Author: Mike Hood
Date: 09:52:44 02/04/04
Go up one level in this thread
On February 04, 2004 at 12:16:38, Bob Durrett wrote: >On February 04, 2004 at 11:51:06, Daniel Clausen wrote: > >>On February 04, 2004 at 10:52:38, Andrew Wagner wrote: >> >>>Sheer random thought....do you guys think that a basic book on how to write a >>>chess program would sell? Like an "Idiot's guide..." or "...for dummies" book >>>that takes you through the process step by step? >> >>I doubt it, since it would be targetted at programmers only. What might sell a >>bit better though is a book, which explains to technical interested chess >>players, how a chess program works in the inside. This book would explain >>concepts like general mini-max, alphabeta enhancement and stuff like null-move. >>Also how an engine evaluates positions and stuff like that. Even things like >>history heuristics and killer moves could be explained. (of course with lots of >>examples to illustrate the stuff) But no program code. >> >>Sargon > >I agree except with one caveat: > >The book must be written with the user's interests always in the forefront of >the author's mind. The chess software doesn't really care how the chess >software works. Instead, the chess software user desires insights into why the >software performs the way it does. The chess software user wishes to become >more proficient in using the software, and hopes that some useful insights will >be provided by the author. > >The danger is that the author will become so enamored by his own descriptions >of, and thoughts about, the inner workings of the software that he/she [the >author] forgets who the audience is and what the audience likely desires/needs. > >It's all too easy for an author to convince himself that his pet topic is really >worth talking about even if no one is listening. Only if an explaination helps >the user to understand how to better use the software should the "fascinating" >explaination be included. > >Incidentally, Christian Kongsted, in his book "How to Use Computers to Improve >Your Chess" [Gambit, Copyright 2003, ISBN 1904600026], did try to explain a >little bit about how chess-playing computers work but he did not go far enough, >IMHO. [Perhaps he has never written a chess-playing program.] > >It's essential that the author really know from personal experience what is in a >chess-playing program. He/she should also have personal experience with the >hardware aspects if the book is to be authoritative. > >Bob D. Maybe the expression "for dummies" is wrong. Anyone who tackles the task of writing a chess program must be anything but a dummy. I'd welcome such a book, because the printed word has the possibility of going into much more detail than the online resources, which normally just present a description of the major methods and a working engine's source code. Chapters in such a book could be - The evolution of chess programming - The advantages and disadvantages of brute force - Fast Searching vs Intelligent Evaluation trade-ooffs - Time Allocation techniques - Diminishing returns with faster hardware - The future of chess programming Just to name a few.
This page took 0 seconds to execute
Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700
Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.