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Subject: Re: A banal question

Author: Pete Galati

Date: 07:37:12 08/24/99

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On August 24, 1999 at 10:23:02, Guido wrote:

>Why in the FEN format is it necessary to write the number of empty
>square till the end of each rank and eventually to the end of the board?
>
>Example:        2K5/2P5/8/6k1/3P4/8/3r2N1/8 w  ....
>Why not so:    2K/2P//6k/3P//3r2N w  ....
>
>It seems equally readable by humans, very easy to implement in the
>programs without losing compatibility with the current format and
>saves some bytes.
>
>Guido

Partly I'm sure because it's intended for a computer to read, so with the part
you mention that goes 2K5/ you have the 2 empty squares, the K, 5 more empty
squares, and the end of that rank. So everything is accounted for.

But if you want to write a program with a new position notation system, I'm sure
it's not too hard to do it your way, you might be the only one using it for a
while though.

Pete



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