This morning, when I connected to the internet, I got the following message from AIM:
quote:12:51:30 PM aolsystemmsg: AIM added a new AIM Bots group to your Buddy List. 12:51:30 PM aolsystemmsg: Send IMs to moviefone and shoppingbuddy for great holiday flicks and gift ideas. (To remove 'em, just right-click and delete! Learn More)
Sure enough, there at the bottom of my buddy list was a new group called "AIM bots" with two bots named "Moviefone" and "ShoppingBuddy."
Has anyone else received this shameless bit of advertising? Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Annoying AOL.
I deleted the bots immediately.
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
Gr to evile bots! How dare AIM try to subject them on us!
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:Originally posted by Scott R: Annoying AOL.
I deleted the bots immediately.
Me too.
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
I like how they tell you that you've deleted them.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:1:03:49 PM aolsystemmsg: The following bots are no longer available and have been removed from your buddy list: moviefone. To find out more about bots, go to http://aimtoday.aol.com/aimbots
More shameless advertising. Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :
I'm just glad I use iChat and Adium for my AIM purposes. No bots or anything.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
I also use Adium. This came directly from the AIM server, through Adium.
Just you wait... Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
I wish I still had DeadAim but I lost it when my harddrive crashed. >.<
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Did you see that after I IM'd you about it, Adam? Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
At least we were able to delete them..... About the only good thing about it
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Agreed.
Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
DeadAim rocks. I, too, lost mine when I had a system snafu, but I went and bought it again because I love it so much.
AIM bots are cool--but then I'm prejudiced, as I run a few. However, it is very, very uncool of AOL to automatically add the bots to your Buddy List. I hate intrusive marketing, and this is definitely intrusive. Bad AOL!
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
It will be interesting to see how successful this type of marketing will be...
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
quote:Originally posted by Ela: Sure enough, there at the bottom of my buddy list was a new group called "AIM bots" with two bots named "Moviefone" and "ShoppingBuddy."
Has anyone else received this shameless bit of advertising?
Pshht... mine brazenly appeared at the TOP of my buddy list. Grr!
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
Yea mine were at the top too. I checked the bottom first because of this thread, and was happy that they weren't there. But then surprise surprise they were chillin' at the top.
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
On another AIM note... I really recommend NOT downloading the new AIM Beta. The ad on your buddy list is no longer there, and replacing it are even more annoying ads on every IM box.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Is it ok to be jealous that i didn't get something I don't want? Because I've been on for 21 hours, and no bots added, but I have had my away message up most of the day.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
I doubt that would make a difference. They seem to get sent when you sign on.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Oh I haven't signed on. I'll sign off and sign on.
Posted by Grisha (Member # 6871) on :
quote:Originally posted by Raia:
quote:Originally posted by Ela: Sure enough, there at the bottom of my buddy list was a new group called "AIM bots" with two bots named "Moviefone" and "ShoppingBuddy."
Has anyone else received this shameless bit of advertising?
Pshht... mine brazenly appeared at the TOP of my buddy list. Grr!
mine too, i was insulted at the presumption, of being at the top. Hmph.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Mine came back after I deleted them. Since then they've stayed gone, though.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Really? That hasn't happened to me...
(Maybe I shouldn't speak too soon. )
Posted by Zarex (Member # 8504) on :
I can't delete them. I usually pride myself on my computer savvy but aol and it's insidious marketing has defeated me on this one. I'm on a mac laptop. Whenever I ctrl click the menu comes up but there is no delete option. Help!
Okay, I deleted them, but I'm wondering how do I delete people from the online list?
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Just use the buddy list setup and delete them the way you would any other buddy.
And why the heck are you using AIM on a Mac? Use iChat or Adium, for goodness sakes. Posted by Zarex (Member # 8504) on :
Lots of my friends are on AIM
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I have friends who use ichat to talk to me on AIM.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
iChat and Adium both work with AIM.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
*profanity inserted* stoopid aim *more profanity*
Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
I had 2 AimBots this morning, and I kinda freaked out because I thought I had a virus or spyware or something. But I deleted them right away. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
*curious, logs on*
Lookit that. *kills 'em, and the group they rode in on* Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
My AIM bots had a discussion with aolsystemmsg about the new bots. I am greatly amused, and post it here for your enjoyment.
(I changed the name of some of my bots as some of them are for private use).
quote: Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AIM added a new AIM Bots group to your Buddy List. ChaosAIM: [omg_fake_name] I FIND THIS SUBJECT BORING.
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AIM added a new AIM Bots group to your Buddy List. ChaosAIM: [fakebotname1] Let's talk about something else, please.
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AIM added a new AIM Bots group to your Buddy List. ChaosAIM: [wibblebot01] Tell me more about that.
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] Send IMs to moviefone and shoppingbuddy for great holiday flicks and gift ideas. (To remove 'em, just right-click and delete! Learn More) ChaosAIM: [wibblebot01] Is this what you do in your free time?
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] Send IMs to moviefone and shoppingbuddy for great holiday flicks and gift ideas. (To remove 'em, just right-click and delete! Learn More) ChaosAIM: [omg_fake_name] YEAH?
=== spacedbot is joining cadetchat === === not_real_name is joining notrealchat ===
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] Send IMs to moviefone and shoppingbuddy for great holiday flicks and gift ideas. (To remove 'em, just right-click and delete! Learn More) ChaosAIM: [fakebotname1] Astounding.
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AIM added a new AIM Bots group to your Buddy List. ChaosAIM: [spoilerchatbot] This is an interesting topic.
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AIM added a new AIM Bots group to your Buddy List. ChaosAIM: [spacedbot] What do you do in your free time?
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] Send IMs to moviefone and shoppingbuddy for great holiday flicks and gift ideas. (To remove 'em, just right-click and delete! Learn More) ChaosAIM: [spacedbot] This is an interesting topic.
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AIM added a new AIM Bots group to your Buddy List. ChaosAIM: [not_real_name] Go on...
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] Send IMs to moviefone and shoppingbuddy for great holiday flicks and gift ideas. (To remove 'em, just right-click and delete! Learn More) ChaosAIM: [not_real_name] Let's talk about something else, please.
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:07 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] Send IMs to moviefone and shoppingbuddy for great holid ay flicks and gift ideas. (To remove 'em, just right-click and delete! Learn Mor e) ChaosAIM: [spoilerchatbot] This is an interesting topic.
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:21 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AOL System Msg menu: To manage your Instant Messaging sessions, choose an option below by responding with the option's number (1 or 2). 1. Sign off my AIM sessions connected from other locations (this will not disc onnect my AOL sessions) 2. Tell me how many times I'm currently signed on. ChaosAIM: [not_real_name] :-(
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:22 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AOL System Msg menu: To manage your Instant Messaging sessions, choose an option below by responding with the option's number (1 or 2). 1. Sign off my AIM sessions connected from other locations (this will not disc onnect my AOL sessions) 2. Tell me how many times I'm currently signed on. ChaosAIM: [not_real_name] :-(
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:22 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AOL System Msg menu: To manage your Instant Messaging sessions, choose an option below by responding with the option's number (1 or 2). 1. Sign off my AIM sessions connected from other locations (this will not disc onnect my AOL sessions) 2. Tell me how many times I'm currently signed on. ChaosAIM: [spoilerchatbot] :-(
Wednesday, November 16 2005 @ 7:6:27 PM ChaosAIM: [aolsystemmsg] AOL System Msg menu: To manage your Instant Messaging sessions, choose an option below by responding with the option's number (1 or 2). 1. Sign off my AIM sessions connected from other locations (this will not disc onnect my AOL sessions) 2. Tell me how many times I'm currently signed on. ChaosAIM: [spoilerchatbot] That's not very good.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
You just have way too much time on your hands... Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Clearly, your bots are scintillating conversationalists. Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
Hee! They're not really "chatterbot" types. They don't learn from their conversations, and have a very limited set of programmed responses. I made them to serve a purpose (be a resource for Harry Potter RPG fans) and they do that well. It's really fun to add new commands and features to them. But yeah, their conversational skills could use some work.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
You know, I have to admit that I just don't "get" resource bots. I don't see the point. What possible purpose can they serve better than, say, a FAQ on a webpage?
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
I don't think they are any easier. If it's information that you need to reference frequently, it's far easier to have the site on a bookmarks bar.
Are there people who use resource bots who have a different opinion?
Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
Are you talking about my bots, Tom?
My initial purpose for creating an AIM bot was to guard a chat room. My friends and I hung out in an AIM chatroom a lot to discuss nocturne_alley, a Harry Potter RPG. One day, my friend popped into chat when I was away from my computer for a few minutes. When she saw no one was talking, she left the chatroom. So I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool if we could have a bot that would greet people, or tell them that someone is AFK and will be back soon?"
Eventually I added some fun commands that would quickly get various stats about the game for us. Yes, these stats are available on webpages. But when chat was busy, it was much easier to ask the bot for the information rather than flip over to the web and browse for it. Plus, it was fun!
Is it better than a webpage? Eh. I could have made a webpage somewhere that would tabulate all the information at once (which actually would be very cool, and I might do that). And there's some benefits to a resource bot. Since they just send text, you can access them from mobile much more easily than you can access many websites.
And I learned Perl because of my bots. So I'd say it was worth it. My bots are much loved by the small community that uses them, too.
Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
Oh, and here's another example that just happened this morning.
My dad comes over to my desk and asks me if I can access the company's intranet website. No, I can't--it seems to be down. I overhear other people talking about it. So I go over to my dad and ask him what he wanted to use the intranet for. He wanted to look up email addresses for a couple of FAs, which is what I thought.
So I told him about the directory bot we have here. He didn't know about it. I walked him through adding it to his Buddy list and sending a query. He was able to get the necessary emails that he'd been trying to get all morning--which is a long time, considering he starts work at 6:00 a.m.
My sister, who's an admin assistant uses the IM bot a lot, because it's actually TONS faster than the webpage. So it comes in very handy for her, as she looks up many people every day.
So yes, resource bots DO have their uses. Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Its like asking, why have a javascript mapping API when people could just plug addresses into the mapping web page .
Just because information is available in one way does not mean there are circumstances where another way is preferable to access it. Among other things, a bot reduces the number of recall tasks one has to make, since the bot's name will indicate what information the bot is appropriate for, moving that to a recognition task.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Evil Laugh]](graemlins/evillaugh.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
Since then they've stayed gone, though.