[Theforum] IRC Bot - thepfy

[Ron Dorman]

Martin wrote:

> On Friday, December 28, 2001, at 08:43  pm, Ron Dorman wrote:
>
> >>> what is there to troubleshoot on an IRC channel?
> >>
> >> Troubleshooting the bot, not the channel.
> >
> > that's cool.  does the bot have to record everything without people
> > knowing
> > they are being recorded for you to troubleshoot it?
>
> How else am I going to know what the conditions were when it went wrong?

the same way you know the conditions when people know they are being
recorded!  you analyze the log.

when you launch the bot, you tell people what it is, what it is doing and
why it is doing it.  the lack of those considerations is what has caused
most of the discussion on this thread.

> Also, the important issue is not whether it gets recorded, but
> what gets done with the record. If theforum doesn't want #evolt
> to follow the same rules as every other evolt public space, the
> recording won't be published.

that is what the important issue is now, since we have had it thrown in our
faces.

> Unlike logs and mail access on servers in the US, UK-based
> logs are under legal binding regarding use of data:
> http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk

yes, i know this.   ?????

> There's a lower chance of data being misused in this country
> than in the US.

i think the chances are about the same.  it does not depend on laws and
regulations.  it depends on people.  there are good and bad people in the UK
just as there are in the US and throughout the world.  the laws have not
deterred the bad people in the past and probably will not in the future.

> John's in the UK too, so he'll be bound by the
> same legislation. When I say the purpose of the data collection
> is "troubleshooting", that has a precise meaning.

the way i interpreted your responses was that you launched the bot for your
personal learning and troubleshooting of the bot code.

are you saying you launched the bot for the purpose of collecting peoples
conversations, without their knowledge, so you could report and stop what
you think are problems with evolt?

a very curious
Ron D.