An extremely interesting topic....

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

I'm fine with Zappa being changed to Rondo, seeing as it's a different author and Zach is free to do whatever with the Zappa source. As I understand it, he could convert Zappa to a Scrabble program.....
Plus the modifications and the fact that Rondo is (not yet anyway) commercially (or freely) available.

I think if the intention is to develop a new program then np. On Playchess it appears as



I hope the plan is not to rename it for just 1 week in Japan. Unless of course i am totally wrong and this is not the new version?

FYI the program has been renamed for over a year. What you see on playchess is for a different reason.

I wish you all the best my friend with the upcoming event and commercial release after that....
Waiting with an open wallet regards,
Dr.D

[mhalstern]

Are their prizes in this tournament?

If so, what are they?

[yanquis1972]

zach is an amateur programmer correct? i don't think it should matter if he's replaced the author of a commercial program. it certainly isn't fair.

re the hiarcs dropping out issue, that's a great shame. hiarcs without fail provides some highlight games win loss or draw in these tournaments.

i don't get the ruling, but if the tournament organizers are fine with not being paid...isn't that their problem? i don't know exactly what the entry fee money is for, but i don't see how it effects you guys except for money out of your pocket. if you want to do something on principle, encourage -everyone- to rename their program, giving them no entry fees, & see if they reconsider this silly rule.

on a subject i'm quite sure is related to all this, as much as i admire GCP i fail to see how he is not by any definition a professional programmer... if he would for example release sjeng 4.0 now (partic. with updates!), i'm sure CCC alone would pay for the entry fee. not trying to bait , but i hope the point is obvious...if he's not making a living from programming, but is selling his program, then he can surely use the funds made from it to go towards its appearance in tournaments like these....why should a guy who makes, or has the potential to make, thousands of dollars in a week or two off his work be given the same treatment as a true amateur who makes absolutely nothing from his work??

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto]

on a subject i'm quite sure is related to all this, as much as i admire GCP i fail to see how he is not by any definition a professional programmer...

I'm a professional programmer, and so are probably all participants in the WCCC, including the amateurs. But I'm not a professional games programmer. Maybe people new to the scene have gotten a mistaken impression because of Deep Sjeng's strength, but computer chess is and has always been my hobby, something I do when I get home after work.

I do not make enough off chess programming to pay the professional entry fees in addition to the other costs of participating. I asked the ICGA what I had to do to no longer be considered a professional, because this is clearly a losing proposition. They said I should not enter with the same name or a similar name as something I'm selling.

I did exactly as asked.

This has happened before at least with ChessMaster (The King), Fritz (Quest) and Rybka (Rajlich), so I'm puzzled Hiarcs only suddenly got outraged at the concept.

PS. If they had said I had to give away the program for free, I would probably have done that as well.

[Watchman]

I'm a professional programmer, and so are probably all participants in the WCCC, including the amateurs. But I'm not a professional games programmer.

Ahahahahahahaha

Ahahahahahahaha

By far the best joke I have heard recently

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto]

Are their prizes in this tournament?

If so, what are they?

Trophies.

Last time, I didn't get a trophy but a funny hat.

[Zach Wegner]

Are their prizes in this tournament?

If so, what are they?

Trophies.

Last time, I didn't get a trophy but a funny hat.

There's a 1000 Euro prize for first this year.

[Harvey Williamson]

Are their prizes in this tournament?

If so, what are they?

Trophies.

Last time, I didn't get a trophy but a funny hat.

[michiguel]

....going on in the Hiarcs forum regarding the WCCC 2010

Rename your professional chess engine and enter the competition without paying 500 euros....only 25 euros as an amateur chess engine

And when I say I've seen it all in the computer chess world,well then I know that I'm deeply wrong....
Cheers,
Dr.D

How about not charging anything at all?

I cannot believe these fees are making any difference for the overall organization. Don't they have sponsors?

Miguel

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto]

There's a 1000 Euro prize for first this year.

Almost enough to pay the entry fee!