• Registered: 2010-08-20
  • Posts: 108

Topic: #! IRC Bot

In reference to my Programming Woes thread, I feel that designing and implementing an IRC bot to help with the community and newbies to #! would be a good way to test and use some of my programming skills. I am posting here and asking if 1) Would you like to see an IRC Bot for the #! Channel? 2) What features would you like implemented, 3) What, if any, design suggestions do any of you have?

So far my list of features is as follows:
Capture and respond to key words such as "keyboard issues", and private message the inquiring mind with a solution and forum links to their problem or issue.
Have a simple game of 20 questions to occupy lone IRC chatters (like myself at early times in the morning)
Develop a method to poll the forums using a google search or an equivalent to give the appropriate thread/forum subsection to the inquirer based on what they are looking for, as not everyone is going to simply have problems or issues, but may want to know about artwork, wallpapers, etc..

Please, post up!

Metaphysicist v2_10-7-10_8.1_21
  • Him
  • #! Junkie
  • Offline
  • From: Here
  • Registered: 2010-03-31
  • Posts: 306

Re: #! IRC Bot

For the most part, I'm against the idea. I *hate* it that whenever I go into the #archlinux channel and ask a question, state that I've read the wiki, and have already asked for help on this same problem, they just keep giving the link to their wiki (which is exactly why I'm still stuck with this xmodmap problem).

As for the idea of a trivia bot.... I think #crunchbang's most redeeming quality is that the chan's tendency to go from dead silence to buzzing with information in a minute, so I'm against that as well.

A world without what makes us, us. One without you or me.
A world with no differences, this is the world I see.

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  • Registered: 2010-08-20
  • Posts: 108

Re: #! IRC Bot

Well I design AI at the job that I currently work at, so it would be a bit more realistic in it's responses and such. It wouldn't just spam a page, or a link to a forum post. At first it's going to be entirely passive, so I can pick apart key words involved in most 'help' topics in the channel, and formulate a turing-test like response to help the person with their problem.

Last edited by Metaphysicist (2010-08-31 02:38:21)

Metaphysicist v2_10-7-10_8.1_21
  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2009-06-29
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: #! IRC Bot

I'd probably be against the idea as well. The way i could see it being acceptable is if its more of an info bot then anything. Never responds unless the person addresses it.
Send it queries, and then it would do its thing. Not by default as you suggest, that seems to add to the spam of the channel.

It would be nice if it kept track of really popular issues. Things that get answered A LOT in the forums and IRC. That way the users in the channel could simple get the bot to respond. I think regardless of your AI skills, it would be better to leave this up to real users, because as I said, i find bots tend to spam channels too much.

just call me...
~FSM~
  • Registered: 2010-08-20
  • Posts: 108

Re: #! IRC Bot

It will be entirely passive. I should have mentioned that earlier. It will merely collect information from what goes on within IRC and the forums, and catalogs that data that it crawled in to a meaningful output for the user to peruse if they so choose.

Last edited by Metaphysicist (2010-08-31 04:44:46)

Metaphysicist v2_10-7-10_8.1_21
  • jpope
  • #! Junkie
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  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2009-09-20
  • Posts: 275

Re: #! IRC Bot

I just ran across this old thread. I'm gonna take a guess and say that "Crunchie" is no longer active?
wink

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  • Registered: 2010-08-20
  • Posts: 108

Re: #! IRC Bot

I might try and resurrect Crunchie, then. I have a pretty good handle on IRC bots now after playing with them intensely.

Metaphysicist v2_10-7-10_8.1_21