Author: David Rasmussen
Date: 03:55:09 12/31/02
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On December 30, 2002 at 03:17:38, Martin Giepmans wrote: >Yesterday, when I woke up from my (off line) Christmas sleep >and logged on to CCC, the news was everywhere: > > *** Ed reveals his secrets! *** > >Astonishing! > >Basically I agree with what others have said about it. >It is a very nice thing to do, a wonderful Christmas present. > >But there are also other feelings. >Imagine a programmer who has worked for years to improve his >engine. He has discovered many ideas that Ed also discovered, >or similar ones. These ideas gave his engine an edge and >of course he has never revealed them to anyone. > >Then, one day he logges on to CCC and ... >How would this programmer feel? >Not too happy, I guess! > So what? The way I see it, there is no reason that a horde of talented amateurs are spending 10 years to come up with the same things as Ed and others have. You don't have to be able to come up with the same things in the same time to be talented. And you certainly don't have to be able to come up with the same things in much shorter time to be talented. Revealing his secrets will give the amateur field a good kick forward so all are up to appx. the same level. Chess programmming techniques are being kept secret the way they are because of the petty money involved. If it was scientifically important (and it might be) to make good chess programs, all techniques would be publicized and the entire field would benefit from this, and even stronger programs would result overall, in the same timeframe. As it is now, a few people hold the lead, for no other reason than money. That's fine by me, it's just not what's best for the field. The idea that holdning back information causes competition is ridiculous. It just narrows the people thinking on the edge of technology to a very little crowd. Ed is my hero :) /David
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