[computer-go] Go Servers and protocol

[Nick Wedd]

In message 
<ec2f06de0607172157v1108b4d5x79502f1f167757af at mail.gmail.com>, Joshua 
Shriver <jshriver at gmail.com> writes

>Hope everyone is well. Anyone know of any Go servers that have an open
>protocol for client development? I recently wrote a program that
>interfaces with ICS-based chess servers, and would like to work on a
>go client as well.

IGS uses a protocol derived from that of a chess server.  It is not 
open, but the IGS admins may release it to you, if you can convince them 
that you are only going to write a client and will not use it to write a 
compatible server.

Years ago, NNGS was created, to use what was then the same protocol as 
IGS.  The NNGS protocol, which I think never changed, is open.  However 
NNGS, and its web site, have ceased to exist;  so it may be hard to find 
details of it.

After NNGS published the protocol, various other servers were created 
using the same protocol.  These have included
BoardSpace  (for use of bots not humans)  [http://boardspace.net/nngs/]
Chinese Weiqi Server (CWS)                [http://cws.weiqi.net/]
European Go Server (EGS)                  [?]
Legend Go Server (LGS)                    [?]
Polish Go Server (PIGS/PLGS)              [defunct]
Worldwide Go Web (WGS)                    [defunct]
World-Wide Internet Gokaisho (WING)       [http://www.wing.gr.jp/]

For IGS, and for some of those listed above (including CWS), the 
protocol used has evolved and diverged from that which was once common 
to IGS and NNGS.


I have also heard that several of the large Korean Go servers use a 
common protocol.  I cannot read Korean, and know nothing about this.

|
Nick
-- 
Nick Wedd    nick at maproom.co.uk