05. Rating Auditor Report

[Lyle Craver]

This thread is reserved for Bill Doubleday's report

[Ken Craft]

Is one forthcoming this meeting?

[William G. Doubleday]

I don't have a report for this meeting but I did a post on "undrrated juniors"

Bill Doubleday

[Garland Best]

Tonight I was talking with our rating auditor after the usual RA Chess club tournamant, and I was asking about the rating calculations. He revealed to me that when he assumed the role of rating auditor, he asked to see the source code used to calculate ratings. What was supplied was a compiled Visual Basic program, and that as far as he knows the original source code was lost!

To this day he cannot determine how the software works. He cannot determine how the ratings are calculated and verify that they are indeed correct. He also stated that he reported the issue to the current president, requested funds to get a new version written, and was told there was no funding available.

I therefore insist on answers to the following questions:

1) Is the above story true?
2) How long has this been the case?
3) Was this issue ever revealed to the governors in previous administrations?
4) If this is indeed true, how have any modifications such as bonus and activity points been added to the rating system?
5) What does the executive members intend to do to rectify the situation?

If what I just reported is true, then I consider this the number one priority for this administration to fix. The integrity of the rating system is paramount to the function of the CFC, given that so many members consider this the one really useful function the CFC supplies.

[Bob Gillanders]

Garland - I do not recall this conversation.
Bill will need to refresh my memory.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

that as far as he knows the original source code was lost!

I think the previous writings on this forum stated that the code was found. (I assume this is true, as the latest changes of the rating system were implemented...)

[Fred McKim]

Over the years I had heard that the source code was lost. This means we would be unable to modify the program.

However, it appears it must have been found if we've been able to perform minor tinkering with the participation and bonus points.

I think we can all agree we have an antiquated system, and writing a new or revised rating program will be the next major capital expense.

The program works as advertized, or we'd get all sorts of major complaints. The trickiest part is tournaments with a majority of unrateds, but even then we've been able to determine that the code is working "correctly".

[Stuart Brammall]

Over the years I had heard that the source code was lost. This means we would be unable to modify the program.

However, it appears it must have been found if we've been able to perform minor tinkering with the participation and bonus points.

I think we can all agree we have an antiquated system, and writing a new or revised rating program will be the next major capital expense.

The program works as advertized, or we'd get all sorts of major complaints. The trickiest part is tournaments with a majority of unrateds, but even then we've been able to determine that the code is working "correctly".

Who has the code, right now?

[Fred McKim]

As far as I know, the source code is on the computer in the CFC Office. I'm not sure if anybody has a "personal" copy.

[Garland Best]

This contradicts what I was told last night. I would be VERY happy if I am wrong. Even then, it would still mean that I am worried about the auditing process.