[gnugo-devel] Re: [computer-go] Future KGS computer go tournaments

[Gunnar Farnebäck]

Nick Wedd wrote on the computer go list, regarding computer go
tournaments on KGS:
> UNIQUENESS OF ENTRANTS
> 
> I thank Gunnar Farnebäck for his suggestion, which I shall accept. 
> Gunnar wrote:
> 
> "My suggestion is to accept a derivative work if
> "
> "1. All copyright holders agree that they want it to enter the
> "   tournament and
> "2. the copyright holders can convince the tournament director
> "   that it is indeed unique enough to be interesting.
> 
> The snag is that this imposes a burden of authority on the Tournament 
> Director.  But I think this is inevitable.
> 
> For tournaments for which I am TD, I expect to decide as follows:
>      If two entrants both use the same fuseki library, and the 
> copyright-holder of that library (if any) wants both to enter the 
> tournament, I shall not see this as a reason to bar either.
>      If two entrants both use Thomas Wolf's GoTools, and Thomas wants 
> both to enter the tournament, I shall probably not see this as a reason 
> to bar either.
>      If two entrants are both based on GNU Go, and I am not convinced 
> that they are greatly different, I shall ask a representative of GNU Go 
> to choose just one of them.

I suggest we make the following statement on the computer go list,
regarding the use of code from GNU Go:

  The GNU Go developers have no reservations with regard to 1. if the
  only code taken from GNU Go is communications code, in particular
  the files gtp.c and gtp.h. Likewise we have no reservations about
  consulting GNU Go through GTP for the sole purpose of implementing
  final_status_list and final_score. Whether we have reservations
  about other uses of GNU Go code will be decided on a case by case
  basis.

Neither of these should affect the move generation in any way. That we
should allow the first use is obvious, the second use is good PR. We
might also add use of the board library to this list, but I don't have
a strong opinion whether that is desirable.

Opinions?

/Gunnar