Author: Matt Frank
Date: 17:21:44 01/29/99
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>The Deep Blue machine had 256 Chess CPU's. By the term "Chess CPU", that means >the native instructions were things like "Nxb4" >These CPU's calculated 256,000,000 NPS. About a factor of 1000 faster than the >best available current systems, give or take a factor of 4 (depending on your >budget and the kind of searching you do). I have no question about the speed of Deep Blue, or the research budget. >The Budget for the Deep Blue project must have been orders of magnitude greater >than any resouces available to the best equipped PC programming team. People >have an image of IBM as some stodgy old guys standing around in black suits, but >you had better believe that they have some of the best research and development >teams in the world. Just do a web search for "IBM fellows" and you will find >some pretty impressive names. The resources that were given to the Deep Blue project were considerable, yet that doesn't necessarily translate into a added value over software makers dedicated to their craft. Surely I don't have to provide a list of software wizards that destabalized markets and terrorized companies many times larger. Reputation lasts as long as it works in this field. Don't let resource allocation and reputation cloud your perception. The leap forward in playing strength by the IBM team is almost totally attributed to faster processing. I do not underestimate the work Mr. Benjamin and the programmers, yet I am telling you that the top flight software competitors are in a lot better shape in terms of producing strong programs with what they have to work with compared to IBM. Furthermore, how is this for a challenge: Give me a Pentium 2 450MHZ with 256 ram using Hiarcs 7, and I will play Deep Blue as configured for it's win against Kasparov in 1997, with these time limits::: Deep Blue 5 minutes for the game, me 40/2hrs 20/1hr. That is only 24 to 1 time advantage. That should indicate that Deep Blue does not have nearly as big of an advbantage over the present programs. Indeed it would indicate that the programs are much more efficient using their native hardware compared to the IBM program. After all even 24 times the present speed of a 450 MHZ Pentium still leaves you behind the speed of Deep Blue. I think you don't know where the micros are now because the GMs are hiding. Anand said to a reporter after his match with Rebel 10, "No more, with computers." Matt Frank
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