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Subject: Re: Fritz, next year.

Author: Marc Plum

Date: 16:49:02 07/02/99

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On July 02, 1999 at 18:10:16, KarinsDad wrote:

>On July 02, 1999 at 17:30:19, José de Jesús García Ruvalcaba wrote:

(maniacal snipping)

>>	Because humans and computers are different.
>
>Ah ha! The crux of the matter.

(more is snipped)

>>	And after all, it is up to the organisers and not to us to decide who is going
>>to play in the next Frankfurt Giants.
>
>Agreed. This is all philosophy.
>
>KarinsDad :)

I hope all the editing doesn't create confusion, but this was getting rather
unwieldy.

What interests me is that there is ample precedent for humans winning one
tournament to qualify for another much later.  For example the winner of the
Hasting Challengers would be invited back next year for the main event.  I don't
know, however, if organizers have given much thought to applying this to
computer programs.  As you have been pointing out, the process of improving a
program is *not* identical to the way humans improve themselves, although it may
have similarities.

It is up to organizers how they want to handle this, but perhaps it would be
good for them, or FIDE, or the national federations, to think of some ground
rules for upgrades of programs.  For example, suppose a program were entered in
the FIDE World Championship under the format to be used in Las Vegas.  Fritz
6.01, in the first round of matches, might be Fritz 6.03 in the quarterfinals,
and 6.07 halfway through the finals.  That is, if upgrades are allowed to take
over when it was an earlier version that qualified.  Theoretically, the program
might even be upgraded before every single game.

It isn't that I'm arguing for what the rule *should* be.  I just think that, if
computers are going to participate regularly with humans, there need to be some
clear rules on when, and how, an upgraded program is allowed to fill in for a
previous edition. If this kind of thing isn't spelled out in advance, I predict
extended litigation.

Marc



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