Re: GNU Chess optimization script

[Simon Waters]

Matthew Hull wrote:

>> Anyone here interested in my script that does this automatically
>> without altering the 5.07 distribution files, just email me.

Please send me a copy.

I've experimented quite extensively with the optimisations in the past,
I suspect the thing that has changed is the compiler technology.

We saw quite a gain moving to GCC v3, but then the profiling was either
too painful, or didn't gain much.

The default compiler options in the Makefile are a combination of
historical accident, and what worked on all the platforms I tested it on.

Whilst it is interesting to learn about modern compiler technology,
18.5% faster equates to maybe ~20 Elo points, so I rapidly decided down
this route lies Knuth's 'Premature Optimisation'. i.e. the best chess
programs will dot these i's and cross these t's, but of themselves they
won't make a dramatic difference to the skill of a program.