[lug] What is a bot?

[Calvin Dodge]

On Wed, Aug 08, 2001 at 10:21:14AM -0700, David Porter wrote:
> Hi, I am a Linux newbie so go easy on me. :)
> 
> I am wanting to learn shell scripting, and have found
> an ISP that will give me a shell account (Fairplay
> Communications).  But there usage agreement at

Welcome - I've been happy with my FPCC account since November, 1999 (when Netcom decided they would accept email only from dial-up accounts).

> http://www.fpcc.net/policies/aup.php3 says that IRC
> bots are prohibited.  I kind of know what IRC is (some
> kind of chat rooms I think), but what is a IRC bot?  I
> just want to know so that I don't get kicked off
> fpcc.net because I was ignorant. :)

It's a program which listens to a specified IRC (Internet Relay Chat) channel, and responds to requests as if it was a person.  (Correct me if I'm wrong, guys - I don't exactly have a lot of experience with IRC).

I believe the issue is that such a bot could respond to commands on the channel, and use up FPCC cpu cycles and space - as well as (perhaps) being coerced into helping someone crack other systems.  That's just speculation on my part, based on what I've read.

I believe you'd have to deliberately set up such a bot - I don't _think_ you could create and run such a thing accidentally.

So if you don't do IRC, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

(OK - someone out there show me what I got wrong)

Calvin

-- 
Calvin Dodge
Certified Linux Bigot (tm)
http://www.caldodge.fpcc.net