Re: computer-go: Is the Go Modem Protocol used in actual tournaments ?

[David Fotland <fotland@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 03:50 PM 1/5/2001 +0900, you wrote:
> >The go modem protocol is used in most computer go tournaments.  Most progams
> >implement it, and it is easy to set up the rs-232 connections.  A
> network-based
> >protocol would be nice, but setting up a network is a lot more work and
> >cost,
>
> Don't you mean the other way round? :-)
No.  I just plug in the rs-232 cable and I'm done.  With networking I have 
open the box
and plug in cards, plug in a cable, assign the IP addresses, etc.  I've set 
up both
kinds of connections many times, and rs-232 is much easier :)  Have you ever
set up an ethernet network for machines that didn't have built-in cards?


> Network cards are cheap, and many newer computers seem to come with a
> connector on the motherboard.
RS-232 is free.  I haven't seen a low cost PC yet with ethernet built 
in.  Must
be new since last year :)

> No messing around with baud rates,
Assigning IP address?

> null modem
> cables,
Ethernet cable, crossover or regular?

> different pin types, etc. (and don't some machines require you to
> go into the BIOS to disable the internal modem/infra-red before the serial
> connector will work?).
I've never seen a machine that required any disabling.  For that matter, 
I've never
seen a desktop machine with an IR port.  Contest organizers will always provide
desktops rather than laptops, as I'm sure you know :)



> >and
> >programmers don't want to take the time to implement another protocol when
> >they already one that
> >works fine.
>
> This is maybe the case for the existing programs, but implementing the
> modem protocol for new programs is hard.
Just use the DLL.  I don't know why that would be harder than using a socket
interface...


David Fotland