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Subject: Re: M$ goes Chess?!?

Author: KarinsDad

Date: 12:59:51 01/06/99

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On January 06, 1999 at 15:25:33, Eugene Nalimov wrote:

>On January 06, 1999 at 15:06:29, Christopher R. Dorr wrote:
>

[snip]

>>No argument here. MS has always made some of the very best development tools.
>>But this also goes to something I mentioned, in a way. Compiler design and
>>optimization are pretty arcane and complex subjects, much like chess
>>programming.
>>
>>Ask the development team how long they've been doing compiler stuff. My guess is
>>that many of them will say 'A long time'. Take a group of application
>>programmers, with no experience in compiler stuff except, perhaps, for a
>>compiler design course in college. How long do you think it will take to ramp up
>>to being as good as the current VC++ team? My guess is that it would take quite
>>a while. Maybe a couple of years. Until then, they won't be writing world-class
>>compilers. After that, they'll be competitive.
>>
>>Take this same group of talented engineers and programmers, and throw them into
>>the chess programming group. I feel that it would take them a similar amount of
>>time to ramp up to the point where they'd be producing state of the art code. In
>>2 years, perhaps they'll be hanging with Ed and Bob, but until then, I feel they
>>won't be as good.
>>
>>I feel that it is the nature of the beast. Has nothing to do with MS or anyone
>>else; it simply takes significant amounts of time to get very good in a complex,
>>advanced field like compiler design or chess programming. And until you reach
>>that point, you really can't add much to the 'state of the art'.
>>
>>Chris
>
>We differs in the following: you insist that *all* members of the
>team must have previous experience. I think that for the small
>group (say, 5 developers or less) *leader(s)* must have a lot
>of experience. Of course it'll help if other team members will
>have some experience, too, but that's not necessary. It can be
>replaced by good organization - and MS has an excellent
>traditions here.
>
>So, in our hypothetical situation, MS must go and hire one or
>two best people in the field. All other team can be found inside
>MS itself. Exactly that was done in the past - VMS people were
>hired as leaders for NT development, database people were hired
>as leaders for SQL Server 7.0 development, etc.
>
>Eugene

I've gotta agree with Eugene here.

Here's the team:

Bob, team lead: $750,000 a year salary ($100,000 plus $650,000 based on results)

2 other strong chess programmers of Bob's choice: $500,000 a year salary
($75K/$425K, but don't tell them Bob's max bonus)

2 strong GMs with a little programming and chess programs experience: $75K, no
bonus, but the option to go off and play in tournaments 3 months out of the
year.

4 very strong Microsoft engineers who may have an interest in this area (no
change in salary)

A support team of testers, technical writers, etc.

I'd hate to put my chess program up against anything these guys put out.

Hypothetically speaking of course.

:)

KarinsDad



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