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[JonP01]

The Klute has arrived The most comprehensive, thorough, analytical, resourceful and knowledgeable dedicated computer tester on the planet (perhaps the Galaxy). I am sure I have met this guy somewhere before

Anyway, I do look forward to receiving a GM that will hopefully be fully functioning. It's never really been hardware issues with Excalibur machines - mainly just irritating program issues that frustrate because given more time pre-production, they could have been eliminated. Like the Klute, I like things to work properly, dislike having to make workarounds and don't wish to intervene as an operator because that represents a direct influence over what the program should be capable of deciding for itself.

With regard to DTTC, I have decided to compromise a little. Luckily, the device has a time control of 45 moves in 115 minutes. After playing a couple of test games against the Palm (to speed things up, since the Palm only needed 5 seconds per move and DTTC does not think on opponent's time), I noticed that DTTC ended up using similar amounts of time to the majority of machines when set to 40/2. For example, at move 40, it had used 1 hour 51 minutes.

In a second game, whilst it's own internal flag did indeed fall once again at the 45th move (time control), at the actual 40th move itself, it had used around 1 hour 55 minutes. These seem to be a worst case scenario, since it is more apt to run into time problems when in a losing position. And for some strange reason, in each instance I have tested, it spends an extraordinary amount of time when in check and there are two legal replies. Perhaps this was a coincidence.

So I feel using this time control, the chances of a loss on time without operator intervention are very much reduced, and the unit will use similar amounts of time to those it plays against. I have even made the decision that if it's flag is about to fall on the 40th move, I will hit the "move" button.

Work Around Regards

Jonathan