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Subject: Re: DB just another program

Author: Alvaro Polo

Date: 05:51:14 01/28/00

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On January 27, 2000 at 13:51:01, Christophe Theron wrote:

>On January 26, 2000 at 18:28:22, Dann Corbit wrote:
>
>>On January 26, 2000 at 18:23:50, Bruce Moreland wrote:
>>
>>>On January 26, 2000 at 18:10:10, Dann Corbit wrote:
>>>
>>>>IOW, more horsepower is a tough way to make chess programs play better.  There
>>>>is also evidence (according to some) that the increase in speed has
>>>>*diminishing* returns.  Hence, it may take a terahertz to get there.  Don't know
>>>>of any material that could do that, not even a Josephson Junction.
>>>
>>>I think it's a great way.  You just take a vacation, preferably a long one, and
>>>when you come back you make one call to Gateway and poof, free Elo points.
>>>
>>>Got an article that shows that the Elo curve flattens out with increased depth?
>>
>>Darn.  I knew someone would ask that!  I just read it somewhere, but I will have
>>to go and look for it now.
>>:-(
>
>
>Just my 2 cents: this "dimishing returns" theory is an urban legend.
>
>You are almost certain to have seen this demonstrated, you'll find people that
>will tell you they have seen this demonstrated, but you'll eventually find no
>proof of this.
>
>But everybody wants to believe it because it fits so well our common sense. When
>everybody in a group believes in something, it eventually because "real" for
>this group.
>
>Computer chess is CROWDED with legends like this one.
>
>The programmers that do better than their peers are those who do not believe
>these legends.
>
>
>    Christophe

I have a question for you. Do you believe that the "diminishing return for each
extra ply" theory is false for comp-comp only, or also for comp-human?

Alvaro



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