Author: Reinhard Scharnagl
Date: 14:40:32 01/13/06
Go up one level in this thread
On January 13, 2006 at 17:14:16, George Tsavdaris wrote: Hello Ggeorge, >On January 13, 2006 at 16:54:55, Reinhard Scharnagl wrote: > >>On January 13, 2006 at 15:58:57, Robert Hollay wrote: >> >>Hi Robert, >> >>>Shareware. Test SMIRF free until 2006-01-31. >> >>the beta still shows to be intended to become shareware. But I am not sure >>about that. There is no big interest facing those Rybka or top-engine hype. >>About since a year there repeatedly have been unrestricted beta versions, >>limited in lifetime to secure vanishing of old beta prereleases. But the echo >>has been very small and only one person asked, how to purchase a full version. >> >>>What will happen after that date? >> >>The beta version still could be tested, but the program would answer nearly >>immediately then, not reaching higher thinking levels, nag screens included. >> >>>I looked around the SMIRF site, but didn't quite understand it's licencing >>>model. Part of the text is written in German, especially the shareware licence. >>>What should we do to get it permanently? >> >>A sold / donated version would have texts also translated into English. >> >>SMIRF is now in a stage, where it should be rewritten completely to dense its >>data structure and to incoorporate made experiences. I am against open source >>programs for end-user applications like a chess engine. Arguing for that had >>raised a banning from the most visited german chess forum. I think, that >>freeware chess programs are dumping the whole scene, killing any respect and >>refund of creative programmers. >This is not bad i think....If someone wants to create a super strong engine for >free, i don't, in any way, see it as a disrespect to other "commercial" >programmers..... Yes creating a super strong freeware Chess engine, reduces the >money commercial programs get, but there is not anything bad or related with >respecting others, etc behind this.... We are living in a world, where anything free will not be respected. Imagine USA would have German gas prices, then there fewer oil products would be consumed. Freeware programs may make sense in creating application platforms and operation systems, but never in end user programs like a chess program. This is devalua- ting the worth of such sophisticated programs, giving people the illusion, that such would be a simple task. But doing a new approach of your own is not at all. >>So I am very demotivated and now about to start >>with programming the game of Go instead of improving the SMIRF chess program. > >GO is interesting but as i already told you Smirf HAS to be continued.... I've >seen something special to it....! It needs many things to improve yes, but the >prospects are huge in my opinion (for 10x8 variants as i haven't test it on 8x8 >at all).... >Don't leave Smirf:-) I will think it over, which will cost some time ... >>If you would know, that there is nearly no nullvove heuristic yet working in >>SMIRF engine, you might be able to imagine, that this program would have some >>potential to become stronger. But as I already have told, there is not much >>interest in it, especially the 8x10 variants, where SMIRF is already a top >>engine. People are fixed to 8x8 and already make trouble with Chess960 / FRC, >>for what I have written a german language booklet. >> >>>I find it's an interesting GUI + Eng. Is the goal to make it commercial? >> >>Probably it would become a sort of donationware. Who will make a serious dona- >>tion, would get an unlimited personalized key set, which enables also to use >>coming downloadable follower versions of SMIRF. >Why serious? Although i don't know what you mean with serious, why not sell it >with a reasonable price in the future and after you make all the data structures >modifications and implementation of null move? Figuring any price will create discussions, comparing it with top programs. But those programs are sold much more frequently, SMIRF has been sold yet never. Thus I want to avoid any discussion about prices. I simply would stop that dona- tionware approach, if there would be too bad attempts. Imagine, that people are willing to pay one Euro a pixel bundled to a hundred actually. But chess programs seem to be worth much less, very strange ... and SMIRF has more pixels. >>SMIRF will never become freeware >>or opensource, because of respecting the efforts of other creative chess engine >>authors. Nevertheless big sponsors always would be welcomed and have access to >>a "we can do more than others" project. Regards, Reinhard.
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