Recommended Links

These recommended links are listed in alphabetical order under each category. A few of these links point to PDF or Postscript files. To read PDF files, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded for free from Adobe's website.

Programming - Computer Science - AI - Game AI - Chess AI - Go AI

Programming

Cprogramming.com

A good site for beginners who want to learn C++, with a nice set of tutorials and a very good, active message board. This site is well-maintained and updated, so it is easy to navigate and learn from.
 

The Code Project

A well written site with an expansive, active message-board system and a large number of articles on many specific programming topics. Although it is aimed towards more experienced programmers, it also has many beginner's articles.
 

Mark Watson's Loving Lisp - the Savy Programmer's Secret Weapon

LISP (List Processing) is an often-used language for AI because of its recursive nature and small number of data-structures. This free book on the internet (it's supported by small donations) is a very handy introduction to this unique language (this book covers the Common Lisp variation). It comes in a 330 KB Zip file.
 

The Programmer's Heaven

With many files to download, a very extensive list of links, and a very active message board, it is what the name declares: a programmer's heaven, especially for the beginners looking for information.
 

C++-Home

A great site with large databases of C++ resources, including tutorials, source code, and links. The site also has programming contests and a set of C++ forums on programming topics from Algorithms to Windows/Unix programming.

Computer Science

Links to Online Algorithms Resources

A nice collection to a variety of important and interesting algorithms from several fields, including encryption and genetic algorithms

Free Online Dictionary of Computing (FOLDOC)

A great dictionary for looking-up those strange terms that you may come across while reading about Computer Science and AI. It has entries of everything from recursion to finite-state machines, and the entries have full definitions that are extremely understandable. A very handy reference.
 

NIST Dictionary of Algorithms, Data Structures, and Problems

This site defines just about any term you will come across while studying computer science and artificial intelligence. Although sometimes it can be a bit cryptic and terse, overall, it can be quite helpful in understanding the complex jargon of computer science and AI.

General Artificial Intelligence

AboutAI.net

A portal to AI, with hundreds of articles and links on topics ranging from Artificial Life and Cellular Automata to Game AI, Fuzzy Logic, Information Retrieval, Robotics, and Web Agents. The site is very easy to navigate, making it a great way to find specific information as well as general introductions to AI. The site also has a forum and a chat room.
 

AI Topics

It is managed by the American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), and the articles are aimed at mostly the non-technical. Thus, although the essays don't go too far in-depth, they are are broad in scope, perfect for the beginner with of fear of heavy jargon. The site has links to many other internet sources through which a beginner can explore AI furthur.
 

CMU Artificial Intelligence Repository

CMU's collection of FAQ's is an excellent source of information about AI. Although the site is not as easy to navigate as some of the others are, the FAQ's are easy to understand and read (for the most part).
 

ELIZA on the Web

An adaptation of one of the most famous demonstrations of "Robot Intellect," this program was designed to participate in a Turing Test type situation. Apparently, some people were fooled by it! Try it out! It's fun!
 

Generation 5

A very helpful site full of well-written essays on AI, everything from the theoretical to the technical and specific. The site also has some downloadable files, many of which are compiled programs that can demonstrate certain algorithms. Although the essays are often very technical and specific, the site is still a great place for beginners to learn about AI.
 

Kurzweil AI

A fun site, with flashy graphics and demos. This site is more weighted towards philosophy and doesn't have much technical information, so it should be easy for anyone to read. Beware, however, because this site is a bit media heavy, and so it might take a long time to load on a slow interent connection.
 

Mark Watson's Practical AI Programming in Java

A great free book on the internet (it's supported by small donations). It covers the basics of AI programming, such as Searching algorithms (like the alpha-beta algorithm), Neural Networks, the Genetic Algorithm, and Natural Language Processing. It comes with lots of Java source code, so it's quite good to learn from. Go download the book!! (It is a 1.1 megabyte Zip file.)
 

PC AI

A bimonthly online magazine that has many articles on AI and Neural Networking. You can order this magazine for a fairly low price, and they offer a free sample issue as well. The real goldmine, however, is the online directory that PC AI has. It contains not only links to online sites and vendors for a wide range of AI topics, but also lists of books and papers written on those topics. For any serious researcher, this site is surely one of the most valuable resources available.
 

Will's AI Articles

An informative group of articles written by Will Dwinnel, a speaker and programmer who has had much first-hand experience with Neural Networks and AI. The articles are a bit technical, so they are not for the uninitiated, but for those that have some experience already, the articles will be quite valuable.
 

Yahoo AI Group

This is basically a message-board community, but it is very good for asking questions about AI, since it's centered mostly around beginners.

Game AI

AI Forge

A nice site with a huge collection of links to AI and game-programming/game AI sites. There are also lot of links to artificial life and bots.

GameAI.com

A large site maintained by an experienced game programmer. It has a hundreds of links to online resources, as well as archived discussions on many game AI programming topics. Beginners might find it bewildering, but for those who are familiar with programming, it is a great guide to finding the information you need.
 

Gamedev.net AI Resources

Although it is mainly focused on gaming, this site also has many articles and links to resources on general topics as well. An excellent place to look for information on programming AI into games.
 

Machine Learning in Games

A good place to find information on programming Go, Chess, and other games as well. It's a nice starting point for research, and should be quite interesting for beginners as well.

Chess AI

François Dominic Laramée's Chess Programming Articles

These are a great introduction to Chess programming, and very extensive. It is easy to read and not very technical at all, perfect for the beginner. They come in 6 seperate parts:

1. Getting Started
2. Data Structures
3. Move Generation
4. Basic Search Techniques
5. Advanced Search Techniques
6. Evaluation Functions

 

Go AI

AGA Computer Go Page

Hosted by the American Go Association, this page is full of information about Go programming, from sample games between people and computers to analyses about computer program strengths and weaknesses.
 

Computer Go Mailing List

This mailing list is mostly for programmers working on actual programs. It discusses many of the problems that developers have to deal with in making Go programs.
 

Evolving Go Playing Strategy in Neural Networks

A paper in PDF format about the usefulness of Neural Networks and the Genetic Algorithm in Go programs, which are mostly knowledge databases and classical AI. An interesting discussion, but maybe a bit technical for the unintiated.
 

Machine Learning, Game Playing, and Go

A paper in Postscript format about the relationship between Machine learning and Go, with analyses on a wide variety of commercial Go programs. It is quite interesting for anyone interested in programming Go. (The link is to a zip file, and the zip file contains the postscript file).
 

Michael Reiss's Computer Go Page

An informative page by the creator of Go4++, one of the the top computer Go playing programs in the world. This page has links to many other internet resources on Go programming.