Re: random seeds (was Re: [gnugo-devel] predictability vs. strength)

[Gunnar Farnebäck]

Evan wrote:
> Actually, now that I look at the code in twogtp.pike, I'm quite unclear
> how it gets the new random seed for the new game.  It would seem that it
> expects gnugo to decide on a new random seed as a result of either the
> boardsize or clear_board command,

From gtp_clear_board():

  /* If this is called with a non-empty board, we assume that a new
   * game will be started, for which we want a new random seed.
   */
  if (stones_on_board(BLACK | WHITE) > 0)
    update_random_seed();

> which twogtp.pike then gets with get_random_seed. However, this
> seems to depend on behavior of GNU Go that is not specified by the
> GTP v2 specification.

The specification doesn't say anything about random seeds at all.

/Gunnar