<p>So I am taking this class on MIT Ocw. I am learning a ton about minimal algorithm and alpha beta search etc.. But none of the lectures show how to actually implement it. They don't tell you how to write a program for anything. I seen a lot of other things on the internet just like this. I get taught all this theory but not how to program it. Am I supposed to already know how to do it? How do I learn to actually implement an alpha beta search for a chess engine?</p>
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<p>“If you figure this out, let me know.” </p>
<p>This was how I felt throughout MIT (in 8.01/8.02/5.111/18.01/18.02 as well as course 6). There does seem to be some sort of unnamable skill in translating theory to practice, and you do get better at it over time. But it’s the part of the firehose that is more sink-or-swim. You can always go to TAs or tutors for help if you get stuck, though. </p>
<p>6.034 actually does have coding assignments; almost everything taught in class is implemented. You should download and try the labs, or the homework assignments, from this past fall. Even if you can’t submit them for grading you should be able to access them. <a href=“Labs - 6.034 Wiki”>Labs - 6.034 Wiki;
<p>If you’d like more focus on implementation, you might be interested in 6.005. It’s purely a coding course (in Java), and teaches a lot of aspects of testing and commenting and organizing code. Most MIT computer science classes do focus on theory rather than coding. Computer science is a branch of mathematics, really.</p>
<p>Have fun!</p>
<p>@PiperXP @lidusha but what about everyone else who knows how to code some artificial intelligence. They can’t all be having the same problem I am. They can’t all just have a brilliant idea on how to code an alpha-beta search.There has to be some resource that actually teaches how to implement artificial intelligence.
@lidusha About 6.005, after that course will I be able to come back to 6.034 and be able to know how to implement these algorithms. Thanks for the idea about the homework assignments, but is there anything else?</p>
<p>I don’t know. I don’t know how much experience you have with coding. I don’t think any class is necessary for implementing the algorithms in 6.034. If you have never coded before you’re probably best off with codecademy.com. Keep in mind that the 6.034 homework assignments are in Python.</p>
<p>Note also that there are (or were) 2 different versions of 6.034.
There’s the one taught by Patrick Winston (the really popular version), taught during the Fall.
And there’s the one taught by the other guy… whose name I don’t recall, taught during the Spring.</p>
<p>Regarding Prof. Winston’s class, in addition to the lectures, there were recitations (run by TAs that reviewed the lecture material and sometimes went into further detail) and Python-based programming assignments.
I guess you are not seeing the programming assignments via OCW?</p>