SOMA

[Gerd Isenberg]

Sure, but there is still the question about the program of M. Smith called SOMA from 1961. And the SOMA algorithm by Donald Michie from 1966! Looking for references.

For Michie, how about checking "On Machine Intelligence", 1974, Donald Michie.

In the Spracklen's article on writing Sargon, they say about that book:

Michie's book provides an excellent treatment of exchange evaluation. He uses the concept of an exchange polynomial for accurately determining the outcome of battles engaged on the board. The basic approach we used in XCHNG, the Sargon exchange evaluator, turned out to be surprisingly similar. Sargon's approach, however, is far less computationally complex. We highly recommend this reference to anyone planning to write a chess program without look-ahead.

The date is later, of course, but it sounds a lot like it would be related to the original SOMA stuff.

Wow Really! I need to buy some books, or to find a good library...

But what issue of Machine Intelligence could it be?

[Carey]

Gerd,

You probably already have this info, but I came across a couple pages about it in David Levy & Monty Newborn's "How Computers Play Chess".

They call it an "analyzer" since it didn't do much searching.

It talks a bit about the eval, how mobility & attacks were calculated & scored, etc.

It only briefly mentions the SwapOff routine and doesn't mention any specifics.

They also give one game it played against Machiavelli (both done by hand simulation), which was an analyzer by D. Michie and S. Wylie some years before.

Not really a lot of info, however, obviously David Levy & Monty Newborn were familiar with it and had references that discussed it.


As for mentioning Rolf Smith & Frank Ceruti... I haven't been able to get in touch with Mr. Smith in a couple years. He had found an early printed copy of his program, but I didn't hear from him after that. No replies to any of my emails. But I haven't tried again in a year or so.

Hi Carey,
no, I don't have that book. You think M. Smith (SOMA program 1961, name literally from Bartel, Kraas, Schrüfer 1985 "Das grosse Computer Schach Buch", 'M' a typo or missing r for Mr.) might be Rolf C. Smith, co-author of SCHACH, which competed the early ACM-events from 1970?

No, actually I don't. The Levy / Newborn book says the SOMA analyzer program was done by Maynard Smith. I didn't realize you didn't know the first name.

I think it's just a coincidence. Rolf Smith might have used some of the ideas, but the last name is just a coincidence.

I mentioned them because I saw them mentioned in the thread and I happen to have an old email address for both Frank & Rolf, if you wanted to try and contact them to find out.

Yes, makes some sense, if I read the description of SCHACH. Could really be that Rolf C. Smith had an earlier program SOMA.

Schach was written in Fortran and already introduced the concept of Static Exchange Evaluation for Move Ordering and Pruning:
The backbone of SCHACH is the concept of piece board control, defined as all squares on which a piece exerts direct or indirect influence (can move to in a capture mode). Utilizing this concept we have found that a pseudo-dynamic position projection can be effected in a static environment on a local scale.

Can you (or anybody else) identify these people from Genie vs Schach at the 2nd North American Computer Chess Championship in Chicago, Illinois?

(not the German program Schach btw.)

Cheers,
Gerd

[Gerd Isenberg]

As I said, I don't like to bother people with personal demanding requests. With time information will pass its way. Of course any help appreciated.

[Gerd Isenberg]

Sure, but there is still the question about the program of M. Smith called SOMA from 1961. And the SOMA algorithm by Donald Michie from 1966! Looking for references.

For Michie, how about checking "On Machine Intelligence", 1974, Donald Michie.

In the Spracklen's article on writing Sargon, they say about that book:

Michie's book provides an excellent treatment of exchange evaluation. He uses the concept of an exchange polynomial for accurately determining the outcome of battles engaged on the board. The basic approach we used in XCHNG, the Sargon exchange evaluator, turned out to be surprisingly similar. Sargon's approach, however, is far less computationally complex. We highly recommend this reference to anyone planning to write a chess program without look-ahead.

The date is later, of course, but it sounds a lot like it would be related to the original SOMA stuff.

Wow Really! I need to buy some books, or to find a good library...

But what issue of Machine Intelligence could it be?

Ok, found it, a book. http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~dm/dmpubs.html
1974, On Machine Intelligence. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press; New York: John Wiley.

[Carey]

As I said, I don't like to bother people with personal demanding requests. With time information will pass its way. Of course any help appreciated.

I know you don't like to bother them, but it's been my experience that many of them don't feel bothered. One email. If they don't want to mess with it, they delete it just like spam. Or one postal mail letter that they can toss in the trash like the rest of the junk mail.

A lot of them are surprised to find somebody still interested in something they did years ago. That they did something worthwhile enough that somebody today is actually curious about it.

A few of them even liked telling a couple stories from back then. (Unfortunately, a couple good ones were told on the basis I didn't tell anyone else.... drat.)


Of course most of the people I've contacted have been the less famous ones, so not many people contact them anymore about this stuff.

Even many of the busier or famous ones though often took the time to answer a simple question or two.


And with more & more of the people from back then dying or age effecting their memory, etc., time is running out to talk with many of them.


edit: typo.

[Gerd Isenberg]

The Levy / Newborn book says the SOMA analyzer program was done by Maynard Smith. I didn't realize you didn't know the first name.

Is it this John Maynard Smith?

John Maynard Smith is a professor at the University of Sussex in England. Maynard Smith is best known for his development of game theory and its applications to evolutionary theory, especially the simulation of evolving populations and animal behavior. He also developed the concept of the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) as a major factor in determining animal behavior. He has been a prolific writer, authoring numerous scientific papers and publishing several books.

Even soma is mentioned on the Modern Theorist Biographies, but August Weismann

Yep, must be the source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soma_(biology)

[Gerd Isenberg]

Yep, must be the source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soma_(biology)

link don't works correctly i mean this one

The soma (pl. somata or somas), or cyton or perikaryon (pl. perikarya), is the bulbous end of a neuron, containing the cell nucleus. The word soma is Greek, meaning "body"; the soma of a neuron is often called the "cell body". There are many different specialized types of neurons and the size of the soma can range from about 3 micrometres to over 1 millimetre for some of the largest neurons of invertebrates.

The cell nucleus is a key feature of the soma. The nucleus is the source of most of the RNA that is produced in neurons and most proteins are produced from mRNAs that do not travel far from the nucleus. This creates a challenge for supplying new proteins to axon endings that can be a meter or more away from the soma. Axons contain microtubule-associated motor proteins that transport protein-containing vesicles between the soma and the synapses at the axon terminals. Such transport of molecules towards and away from the soma maintains critical cell functions.

The survival of some sensory neurons depends on axon endings making contact with sources of survival factors that prevent apoptosis. The survival factors are neurotrophic factors, including molecules such as nerve growth factor (NGF). NGF interacts with receptors at axon terminals, and this produces a signal that must be transported up the length of the axon to the nucleus. A current theory of how such survival signals are sent from axon endings to the soma includes the idea that NGF receptors are endocytosed from the surface of axon tips and that such endocytotic vesicles are transported up the axon.

[Carey]

The Levy / Newborn book says the SOMA analyzer program was done by Maynard Smith. I didn't realize you didn't know the first name.

Is it this John Maynard Smith?

It just says Maynard Smith. I would assume "Maynard" is the first name, but I suppose it's possible he didn't like "John" and went by his middle name, but I'm doubtful because here in the U.S. at least, 'John' is a much better name than "Maynard" (grin)


Sorry I can't help on that, but at least you've got a lead to follow. You're a much better researcher (and more dedicated) than I am, that's for sure.

John Maynard Smith is a professor at the University of Sussex in England. Maynard Smith is best known for his development of game theory and its applications to evolutionary theory, especially the simulation of evolving populations and animal behavior. He also developed the concept of the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) as a major factor in determining animal behavior. He has been a prolific writer, authoring numerous scientific papers and publishing several books.

Even soma is mentioned on the Modern Theorist Biographies, but August Weismann

Yep, must be the source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soma_(biology)

[Gerd Isenberg]

It just says Maynard Smith. I would assume "Maynard" is the first name, but I suppose it's possible he didn't like "John" and went by his middle name, but I'm doubtful because here in the U.S. at least, 'John' is a much better name than "Maynard" (grin)


Sorry I can't help on that, but at least you've got a lead to follow. You're a much better researcher (and more dedicated) than I am, that's for sure.

I would have never found it by google, if you didn't mention his first name. So thanks again. Not 100% sure, but he could it be, games and soma researcher

[jwes]

It just says Maynard Smith. I would assume "Maynard" is the first name, but I suppose it's possible he didn't like "John" and went by his middle name, but I'm doubtful because here in the U.S. at least, 'John' is a much better name than "Maynard" (grin)


Sorry I can't help on that, but at least you've got a lead to follow. You're a much better researcher (and more dedicated) than I am, that's for sure.

I would have never found it by google, if you didn't mention his first name. So thanks again. Not 100% sure, but he could it be, games and soma researcher

If you go to google books, find the 1974 edition of "On Machine Intelligence", and search within it for soma, the snippet includes the name J. Maynard Smith.