# Gary Wong > computer scientist **Wikidata**: [Q116002592](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q116002592) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/gary-wong ## Summary Gary Wong is a male computer scientist and researcher known for creating **GNUbg**, an open‑source backgammon program. He is a member of the GNU Project and maintains a personal academic website at the University of Utah. ## Biography - **Education:** University of Auckland (undergraduate/graduate studies – specific degree not listed) - **Known for:** Development of GNUbg - **Employer(s) / Affiliation:** Member of the GNU Project; personal academic page hosted by the University of Utah’s Computer Science department - **Field(s):** Computer science ## Contributions Gary Wong’s most prominent contribution is **GNUbg**, an open‑source backgammon engine released under the GNU umbrella. The program implements advanced algorithms for move evaluation and has been used by hobbyists and researchers studying game AI. By publishing GNUbg, Wong provided a freely available reference implementation that helped demonstrate the capabilities of the GNU licensing model for complex software. The project is linked to an interview titled “Interview with Gary Wong (from Der Backgammonfreund)”, underscoring its relevance within the backgammon and open‑source communities. In addition to GNUbg, Wong actively contributes to the GNU Project, maintaining a Savannah user account (gtw) and hosting his code repositories on a GitLab instance at the University of Utah. His scholarly output is indexed in major bibliographic databases (DBLP, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, Dimensions, ResearchGate), ensuring that his research is discoverable and citable. ## FAQs ### Q: Who is Gary Wong? A: Gary Wong is a computer scientist and researcher best known for creating the GNU backgammon program GNUbg and for his involvement with the GNU Project. ### Q: What is GNUbg? A: GNUbg is an open‑source backgammon engine developed by Gary Wong; it showcases advanced AI techniques for the game and is distributed under the GNU license. ### Q: How can I find Gary Wong’s work online? A: His personal academic page is https://www.cs.utah.edu/~gtw/, and his GNU Savannah profile is https://savannah.gnu.org/users/gtw. Code repositories are also hosted at https://gitlab.flux.utah.edu/gtw. ## Why They Matter Gary Wong’s development of GNUbg provided a high‑quality, freely available backgammon engine that serves both as a recreational tool and a research platform for AI and game theory. By releasing the software under the GNU license, he reinforced the principle that sophisticated, performance‑critical applications can be open source, encouraging broader community collaboration. GNUbg has been referenced in discussions of game AI and has inspired subsequent open‑source game projects. Wong’s broader participation in the GNU Project and his visibility across scholarly databases further amplify his influence, making his contributions a touchstone for developers who seek to combine rigorous algorithmic work with open‑source distribution. ## Notable For - Creation of **GNUbg**, an open‑source backgammon engine. - Active membership in the **GNU Project** (Savannah user “gtw”). - Maintaining a publicly accessible academic website at the University of Utah. - Presence in major scholarly indexes (DBLP, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, ACM DL, Dimensions, ResearchGate). ## Body ### Early Life and Education - Attended the **University of Auckland**, where he completed his higher education in computer science. Specific degrees or graduation years are not listed in the source material. ### Professional Affiliations - **GNU Project:** Listed as a member, with a Savannah account (username “gtw”) confirming his involvement in GNU development activities. - **University of Utah:** Hosts his personal academic webpage (https://www.cs.utah.edu/~gtw/), indicating a professional connection, though the exact role (e.g., faculty, researcher) is not specified. ### GNUbg – The Flagship Project - **Name:** GNUbg - **Domain:** Backgammon AI / game engine - **License:** GNU (implied by project name and affiliation) - **Impact:** Provides a reference implementation for backgammon AI, used by enthusiasts and researchers. The project is highlighted in an interview (“Interview with Gary Wong (from Der Backgammonfreund)”). ### Online Presence and Code Repositories - **Personal website:** https://www.cs.utah.edu/~gtw/ (primary, English language). - **GitLab repository:** https://gitlab.flux.utah.edu/gtw – hosts source code and related materials. - **Savannah profile:** https://savannah.gnu.org/users/gtw – central hub for GNU‑related contributions. ### Scholarly and Bibliographic Identifiers - **DBLP author IDs:** 09/6150 (Gary T. Wong) and 31/7964 (Gary Wong). - **Scopus author ID:** 55067736100. - **IEEE Xplore author ID:** 37435996600. - **ACM Digital Library IDs:** 81538858656 (Gary T Wong) and 81351602778 (Gary Wong). - **Dimensions author ID:** 014712561245.18. - **ResearchGate contributions ID:** 70697271. These identifiers ensure that Wong’s publications and software contributions are searchable across major academic and technical platforms. ### Languages - **English** (spoken, written, and signed). --- *All information presented above is drawn exclusively from the supplied source material.* ## References 1. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 2. [Source](https://savannah.gnu.org/users/gtw) 3. [Interview with Gary Wong (from Der Backgammonfreund)](http://gtw.freeshell.org/interview.html)