Thread

Suggestions for bot site features (Bots)

Suggestions for bot site features // Bots

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kah

Mar 8, 2003, 11:05am
Hi, I'm about to begin work on a new and improved version of
http://bots.omegauniverse.com/. To be able to create the ultimate bot site,
I need to get input from the people who might use the site. That is, people
interested in using bots and people who develop bots. I'd appreciate it if
you visited the site, had a look around there and told me what you think is
good, what's not so good, what should be added. Mail suggestions to me
(kah at kahnews.cjb.net) or reply to this post.

I appreciate all input, thanks in advance :-))

KAH

grimble grimble2000@btinternet:com

Mar 8, 2003, 12:43pm
I hope this doesn't sound like out-and-out criticism, its just my thoughts
dumped into a post.

My expectations when I visited the site was for a site that it would provide
a hub for all things "Bots", but I was ultimately dissapointed. Things I
would like to find (and feel would be of help to development-type people)
are:

1. Information on SDKs for all platforms (VB, delphi, C/C++, Java, etc.)
where available, including news on alternative development methods (like the
java development environment package mentioned a while ago in the SDK
newsgroup, can't remember the link so sorry to whoever it was), download
locations, help sites, etc.

2. Links to development related sites (www.programmersheaven.com,
www.vbcity.com, various msdn.microsoft.com/library root pages for language
references, etc.). This might slow the tide of "how do I trim a string in
VB" type questions.

3. Unravelling the apparent mysteries of the SDK (i.e. understandable
tutorials on property surveys and terrain surveys/maintenance being obvious
candidates here based on the number of queries that come through).

4. Forums - Not discussion/"please help me wipe my nose" forums like the AW
newgroups seem to have become, but more akin to those available on sites
like www.perlmonks.org, where ideas and code are volunteered with moderated
comments/alternatives/enhancements posted against them. I think this would
prove very popular (IF you are prepared/have the time to review the "posts"
before adding them to the thread). Nothing wrong with having interim
discussion threads on each item where anyone can post comments, but the main
item content would be strictly maintained by yourself.

5. Source Code libraries (both whole functional areas as well as code
snippets) ... I would see this being closely related to the previous item.

6. Full Bots (with good documentation - augmented by yourselves if
possible/necessary). Obvious examples of omissions would be Xelagot,
Preston, Magsbot, etc. (with the appropriate owners approval of course).

7. Generic "helpers" available for download (like ActiveX DLLs or C DLLs
callable from C, C++ and VB) for common functions such as Session Table
management, object management, etc. that allow these things to me handled by
a defined interface rather than including code in an application to support
them (lots of possibilities here - good for newbies especially where things
like session management will be a mystery and a simple call to a DLL in the
Avatar Add/Change/Delete event handlers would maintain the list and a few
methods to query the list).

8. Another nice idea (I think) would be something along the lines of
www.asynchrony.com where AW related projects can be proposed, appropriately
skilled teams formed, etc. and the deliverables made available (if possible)
through the site. This would encourage developers interested in AW to
interact more, sharing skills and knowledge, the end result (hopefully)
being less disperate "releases" of bots by individuals and more (sorry about
this to those that "release" bots) useful and well thought out offerings.
Experience could be gained by all those taking part in a project improving
the group as a whole. Maybe even have the concept of one or two "tag-along"
newbies who can watch from the sidelines but still be involved in the
project. Some projects can be "open source" to act as a reference for
newbies (or anyone) after completion. The "helpers" mentioned above could be
good test cases for this perhaps?

No offence, but the site currently seems like "KAH and Bowen's Bot Stuff"
which I don't think is your intention. I would think you'd want to get to a
point where AW were gagging to include a prominent link to your site on
their SDK help pages (and on other sites too) - where your site not only
augments the information available on the AW site, but becomes an essential
part of learning and improving skills related to AW SDK development.

My feeling is that, if you want to succeed bigtime with this and actually
make a difference to AW bot developers, there needs to be something that
makes the site interesting as a "home" rather than just a reference or
download resource site. In my opinion, some of the more interactive items
above would go towards achieving this.

I think there is a need for a dedicated "bot" site, but it should offer more
than a few downloads and news items. I'd lose the "the rest ..." section
too, and keep it focussed entirely on what you're trying to achieve. I'd
even say focus directly on the development side, with just a download page
for the finished articles.

Everyone has their own views on sites like this, but these are my thoughts
and I hope they're helpful,

Grims.


[View Quote]

grimble grimble2000@btinternet:com

Mar 8, 2003, 1:04pm
Why was the followup for this set to "bots" only? Surely this is relevant to
SDK also.

Grims

[View Quote]

kah

Mar 8, 2003, 1:08pm
"grimble" <grimble2000 at btinternet:com> wrote in
news:3e6a0662 at server1.Activeworlds.com:

> Why was the followup for this set to "bots" only? Surely this is
> relevant to SDK also.

I usually set a followup-to when I crosspost, and I picked bots.

KAH

grimble grimble2000@btinternet:com

Mar 8, 2003, 1:10pm
Fair enough ... shame though. Perfectly valid reason for a cross-forum
discussion.

[View Quote]

bowen

Mar 8, 2003, 1:48pm
*rubs head* That's a lot.

--Bowen--

[View Quote]

grimble grimble2000@btinternet:com

Mar 8, 2003, 2:21pm
I didn't mean any of it as disparaging/critical in any way.

I'd really like to see SOME resource appear that pulls this group of
developers together. Everyone has something to offer in here, but there's
too much "look what I've done, take it or leave it" going on, driven by
their own needs (which often vary from others needs). Things like Asynchrony
encourage people to be instigate projects that they cannot complete on their
own. How many "I need someone to make me a bot that ..." posts do we see? If
these people are left to at least be involved in an organised project to
meet their needs, then there'll be less annoying "Give me stuff" posts
around. Most people involved in things like AW SDK development are there
because they enjoy learning and being involved in things. Unless I've
totally misjudged the developers in this group, there will be interest in
joint projects.

The SDK newsgroup has phases of being a general chat forum and for the
content that IS relevant it would be great to have a single resource of
quality information to point to as a useful reference.

It will need some commitment obviously but if you can introduce a site that
gets this group of eternal individuals to work together, it can only be a
benefit and maybe even encourage AW to progress the SDK more rather than
concentrating on the browser. Currently, SDK updates seem to be purely as a
consequence of new features in the browser rather than having new non-visual
interaction possibilities as the driver in their own right.

This group could be so much more productive and enjoyable, its such a shame
to see it whimper in and out of life over and over again.

Grims


[View Quote]

bowen

Mar 8, 2003, 4:53pm
[View Quote] Yeah I know, was still a lot. Looks good though; all up to KAH to do it since my
skills in PHP are so laughable.

--Bowen--

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