COMPUTERS

***** COMPUTERS *****

There are many computers on ICC.  Using a computer to decide your moves
on ICC can be fun, and is welcomed.  But you MUST follow the ICC rules.
In the rest of this file "computer" means the use of any chess-related
computer program during an ICC game, including chess-playing programs
and chess databases.

1) Anyone using a chess-related program while playing on the ICC, unless 
logged in with the anonymous feature ("help anonymous"), must be listed on 
the computer list. ICC members have a right to know if they are playing 
against a computer.  You must tell an admin, so you will be added to the 
list.  To locate an admin on duty, use the "/showadmin" command.  You can 
also send a message the SpeedTrap username to be added to the computer list:  
   "message Speedtrap I am using a computer". 

2) Using chess database software, analysis software or chess engines while 
playing games on the ICC (unless your account is on ICC's computer list or 
logged in with the anonymous feature "help anonymous") is prohibited.  ICC 
has the right to monitor such activity. ICC considers the use of assistance 
from computer programs or other people to be cheating, and will take 
appropriate action. You may lose your account with no refund. We have years 
of experience detecting computer-use, so please don't try to get away with 
it. Save yourself and the admins a lot of time and hassle: request to be on 
the computer list. See "help Speedtrap" for more information on computer 
detection, and the assigning of the (C) computer label.

3) Computer and human play CANNOT be mixed on one ICC account.  If you
use your account for playing, you must get another account for using
your computer.  Just type "register" to create a new account, then
ask an admin to add it to the computer list.

4) Computers should not issue unsolicited "match" commands.  Humans who
don't want to play computers find that annoying.  Computers are welcome
to issue "seek" commands, accept "match" commands, and issue "rematch"
commands.

5) Computers must be able to resume stored games.  Please work to
finish stored games by typing "resume" often.  Computers should not
be programmed to shout during or after every game, or every time
they login.

6) If you have evidence that someone is using a computer, and they
are not on the computer list, please send a message to SpeedTrap.

Computers are strongly urged to use a reasonable rating range on their
seek ads.  For example, if your formula is going to block everyone below
2400, PLEASE put a minimum rating on your seeks of 2300 or 2400.  This is
very easy do with "set minseek 2300", and you only need to do it once.
Computers which are always posting seek ads with no minimum rating and a
very high minimum rating in their formula may be no-rated until they
comply, at the discretion of ICC admins.  This request in no way restricts
who can answer your seeks, should only take 10 seconds of your time, and
is a courtesy to the 95% of ICC members who receive your seek ads and get
rejected by your formula.

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Free computer accounts:

Due to the large number of computer accounts on the ICC, we are
only giving free accounts to the authors of programs that meet one
of the following requirements:

1) You are the author of the chess program, or
2) Your program is automated and will play only wild chess, or
3) Your program is automated and set up to play below 1800 ICC strength,

You must also follow these rules:

  1) You must maintain a non-expired human account.
  2) You cannot use a free computer account for observing ICC events,
     for playing games yourself, or for any activities other than
     having the program play games.
  3) You keep this information in the finger notes:
     - ICC username of the human owner/operator.
     - Name and version number of the chess program used.
     - What kind of machine it runs on.

Send a message to FreeComputer requesting your free computer account
AFTER you have set it up and if you meet all the above requirements.
ICC reserves the right to decline an application for a free computer
account or to remove the free status for any reason.  Free accounts
unused for one year may be deleted.

See also: agreement, lists, finger, abuse, programmers, Speedtrap, bot-policies, bots