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+--- Thread: The ethics of the spam-blocker bot (/thread-6541.html)
The ethics of the spam-blocker bot - goldfish - 04-19-2005
So, as anyone who has been on B-net lately can attest, it's a spam-filled mess. You can't sit five minutes in a channel without seeing "HR's for cheap. Go to diablo-scam-items.com!" ad nauseum. And when you enter a game, the level-1 spambots follow you: "Go to Goldfish's-d2.com and buy itamzz!" And they whisper you. Again, and again, and again.
Now in my entire D2 life I've installed one mod (Foxbat's lag reducer). I've never downloaded a bot or a hack or anything of the sort. I'm a long-term LL member, occasional poster, and I wouldn't ever download a Maphack or pindle-bot or anything like that.
But I'm sorely tempted by new reports that some of the spammer sites have developed a spam-blocking bot. That is, a handy little program that removes all whispers and messages containing any of a number of common strings, like ".com" or "items" or "cheap."
Okay, I'll admit that I was intrigued enough that I actually surfed over to one of the sites in question and looked it over briefly. It claims to be a bot that blocks messages according to certain strings (just as I had heard) and also blocks messages in color (yay!).
But I've got a few practical / ethical questions, and I thought I would run them by the group.
1. Is this a cheat? I don't _think_ it is. I can't for the life of me see how it gives me an illegal advantage.
(Actually, conceivably, maybe it would make life easier for me in a duel, since I wouldn't get spammed. But I don't duel. And that miniscule advantage seems pretty insignificant.)
I'm not looking for a cheat. I would like to stop the spam. Am I splitting hairs too much?
2. Is this a violation of Blizzard rules? Here, I think it quite possibly is. On the other hand, is this a violation that is likely to result in any negative enforcement? I don't see Blizz cracking down on the use of spam-blockers.
3. Can I trust these guys? Here, I'm kind of doubtful. I don't think I'll actually install anything, until I look at it's code (with my rudimentary skills), or unless/until someone I trust vouches for it.
4. Am I missing any obvious questions I should be asking here?
I'm interested in what the group thinks about this. I'm conflicted, myself.
p.s. Bolty, Gris -- I don't think that this post violates forum rules (does it??). If it does, my apologies. I'm not trying to advocate cheating, and I don't think that's what I'm doing here. You may feel otherwise, which is understandable -- this is an odd gray area that I'm a little surprised to be in, myself.
The ethics of the spam-blocker bot - ShadowHM - 04-19-2005
goldfish,Apr 19 2005, 02:47 PM Wrote:But I'm sorely tempted by new reports that some of the spammer sites have developed a spam-blocking bot. That is, a handy little program that removes all whispers and messages containing any of a number of common strings, like ".com" or "items" or "cheap."
[right][snapback]74489[/snapback][/right]
Banish temptation, goldfish. :)
There is a nifty command you can use, once in a game:
/options igw
You will get no whispers if you use that command.
The ethics of the spam-blocker bot - Yogi_Baar - 04-20-2005
You can also clear the messages by pressing the "N" key by default. I didn't even know about it till I missed the "M" key to view the message log and all current messages disappeared. I tell you, it was quite a revelation to me.
ShadowHM's option is more efficient, yes. But does it also block whispers from the people on your friends list? That could be a problem for some.
The ethics of the spam-blocker bot - adeyke - 04-20-2005
Yogi_Baar,Apr 20 2005, 01:52 AM Wrote:But does it also block whispers from the people on your friends list?[right][snapback]74546[/snapback][/right]
No.
The ethics of the spam-blocker bot - Zingydex - 04-20-2005
What would actually make more sense, to me, is a "hack" or whatever that made people STAY squelched once you squelched them, instead of unsquelching every time you or they log off/change chars.
For someone who tends to be quick on the squelch button (again like yours truly), that would quickly reduce the spam torrent to a mere trickle without potientially cutting off genuine conversation. At the same time, it eliminates the thousands of ways to get around string-based filters.
The ethics of the spam-blocker bot - Encore - 05-06-2005
Yah, I am really annoyed by going in public channels. It's just a big blur of
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
GET SCAMMED TODAY!!! GO TO http:\\www.YOU-BIG-LOSER-D2.com and become a dumb moron who
actually believes all this! HaHa, if you dont buy this stuff, YOUR AN IDIOT!!!
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
over and over.