HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: vancleef@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: NetGammon back up (but not at pooh.caltech)
Date: 6 Sep 92 01:49:36 EDT

First the good news:

	I have NetGammon running again at solana.mps.ohio-state.edu
(128.146.37.78) port 3200.

The bad news:

	I wasn't permitted to recover the player database that was
built up over the past month of operation (the account was disabled :( :(
This means that the rating system has to start from scratch again. I
did everything I could but it wasn't enough. Fortunately I had a backup
of the latest code saved elsewhere so most everything has been recovered.

-Garrett



Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: ftw33616@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (.)
Subject: Re: Backgammon books
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 15:20:18 GMT

The book that got _me_ rather hooked on Backgammon was a book called
"Backgammon for Blood" by someone whose name eludes me.
I also browsed through "The Playboy's book of backgammon", which I feel is
a simpler book, but it has interesting ideas (like the idea that backgammon
is 30% courage), and it has a lot of really interesting games in it.

I followed his strategy rather closely, but have switched to a slightly more
risky (with more potential) style.

I am interested in finding a more advanced book, as well.  any e-mail 
highly appreciated.

On the whole, if possible, though, I'd just recommend playing someone better
than you, and then experimenting by yourself.  Sometimes I play both sides,
each color using a different style, to see who wins more often.


				- Frank Wang
				  ftw33616@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
From: mrubin@cs.umb.edu (Mark Rubin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Looking for opponents
Date: 8 Sep 92 00:20:23 GMT
Organization: University of Massachusetts at Boston

Hi, i'm fairly new to Backgammon (about a year) but am learning fast. I'm
interested in casual and tournament matches. If you are interested in
scheduling approximate times to play then please send me e-mail.

I prefer the Backgammon servers but via e-mail is ok.

Thanks.
-Mark
-UMass/Boston
--
==========================================================================
|| Mark Rubin		|| Don't let your schooling interfere with	||
|| mrubin@ra.cs.umb.edu	|| your education.				||
|| UMass/Boston		|| 			-Mark Twain		||
==========================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: ross@emf780.den.mmc.com (Perry R. Ross)
Subject: Re: Backgammon play via email ?
Organization: Martin Marietta, Denver
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 07:04:41 GMT

In article <Bu29EB.7tK@wm.estec.esa.nl> viau@wm.estec.esa.nl writes:
>Is there any possibility to play backgammon via email ?

I posted a program a few months ago to comp.sources.misc called "ldb"
(long distance backgammon) which automates backgammon by e-mail.
All you need is a UNIX machine with curses (pretty much any 32-bit UNIX
will do), or a VAX with VMS version 5.0 or better.  The source to
version 1.0 is available wherever c.s.m is archived
(for example, ftp.uu.net:/usenet/comp.sources.misc/volume28/ldb/*.Z).
Let me know if you need help getting/compiling it.  Finding people
to play with is your problem. :-)  A later version (1.1) is going/
has gone out on the next DECUS tape, and 1.2 will be posted in c.s.m
shortly.  (Yeah, right, hold your breath).

>Reltaed: if yes, who throws the dice :-?

Well, other people have made e-mail dice rollers that prevent cheating.
The current version of ldb just uses a random number generator,
and makes no attempt to stop people from cheating, so I suggest at
least one of the following strategies:
	1. Don't play for money.  That includes strip backgammon.
	2. Say to yourself 100 times, "It's only a game".
	3. Only play with people you trust.
	4. Wait until I get motivated and get the cheat-detector working.
	   This might be another good time to hold your breath.  :-)

Personally, I haven't found cheating to be a problem. I guess it depends
on what kind of games you're playing.  And what kind of people you're playing.
-- 
-- Perry R. Ross (303)977-4371 | Bill Gates is to Computer Science what   --
-- Martin Marietta, Denver     | Madonna is to Music.                     --
-- ross@emf780.den.mmc.com     |                                          --
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: kdc@ccu.umanitoba.ca ()
Subject: Re: Backgammon play via email ?
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 14:44:40 GMT

In article <Bu29EB.7tK@wm.estec.esa.nl> viau@wm.estec.esa.nl writes:
>Is there any possibility to play backgammon via email ?
>
>Reltaed: if yes, who throws the dice :-?
>
>---
>
>
>Pierre Viau

  Yes.
 There is a dice roller:   ROLLER@CD.CHALMERS.SE
 Send mail to the above with the subject line:
 SUBJECT: ROLLDICE player1@userid  player2@userid
 
The roller will roll the dice and send the info to the 
userids specified in the subject line.  Any text below the
subject line will also be sent.
 
  Ken D.    U of Manitoba
From: vancleef@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: Looking for opponents
Date: 8 Sep 92 00:25:22 EDT

In article <MRUBIN.92Sep7192023@ra.cs.umb.edu>, mrubin@cs.umb.edu (Mark Rubin) writes:
> Hi, i'm fairly new to Backgammon (about a year) but am learning fast. I'm
> interested in casual and tournament matches. If you are interested in
> scheduling approximate times to play then please send me e-mail.
> 
> I prefer the Backgammon servers but via e-mail is ok.

Then just log on to one (they are up 24-hours a day in principle) and
look for victims :)

solana.mps.ohio-state.edu 3200	(my server)
134.130.130.46 4321		(andreas' server)

You can usually find someone logged on (even though the traffic on
mine has died due to my unanticipated 'relocation' :(

> 
> Thanks.
> -Mark
> -UMass/Boston
> --
> ==========================================================================
> || Mark Rubin		|| Don't let your schooling interfere with	||
> || mrubin@ra.cs.umb.edu	|| your education.				||
> || UMass/Boston		|| 			-Mark Twain		||
> ==========================================================================

-Garrett
From: vancleef@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: exit
Date: 8 Sep 92 13:34:55 EDT

WHy can I still get to pooh.caltech.edu you ask?

Well, my account has been disabled (which means I am not
permitted to login). However, the account hasn't been deleted.
Apparently the files in my directories haven't been deleted.

I have NetGammon run as a background process with a program
called 'guardian' which ensures that the server continues to run.

Since I can't login to the account, I can't shutdown the guardian
program. I *can* shutdown NetGammon but the guardian brings it
back up after 2 minutes of downtime...

So... I recomend thatr you use the new server on 'solana.mps.ohio-state.edu'
thru port 3200. 

-Garrett
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: wmun@cix.compulink.co.uk (Wai Mun Yoon)
Subject: Saitek Champion Backgammon
Reply-To: wmun@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 06:36:31 +0000

From: wmun@cix.compulink.co.uk
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Saitek Champion Backgammon
 
 
I just purchased a Saitek backgammon table top machine (on impulse);
it is supposed to be the best dedicated unit on the market. Would
have gone for the Komodo Mac software from the Gammon Press (meant to 
be stronger), but they don't take credit cards and I live in England
:-(. 
 
It gives a below average game, with a plethora of positional errors
and seems to have no concept of timing. (I would consider myself an
aggressive average player). Never seen it play a back game.
It features 10 levels with 3 styles of play for each level (optimal,
conservative, aggressive). The default is the highest level with an
average response time of a second (I daren't try the lower levels).
 
It is very conservative when doubling, seeming only to do so when
there is a gammon in the offing, and readily accepts doubles in the
early game, which really should be dropped. Though in its favour, it
doesn't just rely on the point count to determine doubling decisions. 
Anyway, according to the Gammon Press, it loses 120 points in 100
games against an expert player.
 
It is possible to set up positions for analysis, but the results with 
positions from Dwek's book (17 years old) were invariably incorrect.
 
On the plus side it offers a chance to learn to play variations of
backgammon such as Moultezim, Plakoto, TricTrac and Jacquet, though
its play is not strong enough to get a feel for strategy.
 
On balance, I can't seem to see what the market for a machine like
this would be (apart from gadget-freaks such as myself). Novices will 
find it frustrating to lose to a machine which seems to 'cheat' (the
salesman was convinced his constant defeats were due to 'rigged'
dice). Experienced players will find its lack of a coherent doubling
strategy, lack of tournament emulation (with Crawford rule) and lack
of proper analysis facilities (such as rollouts) rather limiting.
 
This reminds me of the early days of chess computers when they were
predictable and relied almost solely on tactical as opposed to
positional considerations and could always be beaten by a combination 
one-ply deeper than its search depth. Today, for my level of play
they offer a superb challenge and a very 'human' feel. I hope that
will happen for Backgammon software, though I fear that the
'brains-of-the-game' might find other, more lucrative sources of
income.
 
WM
 
---- Wai Mun Yoon                           ----
---- wmun@cix.compulink.co.uk               ----
---- Compuserve: 100023.3557@compuserve.com ----
 
 
 
 
 
PS. My first post - please excuse any errors.
From: wardrb@cs.utexas.edu (Richard Byron Ward)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Backgammon books
Date: 10 Sep 1992 09:36:46 -0500
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

Is there a list of good backgammon books somewhere (or a FAQ)?

I'd like to find some books of Backgammon problems with analysis.
Also, are there any books that list complete games (tournaments?)?
Better yet, are they in electronic form somewhere?

Rick

Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: fred@somalia.earth.nwu.edu (Fred Marton)
Subject: Re: Play Jeopardy w/ Yen 9/3
Organization: Geological Sciences Department, Northwestern University
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 22:36:44 GMT

In article <1992Sep9.070248.500@sq.sq.com> msb@sq.sq.com (Mark Brader) writes:
>The mantle, making up the largest part of the Earth's mass, apparently
>is also rocky and therefore probably has many of the same predominant
>elements as just mentioned.
>
>The Earth's *core*, however, is believed to be "predominantly iron";
>it contains just about 1/3 of the mass of the planet.  Therefore in a
>tabulation of the most common elements in the planet as a whole, iron
>should rank no lower than third.
>
>Of course, nobody has actually taken any samples of the core or mantle,
>and not all of the crust has been examined either.  So these estimates
>should probably be taken with a grain of sodium chloride.

For the Earth as a whole, in wt %, the elements are:
iron, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, and nickel.

We do have some pieces of the mantle, but nothing from deeper than
150 km or so (these are from kimberlites, the rocks in which you find 
diamonds), plus stuff from shallower levels.  As for getting bulk
Earth compositions, the two ways of doing it are by using solar
abundances (ignoring H, He, O, C, and N) or C1 carbonaceous chondrite
meteorite abundnces.  

Finally, another way we know about the composition of the lower parts
of the mantle and the core is via high pressure-high temperature research
and thermodynamic modeling in conjunction with seismological and other 
geophysical data.  It's a lot of fun too, let me tell you.

References?  I got a ton of 'em!

fred
 
 *****************************************************************************
 **   F. Cung Marton              **    "You're looking at me as if this    **
 **   fred@earth.nwu.edu          **    weren't a scientific explanation."  **
 **   Dept. of Geological Sci.    **            -- Linus Van Pelt           **
 **   Northwestern University     **                                        **
 *****************************************************************************
From: dant@techbook.com (Dan Tilque)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
Subject: Re: Play Jeopardy with Yen 8/25/92
Date: 5 Sep 92 10:44:14 GMT
Article-I.D.: techbook.1992Sep5.104414.5245
Distribution: rec
Organization: Pseudopolis Yard

kenneth@ducvax.auburn.edu writes:
}msb@sq.sq.com (Mark Brader) writes:
}> From the Astronomy and Astrophysics Encyclopedia:
}> 			Diameter (km)	(mi)		Density (g/cm^3)
}> 
}> 	Moon		3474		2159		3.34
}> 
}> 	Pluto		2284 +-18	1419 +-11   \
}>                                                      >	2.065 +-.047
}> 	Charon		1192 +-34	 741 +-21   /
}> 
}> (+- means plus or minus; these figures aren't known to the last digit.)
}
}How lovely that we are SO certain of these things.  In fact, we are not.
}Until we send a satellite careening through the Pluto-Charon system to
}find out their relative masses and distances for certain, there is NO way 
}to know much about their relationships.  

Nonsense.  We knew fairly accurately the same data for Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus and Neptune before we sent a probe anywhere near them.  In fact
we *had* to know them so that we could accurately navigate to those
planets.  All a probe does is refine the figures to a few more decimal
places.

The reason that we didn't know Pluto's data for so long is that its
satellite went undiscovered until 1978.  A planet with no moons is
difficult to find the mass of; one with a moon is easy.

---
Dan Tilque    --     dant@techbook.com
From: dant@techbook.com (Dan Tilque)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
Subject: Re: The geographic search
Date: 5 Sep 92 10:23:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: techbook.1992Sep5.102301.13390
Organization: Pseudopolis Yard

I'm back.  Same address even.

Before this site went on a temporary break, I posted what I knew as the
best answers for this quiz.  However, there's always another atlas or
other reference to check, so my answers were not the final word.
However, I've mainly been concentrating on cities in my latest
research.

sstout@yukon.EBay.Sun.COM writes:
>From Rand McNally Worldmaster World Atlas:
>
>The Entrance, Austl.

I found this in one atlas (Hammond World Atlas, 1988) but it was
somewhat inconsistent about it.  In one place, it was called
Terrigal-The Entrance, in another, The Entrance-Terrigal and on the map
there were two dots, one for Terrigal and one for The Entrance.  The
population figure (37891) was for the combined cities.  The Times Atlas
doesn't have either place.  I have no idea if this is a valid answer or
not.

If anyone wants to look it up, The Entrance is in New South Wales on the
coast somewhere north of Sydney.

>The Plains, Ohio

Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide says this is just a
census designated place, not a city.  It also has a few other places
with fairly high populations that might qualify, but I'm not sure if
they're incorporated or not (it doesn't always say).  Can anyone tell me
if The Colony, TX; The Meadows, IL; or The Lakes, MD are incorporated or
not?  (Actually, all three sound like subdivisions.)

One other note.  In my list, I had The Rock, NSW.  I included it because
I'd found it in two different atlases but could not find a population
figure.  I now know that it's about 700 people, which makes it kind of
small for this quiz.

---
Dan Tilque    --     dant@techbook.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
From: dant@techbook.com (Dan Tilque)
Subject: Re: Play Jeopardy w/ Yen 9/3
Organization: Pseudopolis Yard
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 07:48:33 GMT

bouchard@ireq.hydro.qc.ca (Marco Bouchard ETUDIANT sept-dec 92) writes:
>
>> 5.  oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, carbon
>The question given was :
>> 5.  What are the five most abundant elements in earth (in order)?
>
>First, water is H20, two hydrogena atoms for one oxygen. Second, in the air 
>that we breathe, 79 % is composed of nitrogen and 20% of oxygen.For those
>reasons, I believe that the question is incorrect..

Someone else has already pointed out how water and air are relatively
minor constituents of the Earth's crust.  In addition to this, you must
realize that virtually every type of rock is made of oxides of other
elements.  For example, limestone is mostly calcium carbonate which
contains one calcium, one carbon and three oxygen atoms.  There's lots
of limestone in the crust.  In fact, most of the carbon on Earth is in
limestone.

---
Dan Tilque    --     dant@techbook.com
From: clj@ksr.com (Chris Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
Subject: Re: False dictionary/encyclopedia entries
Keywords: dictionary encyclopedia
Date: 14 Sep 92 10:50:04 EDT
Reply-To: clj@ksr.com (Chris Jones)
Distribution: na
Organization: Kendall Square Research Corp
In-reply-to: jpmott@sunspot.nosc.mil (Jon Mott)

In article <1992Sep10.175642.24292@nosc.mil>, jpmott@sunspot (Jon Mott) writes:
>Apparently it is "common" practice for publishers of dictionaries
>and encyclopedias to make up some false entries for inclusion in
>their reference works, the idea is to be able to catch plagiarizers.
[...]
>HERE IS MY QUESTION: What is this practice called -- I knew the
>term once, but I lost it and it has been driving me nuts trying
>to remember it.

I believe the bogus terms are called "bunnies".
--
Chris Jones    clj@ksr.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia,rec.arts.movies
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Re: _Listen_To_Me_ monologue-- HELP!
Organization: AT&T
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 21:21:40 GMT
Keywords: monologue

In article <1992Sep15.143208.13477@cs.tulane.edu> jordan@cs.tulane.edu (Misti Jordan) writes:
>
>Ok... now it's my turn to ask for some help...
>I am taking an acting class this semester, and we have to perform
>a monologue in a week and a half. I would like to do one of the two
>monologues that the girl does in the movie _Listen_To_Me_ (where she
>answers the question toward the beginning of the movie about "Should
>lawyers defend people that they themselves believe are guilty?", and
>at the end of the movie, where they are in the courtroom and she
>tells about being raped or molested or whatever it was...) or any
>other long speeches in the movie as well. Our performance has to be
>a minute to a minute and a half, so if you have any suggestions,
>please let me know. If anyone out there has the movie on tape, and
>can send me a message relaying her speeches, I would GREATLY appreciate
>it.

If you want some good advice, skip this movie entirely.  The writing
is pathetic.  If you want a good monologue to deliver, particularly
in that time limit, get ahold of a collection of Sam Shepard's stuff.
Check out Fool for Love.  Or any other.  But Jamie Gertz has definitely
better performances in other movies that were written by someone
more skilled than the average 12 year old.  God, why didn't they just
make her hit her opponent with a brick?  Too many hack writers out there.

GMS
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
From: jpmott@sunspot.nosc.mil (Jon Mott)
Subject: False dictionary/encyclopedia entries
Summary: Looking for a word
Originator: jpmott@sunspot
Keywords: dictionary encyclopedia 
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, CA
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 17:56:42 GMT

Apparently it is "common" practice for publishers of dictionaries
and encyclopedias to make up some false entries for inclusion in
their reference works, the idea is to be able to catch plagiarizers.

[The logic is that nobody "reads" these things, they look up stuff,
and they wouldn't look up something that doesn't exist, so no harm
done there. Furthermore, you can catch the unscrupulous that might
be compiling their "own" reference work without really doing the 
proper work - i.e. if they include the bogus, they are stealing 
from you.]

HERE IS MY QUESTION: What is this practice called -- I knew the
term once, but I lost it and it has been driving me nuts trying
to remember it.

Also, does anyone KNOW of any such entries in some common reference
works? (Now that's trivia!)

THANKS!
-Jon
From: kubey@sgi.com (Ken Kubey)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
Subject: Re: False dictionary/encyclopedia entries
Keywords: dictionary encyclopedia
Date: 14 Sep 92 21:05:41 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mountain View, CA

This reminds me... 
The word "gullible" is not in the dictionary.
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia,rec.arts.movies
From: jordan@cs.tulane.edu (Misti Jordan)
Subject: _Listen_To_Me_ monologue-- HELP!
Keywords: monologue
Organization: Computer Science Dept., Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 14:32:08 GMT
Nntp-Posting-Host-[nntpd-13428]: sinbad


Ok... now it's my turn to ask for some help...
I am taking an acting class this semester, and we have to perform
a monologue in a week and a half. I would like to do one of the two
monologues that the girl does in the movie _Listen_To_Me_ (where she
answers the question toward the beginning of the movie about "Should
lawyers defend people that they themselves believe are guilty?", and
at the end of the movie, where they are in the courtroom and she
tells about being raped or molested or whatever it was...) or any
other long speeches in the movie as well. Our performance has to be
a minute to a minute and a half, so if you have any suggestions,
please let me know. If anyone out there has the movie on tape, and
can send me a message relaying her speeches, I would GREATLY appreciate
it.

Misti

--
			   ||  "Some of it's magic...Some of it's tragic...
Misti D. Jordan            ||   but I had a good life all the way..."
jordan@cs.tulane.edu       ||                   -- Jimmy Buffett
    "I want to be good... but being bad is so rewarding!" -- Morgana Duck
From: hamel@uakari.primate.wisc.edu (Ray Hamel)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trivia
Subject: WEEKLY QUIZ #19
Date: 11 Sep 92 14:22:08 GMT
Organization: UW-Madison Primate Center
NNTP-Posting-Host: uakari.primate.wisc.edu


     Welcome to the weekly trivia quiz.  I post the quizzes on
Friday mornings, and the answers will be due by the following
Thursday.  There are 5 questions in each quiz; each question is
worth one point.  For each quiz,  I will post the weekly scores
(and answers, of course) as well as an accumulative score, for a
total of 25 quizzes. 
     Send your answers to hamel@primate.wisc.edu.  Please do not
POST to the list.  Thank you. 
 
 
WEEKLY QUIZ #19  (Answers due by September 17.)
 
#1)  What did Mike Brady do for a living on "The Brady Bunch"?
 
#2)  What band was signed to Apple Records by Paul McCartney to
record the soundtrack for the movie "The Magic Christian"?
 
#3)  In the movie "Mister Roberts", specifically what do Mr.
Roberts and the ship's doctor create using alcohol, Coca-Cola, hair
tonic and iodine?
 
#4)  Who won National Book Awards in 1970 for his children's book
"A Day of Pleasure" and in 1973 for his novel "A Crown of
Feathers"?
 
#5)  What team did the Green Bay Packers defeat in 1967 and 1968
NFL title games to earn the right to play in the first two Super
Bowls?
 
 
Ray Hamel
University of Wisconsin