computer-go: What should I know about?

["TMCooper" <tmcooper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello everyone.
   I'm quite new to go and I've just started playing with programming a
computer to do go related things.  I'm wondering if there are any
conventions in the computer-go world that I should know about.  For example,
is it possible to set up a programme of mine to play against a commercial go
programme on my computer?  Would my programme have to conform to anything in
order to enter computer go tournaments?

I have found out about sgf from the helpful site at
http://www.red-bean.com/sgf/user_guide/index.html

I am programming in a slovenly mixture of C and C++.  I am using a PC and if
I write a decent front end, I'll probably do it for the windows environment.
I'll have to learn some windows stuff first though so that is not imminent.

Thanks for any help.

Tom.