Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 22:34:57 10/12/99
Go up one level in this thread
On October 12, 1999 at 20:05:37, Ed Schröder wrote: >>Posted by Robert Hyatt on October 12, 1999 at 16:22:15: > >>To find out about this supposed letter written to Rebel (Ed), I simply asked >>Hsu what happened. > >I haven't received any letter. Again: I read the "Computer Schach und Spiele" >(CSS) magazine and found the Hsu/Campbell statement. I found it necessary >to react and did that on my pages (copy below). > >>Frederic Friedel (not sure that is spelled right) wrote a personal email to >>Hsu asking about the "deep blue junior" machine at the WCCC this year, >>probably after reading my explanation of how the machine was 'limited' >>here on CCC. >> >>Hsu sent FF a personal email reply explaining exactly the same details >>that I had given here. FF then took that personal email and posted it on the >>Gambitsoft site, apparently, and the snowball began. > >No: not the Gambit Soft site, you mix several things up. very possible. I only know the trail Hsu -> Friedel -> something (apparently CSS) -> you. at least three interpretations done. Hsu wrote in English. Friedel obviously translated to German. It was then translated back to english. > >Frederic Friedel is partner in ChessBase and the director of CSS and >printed the Hsu/Campbell statement in their magazine, not on the Gambit >Soft site as there is no relation between them. > >>Hsu nor Murry care beans about what the Rebel advertisements say, as they >>assume that everyone that 'counts' has already read a factual description of >>what was in Paderborn playing demo games. So the accusations directed toward >>the DB team for "calling Ed a Liar" ought to be directed at ChessBase, where >>the email was posted. It is generally considered good net ettiquette to not >>post personal email without permission. > >Meaning to say there was no public reaction of Hsu/Campbell intended? > >If so it all fits. Hsu asked me "what is this about a letter about DB Junior?" I said "no idea". He then replied that he had figured it out... it was a private communication to Friedel from him, when asked about DB Jr at Paderborn. So I don't see any of this as ever intending to be 'public', nor any attempt to harm or dismiss anyone. > >I like to quote what is on my pages to be complete. Note point #3, if the >documentation would have been complete none of this would have ever >happened (same story in point #4). I wouldn't disagree. I think it was just 'unthought of'. IE Hsu has now said twice that the ICCA was told that this was a web-based version of DB Jr and that no computers should be allowed to play it, humans only. Somehow that slipped thru the crack. Not uncommon as the ICCA has some cracks that trucks could slip thru (IE no information out of Paris as but one example, ditto for Jakarta). It was just another detail that someone left out. It caused a good bit of confusion. I had tried to fix this as soon as the story first 'broke' because I simply asked "what was this thing at paderborn?" just like Friedel apparently did, and I got exactly the same answer. I just didn't quote the text literally here, and only gave the synopsis I posted. > >Also note point #5, typical CSS but I didn't expect they would go that far. Since I am known for being 'brash' I wrote the following to Hsu when we were discussing this 'letter' earlier this week: I would suspect that such things get done by CSS to either (a) further some ChessBase agenda or (b) hurt a ChessBase competitor. So we think a lot alike at times. :) Unfortunately it seems you got trapped, unknowingly. You thought you had done well, then details suggest that the thing you played was weak. Then this letter is worded in a way that makes you look bad. Hsu didn't think much of the 'translation' (or exaggeration as he called it). Boy am I glad I don't compete with any of the commercial vendors. It can be a cut-throat world. :) > >Ed Schroder > >------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Rebel Company about the accusations: > >#1. We were not aware of any restriction that playing against Deep Blue Junior >was forbidden. Deep Blue Junior was there and we took the opportunity to find >out more about this program. The result was posted as NEWS no more no less >and we don't have (nor had) any intention to include Rebel's victory over >Deep Blue Junior in our advertisements. > >#2. We can't confirm the "one second" time control of Deep Blue Junior. Deep >Blue Junior indeed played on a "one second" time control using its default time >control but raising the time control caused Deep Blue Junior to think a lot >longer (up to 10-15 seconds). > >#3. We consider it as a pity that all the playing strength restrictions weren't >listed in the documentation that came with the program as we then certainly >would not have touched the machine. The screen clearly showed "Deep Blue >Junior" and made reference to the Kasparov - Deep Blue events. > >#4. Several key people of the ICCA have witnessed these games so we really don't >understand the criticism. If the ICCA was told that no computer was allowed to >play Deep Blue Junior then they should have told us so. > >#5. We like to emphasize that the German magazine Computer Schach und Spiele is >known for its anti Rebel style and we feel truly sorry that respected people >like Feng-Hsiung Hsu and Murray Campbell are now being victims as part of an >ongoing anti Rebel campaign in Germany. The Computer Schach und Spiele people >were present almost the whole WCC event and could have asked to avoid this >kind of miss-information. They did not. > >#6. Rebel Company offers the Deep Blue team the opportunity to set things >straight. We invite them to play a 6-game match on ICC in the "Monthly GM >Challenge" style. > >Ed Schröder >Author of Rebel
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