Author: David Mitchell
Date: 16:52:41 08/21/05
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On August 20, 2005 at 22:06:24, Uri Blass wrote: >Suppose that somebody look at some public source code and decide to write code >that does the same algorithm but with different data structure so he cannot use >copy and paste for chess tasks. > >Do you think that the program is a clone or use code of another programmer? >Do you think that the programmer should not be allowed to participate in >tournaments? > >Note that my opinion is that the programmer should be allowed to participate >because copying ideas unlike copying code is allowed but before even considering >to try this idea(I am not sure if I will try it even if it is allowed) I prefer >to ask this question. You didn't put this in a framework, Uri, but let's take an example: I write a program, it uses the famous Quicksort function, to sort the data. I need it because it has a lot of values to sort, and there is no sorting function I know that will work as well. My program is clearly not a clone because it's original, and Quicksort is just a small part of it, and was developed for that purpose. It isn't copyrighted. Now, let's look at a chess program. Mine uses alpha-beta, as does surely everyone else's - in one version or another (OK, a few hold-outs use MTD(f), but not many). It certainly doesn't make my program a clone! But note that my program does NOT share the same data structs, or functions, or number of functions, or logic flow, or evaluation, or anything else, with that of any (known) chess program. And I don't care if my program should behave EXACTLY like some other program - trust me, it's NOTHING if it's not absolutely original. But I didn't re-invent alpha beta, just like I didn't re-invent Quicksort, and I'm sure my alpha beta function looks about like a lot of other (slow :) ) chess programs, in that area. Using idea's from other programs, or their authors', is fine - that's what idea's are for, and you can't copyright or patent, an idea, anyway. You don't have to re-invent the wheel. Ultimately, only your conscience can guide you in this matter. No one will ever be able to tell, EXACTLY how many lines of code you copied, or NEARLY copied, without the source code, but you'll know. Especially in the area of logic flow, and evaluation, I think you have to work hard and make sure the code is really all your own. If you really admire Fruit 2.1 or whatever, why not make a flow-chart of some functions, and then incorporate some of those idea's, into the code you write for your program? Nothing says you can't thank Fabien for the ideas, in your program. Making a large number of line-by-line "re-writes" of Fruit or any other program, would extend far beyond "reasonable use", and constitute a clone, imo. Dave
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