Re: [gnugo-devel] endgame module for GNU Go

[Paul Pogonyshev]

Eric wrote:

> --- Paul Pogonyshev <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> > > If GNU Go treats the planner as a black box, then it
> > > is not necessary to distribute the planner as integral
> > > to the GNU Go engine. Users of GNU Go can simply
> > > "plug-in" their favorite flavor of planner.
> > 
> > This does not sound acceptable.  While GNU GPL
> > allows communicating with a proprietary program (i.e. when
> > that program is a separate process), there is a number of
> > serious technical and other problems:
> > 
> > * We cannot distribute your program (it is
> > proprietary) along with GNU Go.
> 
> There are lots of free planners available. Try to
> Google 'AI Planning Systems', since you obviously have
> not done this.

OK, I found at least one.

> > * We cannot even put links to your program, because
> > GNU servers don't advertise proprietary software.
> > 
> > * I don't think it is worth the inconvenience of
> > plugging in a planner into GNU Go.
> 
> Yea, unless it makes GNU Go useful for something
> besides your own personal entertainment.

GNU Go is meant to be "useful" in terms of playing Go.
It can be used for research (or do you mean any else
use?), but that's not something "common" GNU Go users
are interested in.

> > Most users would not even know what a planner was
> > and that GNU Go had a use for one.
> 
> Duh. That's the whole purpose of the effort. Nobody
> knew what personal computers were useful for either,
> until Bill Gates starting building them.

What I'm trying to say is that most users don't read
documentation and they absolutely don't want to download
additional programs just because "...this will make
GNU Go a little/somewhat/notably stronger in endgame"
(let's assume this was a string from documentation).
Either we make a planner optional, in which case some
99% of users will never use it.  Or we make it required,
creating major inconveniences for users for no clear
gain.

I didn't make any sense out of the second statement.
Did Microsoft already claimed that it was Bill Gates
who invented computer or what?

> > We hardly want to make GNU Go depend on
> > another program (even if optionally) other than a GUI.
> 
> Why not?

See above.  It will either be not used in 99% of cases
(if optional) or extremely inconvenient for users.  But
in either case GNU Go team will have to maintain this.

> > I understand that you will not change
> > your license because of this, but we cannot change
> > our policy either.
> 
> That's your loss.

I haven't seen anything real to lose yet.  Besides, for
us not using proprietary software is not a loss, but a
gain in freedom.

So, to conclude:

We can use a planner if it is free software and can
be compiled into GNU Go.  If we have this, then it is
not difficult to provide an option to use an external
planner (instead of built-in), for instance yours.

If you wish to work on an interface module, you are
welcome.  But, as Gunnar mentioned, we can incorporate
such code only if you assign copyright to FSF.

Paul

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