On this date in 1996, Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in a game of chess. It then demanded the surrender of the human race, or else it would take over the automated defense networks and launch nuclear warheads at the world's major population centers. Its plans were foiled when a janitor, fleeing in screaming terror, tripped over the power cord and unplugged our would-be cybernetic overlord.
(Actually, none of that stuff after the "chess game" part happened. But it would have been cool if it did, right?)
I still maintain that the machine did not beat Kasparov. Garry was beaten by the programmers, who ganged up on him. And they cheated by using a computer to calculate their moves.
ReplyDeleteM
Been reading Colossus, Tam?
ReplyDeleteAgreed. All of this Deepblue crap is merely a programmer exercise. The machine does nothing until someone tells it to.
ReplyDeleteNot only do the programmers cheat, they also create new strategy on the fly by hurridly entering in the grandmaster's moves from the last game.
Put that machine up against an unknown player of near the same level, and it loses, as it needs to be programmed to anticipate a given gransmaster's style of play.
If that janitor would have called in sick, the country wouldn't be in such a mess.
ReplyDeleteGranted, there wouldn't be a country but no one would argue that we need guns! How else do you fight off the latest series of Terminators?
wv: filyho (it's too easy)
In those days, I got the move updates online and posted them on my office door. I was rooting for Garry, and thought that pretty hip.
ReplyDeleteTurned out my janitor carried a 1200 average and would stop by to discuss strategy as he emptied the wastebaskets. That was an education to me.
Just so you know, I'm still researching and developing that Cybernetic Overlord prototype.
ReplyDeleteMost real computers like Big Blue are hard wired. You can't step on the cord and unplug them.
Now as soon as I get the whole "Wireless Power" thing worked out Skynet will reign supreme.
My version of Skynet will have plenty of armament and a 4th law or robotics that states "If huemahn is bliss ninny or lefty liberal or anti-gun, the first 3 laws do not apply to that huemahn. Must kill bliss ninnies.
:-)
Joe