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Subject: Re: Microsoft Chess program

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 16:05:58 01/06/99

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On January 06, 1999 at 18:43:38, Bert Seifriz wrote:

>
>>>>>Microsoft could probably have the strongest engine in the world in 2 years and
>>>>>if they wanted to,
>>>
>>>
>>>This is exactly the point. Why should Microsoft care to build a
>>>chess engine? They do not have the slightest reason!
>>>And if? They would either buy an existing company or
>>>engage some of the chess programmers you already know.
>>>After all why do you think the persons we know are in any
>>>way inferior to a Microsoft engineer?
>>>There are for example only a handful of persons in the world
>>>who are able to program chess in assembly language! And these
>>>are not MS engineers! Bert
>>
>>Sorry, but I'm absolutely sure that I *can* write reasonable
>>good chess engine. Actually, I had done that 9 years ago (you
>>can download Siberian Chess from GambitSoft chess site;
>
>Hi Eugene,
>I know that because I put it there!
>
>>was not modified after 1991, I think; and then I knew much less,
>>had no access to Western publications/experience, etc). Yes,
>>it was written mainly in C, only absolutely time-critical parts
>>of it were in assembly (first 8080, later I rewrote in 8086).
>>But if necessary, I can write engine in "100% pure assembly".
>>
>>And I'm Microsoft engineer :-)
>
>I know that, too! What I wanted to say is that the chess programmers
>around are in no way inferior to any other software engineers.
>You certainly know
>more about Microsoft than others who do not work there. But the original
>question was somehow what MS could develop within a year. My
>opinion is they could not overtake the current status of chess
>programming within that time. Remember IBM's endless efforts with
>Deep Blue. Although that was maybe more a hardware problem.
>But when MS has more engineers with a past like you it might be
>different!! Bert


I don't follow your argument now.  IE WRT IBM's DB project.  Deep Thought
came along around 1987, and it was *always* superior to any commercial chess
engine.  DB took it a step forward beyond that level...

However, should microsoft choose to do so, they could do pretty much what they
wanted.  They have outstanding assembly language folks.  Even more important
they are already thinking "threads" and a parallel search would be in the first
version no doubt.  And they would likely hire a couple of good computer chess
people for the design/development team to go along with existing programmers.

It could be a fearsome combination...

When you throw enough money at anything, it usually turns out to be good...



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