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Subject: Modern Chess Programming Goals: What are They?

Author: Bob Durrett

Date: 09:43:19 12/19/02



Assuming most chess programmers are goal-oriented, what goals are the chess
programmers pursuing today?  Specifically?

An absolute beginner like me would have to start with "preliminary" or
intermediary goals such as learning how to program efficiently, and "coming up
to speed" on existing chess software designs.  The programming would take at
least a year, and the "coming up to speed" would take at least three years,
according to what has been said here.  The process of "coming up to speed" would
include the writing of 20,000 to 40,000 lines of source code for a chess engine.

For someone who is already a proficient programmer, there is still those three
years of "internship."  Maybe it's OK for an intern to think of new ideas and
new goals occasionally, but their primary objective must be "coming up to
speed."  Too much innovative thinking, other than innovation in coding
["implementation"] would be counter-productive for them.

There are also those who simply don't have a lot of time available for chess
programming.  Sadly, they must be satisfied with modest goals such as making
their engine a little bit better whenever they get the time.

So, the real question, then, is about the programming goals of the
"full-fledged" chess programmers like Hyatt, and a select few others. [Who?]

What are these accomplished chess programmers working on nowadays?

The "Fritz programmers" are clearly in the business of trying to stay on top.
It seems that they are really just barely staying ahead of the pack but not for
long.  I would HATE to be trying to stay on top!

Are the top chess programmers trying to come up with something new, or they just
"resting on their laurels"?  Are they focused only on refinements to their
existing code?  Or maybe just trying to keep up with the hardware changes?  Is
"innovation" limited only to "implementation"?  If not, then what????????

Bob D.



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