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Subject: Re: old programs

Author: Russell Reagan

Date: 23:06:11 01/26/02

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On January 26, 2002 at 16:52:01, walter irvin wrote:

>just when you think you must have the latest version of your favorite chess
>program some thing like this happens .i dig up an old cm 4000 program and find
>that it hits just about as hard as any of the programs i got .which makes me
>wonder how much is due to program advances and how much is just plain hard ware
>speed up . im voteing that hardware speed up is whats really at work in computer
>chess advancement .

Typically, in computer chess and other fields, the major advances come from
improvement in algorithms. In chess, alpha-beta and null move have allowed for
major advances in program strength. Even doubling the hardware *might* get you
an extra ply, which is better, but nothing earth shattering. In cryptography,
the same thing. Better algorithms for attacking ciphers is what makes them less
and less secure, not the advance in hardware. A doubling of computer hardware in
attacking a cipher means roughly that the cipher is one bit less secure, i.e. a
128-bit cipher becomes as difficult as a 127-bit cipher. That helps a small bit,
but again, nothing earth shattering.

The biggest improvements come from improvements in algorithms. At least that has
been my experience where science and computers mix.

Russell



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