** FAQ - IRC network / chan ops read me **

Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 12:12 am

This is a FAQ for questions that are repeatedly asked, read before you ask something similar.

Blue questions are for network / channel / fserve owners. Orange questions are for general users of this site.

Added: "Q: How do I remove / change the way my channel / fserve is indexed?"

Q: Why don't you ask for permission before indexing?

A: I have decided from the start to have an opt-out system rather than opt-in, I don't want to change it unless necessary.

The indexer ask for permission WHILE indexing, but not before. It's just easier and more efficient this way. There are commands you can /ctcp the bot to opt-in or opt-out, or you can use the new web forms which now works much better.

By default, fserve triggers are censored, so fserve owners' identity are hidden. So you are not really automatically opted-in, you are just indexed before you can decide which choice you want. Do a file search to see what I mean. So not much privacy is invaded by default, even without picking any choices.

Also because search engines don't ask (Google). I know files != webpages and files are sensitive or personal, that's why triggers are censored by default. More below.

Q: Why are you posting people's personal details on the web?

A: I don't. I do not log fserves' IP. The only somewhat personal detail would be the IRC nick which may be in the fserve trigger. That's why by default all fserve triggers are replaced with *censored*. Do a file search and see for yourself.

UPDATE: With an IRC chan op's comment on the annoyance of the bot's repetitive msges about its fserve indexing activities, and that he seemly don't care what the bot does, channels and their fserve triggers will now default to "uncensored" after several such msges has been sent to a chan op. In other words, choice 1 on the CHANverify.php link for chan ops will be assumed after several msges has been sent, each time the bot joins the channel to index.

Those that have used the FSverify.php or CHANverify.php links to specify their choice will be unaffected. This only affects the default applied to those undecided.

Q: How do I remove / change the way my channel / fserve is indexed?

A:
1. Through FSverify.php and CHANverify.php links. Works whether the bot is on your network or not.
2. Through CTCP commands below. Works realtime, only when the bot is on your network (your channel also if you want to do things with your channel)

The FSverify.php link is sent to all fserve owners when they first get indexed, while the CHANverify.php link is sent to a random channel op each time the bot indexes a channel. The link contains an ID unique to each fserve and channel, to verify ownership of the fserve / channel. Initially triggers are censored before the respective owner can act. After a few times of indexing, if the owner still have not taken action, the bot will stop /msg'ing the link and the trigger(s) will become uncensored. (this is a recent change, see above)

If you had problems receiving the unique link to change your settings / opt-out, either reply below, PM or email me and I'll send you the link manually through IRC. I'll need your network, channel and nick for /msg'ing you the link.

Q: What are the *censored* triggers? Why can't I see them?

A: See above. Fserve triggers are censored by default. You'll have to go into the channel and ask around for the file you searched for.

Q: What's these CTCP commands?

A: Full details on the ctcp commands

These ctcp commands control your fserve or channel's level of participation in the isoHunt project.

You have to be an op on the channel to use the channel commands, and in order to verify your op status these commands only works when the indexer is on your channel. The commands that act on fserves can be used if you are the owner of the fserves, and when the indexer is on your network.

You can script an ON JOIN event for the indexer's nick (IH-beta), so you can send your /ctcp command automatically when the indexer comes into your channel. I will post sample mIRC scripts soon for this.

<trig uncensor> would be complete opt-in, where fserve triggers will be shown in search results, and people can go directly into your fserve to look for files they wanted.

<trig censor> would be the default assumed after indexing, before you make your choice. This is between opt-in and opt-out, where files from your fserve are in the database, but when they turn up in search results people cannot access your fserve as the trigger is censored. The closest detail shown about your fserve is the channel name, people would have to look for which fserve contain files they wanted on that channel.

<bot noindex> would be complete opt-out, files indexed will be deleted, the indexer will not come into your fserve again.

Q: The CTCP commands suck. Is there a easier way?

A: Ya. A new web form can now be used, which works anytime. Fserve owners and Chan ops are /msged with the respective links, with an ID in the link unique to their network and nick / channel.

If the msg wasn't blocked on IRC, only a click and a submit are needed to change the choices.

Q: Why are you doing this? It only helps riaa and Co.

A: I do this because I got fed up with looking at fserve ads scrolling by channels and the routine commands for navigating fserves to find files. It's a cool project to practice my coding and web design.

And of course, the obvious. You can't find some rarer files without a search engine like this.

For the riaa, 2 points:

1. RI** and Co. are already sending threat letter to ISPs of some fservers, before I even started this project. They have some sort of bot that catches fserves, log their IPs and auto generate the threat emails.

2. My index will contribute little to what they r doing, as they already have their own way of finding fserves, and they can't make any legal threats based on _my_ index data (read the disclaimer at the top of ReadMe ). This site contains purely data, and they can be made up. Hence cannot be used as legal evidence.

Q: What's in this for me?

A: If you are a fserve owner, you benefit indirectly from the ability to search for files from 1000s of fserves, who serves and lists their files on this site just like you.

For channel owners, it's good if you want more traffic and users, bad if you don't. Feel free to opt-out if you are the latter case, but there are a lot of channels that want more traffic.

For network ops, it's better for your network to have a few index bots (isoHunt currently only has 1) that crawl channels on your network, than to have waves of users using Bottlers and the like that tries to do the same for themselves. By giving users the ability to search for files through this site, it offsets your IRC server load, and gives users less incentive to not manually use plain triggers and DCC sends.

Q: How are networks / channels indexed?

A: Any channel with >= 20 users on indexed networks are automatically indexed. There's no need to request adding channels. The ads have to show in channel on a timer, ideally every 10 minutes, for both fserves and XDCCs. Longer than that, and the index bot may or may not catch it in 1 round.

It doesn't do stuff like !list or !triggers , so right now channels that rely on these commands to trigger ads PM'ed to the bot can't be indexed.

For new networks that are not indexed right now, you can request adding them in forum before I put up a "network addition request" form for this.

Q: How often does Fserves / XDCC's get re-indexed?

For XDCC's, as often as possible. Right now there is only one index bot, and the turn around time for cycling through all the networks is < 1 day.

For fserves, I haven't decided how often they should actively get re-indexed, after they were indexed the first time. But the rule is, no fserve data (and XDCC) stay on the database for more than 14 days, so if a fserve is indexed and its ad in channel is not seen again in 14 days, it will be deleted. If it's seen again, it will be re-indexed as if it's a new fserve.

Q: What do you have to say about all the bitterness?

Most people are bitter because on first impresssion, index = bad. The fact that I've taken privacy precautions, and "spam" them about the choices instead of just silently indexing without they knowing at all, show that at least I care.

And this forum. I open it to criticism, but I hope more constructive comments will be said.

Guest Status: Reputation: 1

I got into warez in 1989, when in 93 i saw how big the web was getting I completely left the scene and got rid of my computers. Not from paranoia, but from disgust. Running a BBS was way more secure then running a website. In 99 I thought I'd get a new system and get back online and what i fears had come true. The quality of warez went down as if no one tested their own cracks anymore and any lamer with a computer and too much time on their hands could go into a irc channel and decide to cause trouble with a user cause maybe he didn't like the size of the servers queue. Irc still has some respective privacy. What your doing is a step to further losing that privacy. Sure RIAA and MPAA and BSA can and do the same thing on their own, but I'm talking a more personel level. Allowed normal web users a sneak peak at the benefits of downloading tons of warez from irc is opening the door to invite alot more idiots to try out IRC. If someone is too lazy to go into a warez channel and search on their own then they should go buy the shit and shut up about how long it takes. They SHOULD NOT be given an invitation to hang around and annoy us longer with their stupid whining.
What is my point? No point really. I just wanted to present some ideas for you to consider, and maybe as a result, reconsider what your trying to accomplish.

Guest Status: Reputation: 1

oxyMoron wrote:

I do this because I got fed up with looking at fserve ads scrolling by channels and the routine commands for navigating fserves to find files.

You've basically summed up that you've become a lazy ass and don't wish to take the patience to sit in couple of rooms and look, so you've figured you'd take into consideration of helping other lazy asses. Apparently, Auto-Get, Zinoz, Bottler, and other programs that search for what you want, didn't fancy you as you want to make public to the whole world about IRC. Thank you for bringing more idiots into it.

Posted: Tue May 27, 2003 8:47 pm

what's the point of having a BBS or the internet? To gather in a "place" you wonldn't be able to otherwise.

You can use the internet privately, but IRC is not and should not be private. It's not called "internet" relay chat without a reason. Networks are listed everywhere, channels can be found with a /LIST. The way to go is to make the best use out of it, not to hide in our "private" channels and avoid "idiots" from joining. Coz idiots are everywhere, and NOT everyone is an idiot as you seem to imply. If you want absolute privacy, don't be on IRC or the internet.

Yes, this site may make IRC _more_ public. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. You will meet more smart ppl just as you will meet more idiots.

And IRC is good at being what the name says: Chat. I'm sorry, but looking at fserve ads is not what I call exciting. It might be in the beginning, but it gets boring very soon. What I am trying to do is to make the searching part convenient through this site, and let ppl find channels that have files they want. I emphasize channel and not files, coz by searching files they may find nice new channels to chat in.

Yes this may be idealistic. And I agree XDCC's are too "grab and go" to promote much chatting. But fserves aren't as brainless, and even if you find them through this site, there's still a good chance non-idiots may find new channels they wouldn't find otherwise.

And the fact that most (by default) fserves have their triggers censored in this site's search results forces ppl to "sit" on channels to dig through fserves if they really want the file they want. It's a good thing afterall that I have them censored, not just for privacy reason.

Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:40 pm

Well, i agree with everything you say IH. For those that think this website and/or IRC is bad, why are you still here???

You've done a good job here, be proud Very Happy

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 4:15 pm

We should add a way to manually add a channel and or xdcc/fserv. ive noticed that a chan that im oped on isnt listed here. #3dwarez on irc.newnet.net.

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 6:59 am

That's because the bot is banned.

You are welcome to talk to your network op, _requesting_ that you, as a chan op, would like to get indexed by a bot that was banned.

FYI, the bot does not flood and behave just like a normal user using mIRC. And as an actual benefit for networks to use a search service like isoHunt, as listed on this FAQ, it eliminates the need for users to run their own bots which is far likelier to flood networks than isoHunt's single bot would.

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 6:09 am

I found it very through and learned things I would have probably never known. Good Job.

Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 11:30 pm

why on earth would Izzy leave the internet Crying or Very sad

the thing about those idiots is that a lot of them are either not really that interested in computers or not interested in knowing how things got to be... so they "grab n' go"
so these idiots will be idiots whether or not you give them the tools
I used to be an idiot:P but i learned... because the internet and lots of people taught me

I love what's happening to the internet:)
I think that it's turning into something wonderful... where intellectual property is shared... so it's the worlds property
one persons thought turns into a conversation with millions of people from any race, gender or age
and e-mail looks like a bunch of text... it's hard to be prejudice against text
unless you have something against black things in general (the default white background and black text)
or if it's written in all caps... or leet(the poop of English)... or you're an "idiot" (usually also tied in with leet)

SO NO DISSING THE INTERNET IZZY!
or any one else for that matter:P
it's filled with so much stuff:D how can it be bad:D