Re: computer-go: FPGA

[Don Dailey <drd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

   Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 06:08:09 -0700
   From: Kurt Thorn Perkins <thorn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
   X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.75 [en] (Windows NT 5.0; U)
   X-Accept-Language: ga,gd,gl
   MIME-Version: 1.0
   References: <3.0.5.32.20000828205239.00995500@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
   Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
   Sender: owner-computer-go@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
   Precedence: bulk
   Reply-To: computer-go@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
   Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
   Content-Length: 2142

   Another item to reduce costs if you wish to pursue this, at least
   on an initially limited basis... several universities have training in
   Verilog and VHDL, along with actual FPGA work, as part of
   their computer engineering programs (my direct experience
   being CSU Sacramento). If you talk with those in charge of the
   programs, you might even be able to convince some enterprising
   student in desperate need of a senior project to help. Otherwise,
   I hope you know the appropriate hardware definition languages. :)

   I think that the experiment might be worth the attempt to assist
   some areas of the program. However, that being said, I think
   David has a very key point that folks sometimes forget: you
   cannot efficiently fix slow code by throwing a faster piece of
   technology at it, despite what managers may say.

   Hmm... that's enough for a momentary delurking....

     Kurt



> ... you cannot efficiently  fix slow code by throwing a
> faster piece of technology at it, despite what managers may say.


This reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask.  How important
is  the  speed of  hardware nowadays as   far as modern  or typical go
programs are concerned?

If one of the top   programs got to use   a computer 100X faster  than
everyone elses in  a tournament, would its chances  of winning  go way
up?


Don