Golden Rules of Bots

[iago]

This is actually from a tutorial on making IRC bots, but I liked it:

1. Never annoy other users with your Bot
2. Only place your Bot in channels where it may be of use or amusement
3. Bots should only speak when spoken to!
4. Make the purpose of your Bot clear
5. Make it clear that you own your bot
6. Never try to pretend that it's not a Bot!

[AC_Drkan]

This is actually from a tutorial on making IRC bots, but I liked it:

1. Never annoy other users with your Bot
2. Only place your Bot in channels where it may be of use or amusement
3. Bots should only speak when spoken to!
4. Make the purpose of your Bot clear
5. Make it clear that you own your bot
6. Never try to pretend that it's not a Bot!

very nice but you forgot 1:

Code Select Expand

7. If you didn't program the bot then its not yours

[Stealth]

8. Alternating caps in your bot's program name does not make it cooler.

[iago]

8. Alternating caps in your bot's program name does not make it cooler.

Where can I get a copy of sTeAlThBoT?

[Eli_1]

9. A 'shout' command does not make your bot more useful.

[Mephisto]

9. A 'shout' command does not make your bot more useful.

I beg to differ.  The shout command overides your queue system.  What if for some reason your queue system fails and you need to send a shout command in some manner (perhaps to send a ban)?  Also, my bot (and I think iago's) allows functionality to execute local commands through the shout/say commands, so there may be a time when you need to disconnect or close it via a local command through shout when the queue fails.  So !

[hismajesty]

1. Never annoy other users with your Bot
2. Only place your Bot in channels where it may be of use or amusement

What if it is amusing to annoy other users?

Edit: Typo

[TheMinistered]

If it's amusing you, then you need to be shot... in the balls, and shot... in the head too!

[Trance]

9. A 'shout' command does not make your bot more useful.

I beg to differ.  The shout command overides your queue system.  What if for some reason your queue system fails and you need to send a shout command in some manner (perhaps to send a ban)?  Also, my bot (and I think iago's) allows functionality to execute local commands through the shout/say commands, so there may be a time when you need to disconnect or close it via a local command through shout when the queue fails.  So !

Then perhaps your queue system should prioritize. Shout command is useless!

[Mephisto]

9. A 'shout' command does not make your bot more useful.

I beg to differ.  The shout command overides your queue system.  What if for some reason your queue system fails and you need to send a shout command in some manner (perhaps to send a ban)?  Also, my bot (and I think iago's) allows functionality to execute local commands through the shout/say commands, so there may be a time when you need to disconnect or close it via a local command through shout when the queue fails.  So !

Then perhaps your queue system should prioritize. Shout command is useless!

Wrong!

[Networks]

Add: adding a ` does not make your bot cooler either.
IE: Dark`Matter

[hismajesty]

11.Naming your bot after animals makes it insta-cool.
IE: Panda Chat

Edit: I seem to remember a similar thread like this from a while ago, forget what it was about though. Something about how to post a proper post or something.

[R.a.B.B.i.T]

Rabbit Bot was named after an animal, but that sucked.