Biggest waste of 20 years?

[trancejeremy]

"A Canadian report says that a dozen researchers at the University of Alberta, have created a computer program that always wins or ties at checkers. It only took them 20 years to "solve" the game."

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6512&Itemid=53

 

[GlassJaw]

Not really. It's essentially a complex math problem. A lot of math problems go unsolved for years.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Checkers, believe it or not, has an international competition structure similar to competitve Chess, including a ranking system.

Unlike Chess, there has never been a Checkers program that was good enough to win at the game's grandmaster level...something competitive Checkers players pointed out with pride.

 

[Umbran]

Not really. It's essentially a complex math problem. A lot of math problems go unsolved for years.

Seconded. In terms of it being a technological advance, this is not a waste of time at all.

 

[Slife]

Checkers, believe it or not, has an international competition structure similar to competitve Chess, including a ranking system.

Unlike Chess, there has never been a Checkers program that was good enough to win at the game's grandmaster level...something competitive Checkers players pointed out with pride.

It's been done, actually, although not in official tournaments (since the hosts didn't want a computer to claim grandmastership.)

 

[Umbran]

It's been done, actually, although not in official tournaments (since the hosts didn't want a computer to claim grandmastership.)

Not the world's best for a cite, but a place to start is Wikipedia, on computers playing checkers