be wonderful if everybody had to run with
>exactly the same engine and transmission? Wouldn't golf be wonderful if
>everybody had to use the same clubs? Wouldn't tennis be wonderful if everyone
>had to use the same equipment? Ditto for airplane racing, boat racing, etc.
Many sports would not be interesting if there were no limiting rules. For
example, the quantity of petrol you can use in car races.
Without limiting rules, the financial power speaks. With limiting rules,
everybody has the same hardware, intelligence speaks.
The comparison with sports is either inaccurate, or can go against your own
argument, so let's forget about it and keep focused on computer chess.
>Restricting things to one piece of hardware is stifling, not leveling.
I don't see why competing with equal weapons, especially when it is the platform
99% of people on earth is using, is such a problem.
Maybe you forget that there are people out there using our chess programs. And
these people are using x86 computers, mostly.
Christophe
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