what is a BOT

[wa2crk]

When I look at the bottom of posts at the "who is on line" area I see " google.bot, yahoo.bot" etc. Does anyone know what these things mean or who they are?
Bill V

[algale]

As I understand it (and I am anything but an expert), these bots are programs that scan and index the internet so that when you use Google search or Yahoo search you get up-to-date results.

[JPG]

Ditto (including the expert part).

[dusty]

BOTs are as stated, software applications that do someone's work on the internet. There are good bots and there are bad ones too. The BOTs that we see listed here on the forum work for the people you see in their names (Google, Yahoo and Bing). They do no harm except that they help to keep track of what we chat about (where we go on the internet). Have you ever noticed that when you Google something like floor coverings, within a day or two (maybe less) you'll find drop down advertisements on your computer featuring the specific brands of floor coverings that you Googled.

BOT at work. No harm done except that until the BOT picks up something else to bug you about that ad keeps showing up wherever you go. I mentioned floor coverings because, right now, I am being chased around by a BOT who works for Allure Floor Tile (a product available at Home Depot) that I have done some research on. I am considering it for the RV that I am renovating.

However, some BOTs are bad and you do not see them listed anywhere. They are doing cyber-criminal work. Let your imagine take you where it will. These BOTs are also software applications doing the work for someone only these folks do not want to be readily identified. A cyber-criminal undercover.

[heathicus]

You can't blame the targeted ads on bots. Bots have a variety of purposes. The ones asked about, as has been said, help search engines build their index. Not only do they scan the contents of web pages, they also look at things like links between pages and sites. Search engines use that in determining which search results to list first.

There is a bit of code that web developers can include that tell the bots to stay away and good bots obey that.

Targeted advertisements is a whole other animal and how it works is a lot more complex but has little to do with bots.

[dusty]

You can't blame the targeted ads on bots. Bots have a variety of purposes. The ones asked about, as has been said, help search engines build their index. Not only do they scan the contents of web pages, they also look at things like links between pages and sites. Search engines use that in determining which search results to list first.

There is a bit of code that web developers can include that tell the bots to stay away and good bots obey that.

Targeted advertisements is a whole other animal and how it works is a lot more complex but has little to do with bots.

Thank you for enlightening me on this subject.

It just goes to show - you can't believe or maybe don't understand everything you read on the internet.

http://marketingland.com/anas-giant-bot ... ear-110513

[JPG]

I would be more suspicious of your ISP re magic ads appearing after 'research'.

[JPG]

. . .

It just goes to show - you can't believe or maybe don't understand everything you read on the internet.

http://marketingland.com/anas-giant-bot ... ear-110513

I think that has to do with 'advertising' fraud re accounting of how effective ads are by using faux computer users.

[heathicus]

It took me a bit to figure out what they meant by "bot fraud" in relation to targeted advertising. What I think they are talking about is bots being used to mimic human behavior and "clicking" on advertisements to generate ad revenue for the web site. These web sites are frauding the advertisers by using bots to generate fake views and clicks on their ads.

[mrhart]

All this technical talk.
I married a girl with a great BOT, really what you'd call a bubble BOT.
Best feature you know.
Perhaps I'll attach a pic.
Perhaps not.....