// Readme.txt for OpenGo  ver 5

OpenGo 

OpenGo is intended as a software resource for Go programmers.
Programming Go involves a great deal of work.  I think that
if the Go programming community could share much of that work,
much of which is not so interesting, all of us could benefit.

I designed OpenGo to support Go engines in general.  The idea
is to share the following things (at least):
  + user interfaces,
  + program-to-program communication (go modem protocol, igs, etc),
  + common algorithms (e.g. zobrist hashing)
  + multiple-simultaneous games (multi-threading of engines & interfaces)
  + repeated play and evaluation of engines
  + machine learning support
  + reading & writing common go file formats (ishi, sgf, etc.)
  + common rule systems
  + common go opponents for testing (e.g. wally) 
  (etc)
By doing this, you can focus on the particular ideas that you
find so interesting and which are the subject of your Go engine.

OpenGo has been designed with sharing in mind.  I personally
encourage you to evaluate it and help make it useful for all of us.

The software is available without commercial restriction in a variant of 
the X11 license.

Enjoy and contribute to an important challenge.

Features
  Save time and share effort in working on Go and AI.
  Runs on Windows, Unix, & Linux
  Windows graphical user interface
  Console interface for Windows and Unix/Linux
  Go Modem Protocol over modem and pipe
  Support for BRD files which is an easy way to add example boards
  Test Scripts and example problems
  C++ (Visual Studio 6 & GCC)
  Wally and other Sample Opponents provided.
  Interface to GnuGo via pipe-based GMP
  Interface to MFGO and other commecial programs via modem GMP
  Debugging window and logging services
  Limited: Load ISHI format and write SGF.

regards,

Jeffrey Greenberg
 opengo@inventivity.com
 jeffg@inventivity.com
 http://www.inventivity.com/OpenGo
 http://opengo.org -- eventually...