# mIRC undernet chat announcement NO MORE BOTS!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 17, 2001, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742 "2001-05-17T17:46:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/1 "2001-05-17T17:46:20Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> _From the undernet status page:_  
> WE ARE NOT A BOT SERVER ANYMORE, due to increased DOS attacks. Effective immediately, local administration will kill **all** bots we come across on the server - with extreme prejudice.

(bolding mine)

YES! AMEN! HALLELUJAH! This made my day!

Wizard of Oz moment! DING DONG the bots are dead, the bots are dead, the bots are dead! HAPPY DANCE :D:D:D:D:D

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**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/2 "2001-05-17T18:13:29Z")

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MSK -

Mind telling us where you saw that? Because I looked all over the undernet site, and didn’t find that.

Oh, and next time X takes a vacation and the channel gets taken over, we’ll see how much you hate bots. Sheesh.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/3 "2001-05-17T19:10:26Z")

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This sounds more like the kind of announcement to appear in the MOTD of each individual server, rather than something directly from Undernet administration.

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**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/4 "2001-05-17T20:04:59Z")

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Do you have any clue of the purpose of the bots?

Didn’t think so.

Stop messing with them.

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**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/5 "2001-05-17T23:13:28Z")

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Yesterday I saw that notice scroll by after I lost my connection at some point. I kind of ignored it because I figured it was always there, but I saw it. I was on MIRC and it came up on the screen that shows up before you enter a room.

Zette

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**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/6 "2001-05-18T00:34:56Z")

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I think you’ll find the notice refers to egg-drop bots like Nephy and Morty. X is an Undernet bot, so we are probably stuck with him. ☹

Without Morty and Nephy, there’s no way to protect the channel when X goes walkabout (which it does frequently).

I’d hate to be one of the IRCops the next time services go down.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/7 "2001-05-18T01:31:38Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Zette \*  
> \*\*Yesterday I saw that notice scroll by after I lost my connection at some point. I kind of ignored it because I figured it was always there, but I saw it. I was on MIRC and it came up on the screen that shows up before you enter a room.
> 
> Zette \*\*

Zette, that’s exactly what it is. That’s the MOTD that you’re referring to: Message Of The Day. Each IRC server has their own rules. Some of them allow bots, some don’t.

What this one was saying was that their server will no longer allow bots to be run. Why? There’s a number of reasons. The two most likely ones are that people are running clonebots to DOS people, and the other is that they’re just hosting too many connections, and lagging their service.

As for Mortwight and Nephwrack, I wouldn’t be concerned. I’m sure that they’ll simply find a server that allows them to exist. That’s undoubtedly part of their scripting, to attempt connection to another server if they’re g-lined on one.

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**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/8 "2001-05-18T01:58:40Z")

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**/msg X BAN #straightdope MSK 336 450 Jackass!**

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**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/9 "2001-05-18T02:12:53Z")

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MrC is correct on this. Some servers disallow bots while others don’t. As I understand it, the disallowing of bots on some servers is a very recent implement and purely a preventitive measure against future DOS attacks by hackers. Now I was over on some Brazillian servers last nite talking to a chick and her friends. They just disallowed bots on the Brazillian servers last nite and everyone was celebrating… 'cause there were no more bots. :eek: They use lots of flashy colors and stuff over there too! - huahuahuahuahuhauhua. 🙂

Bots will continue to exist of course. Their purpose is of a preventative measure to insure that moderation ( or a certain amount of control) can take place in the chatrooms. So it’s not like a big free-for-all. Bots give us the power to give “BigHotJoe” the boot when he comes into our friendly chat setting and tries to send everyone pictures of his weenie. While meanwhile we’re having a friendly debate on the ideal habitat of the North American Beaver.

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**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/10 "2001-05-18T02:35:51Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Silo \*  
> \*\*While meanwhile we’re having a friendly debate on the ideal habitat of the North American Beaver. \*\*

And whether it’s natural or unnatural to have anal sex with Der Kommissar. Although I’m sure most of us would come down on the “natural but completely undesirable” side of that one…

jayjay

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**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/11 "2001-05-18T02:49:56Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by MagicalSilverKey \*  
> \*\*YES! AMEN! HALLELUJAH! This made my day!
> 
> Wizard of Oz moment! DING DONG the bots are dead, the bots are dead, the bots are dead! HAPPY DANCE :D:D:D:D:D \*\*

Maybe I’m missing something here. May I ask why?

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**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mirc-undernet-chat-announcement-no-more-bots/65742/12 "2001-05-18T07:25:00Z")

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Dammit, Morty better survive. I have a self-bestowed trivia championship to defend!
