What are the 'Robots' on this forum?

[GEN2REV]

Forgive my ignorance, but what are the robots that are numbered on the main page of this forum?

On the right column, it lists everyone who is online, then under that it lists the different types of users and the number count that are present.

Members:##, Guests:##, Robots:##

Really? What is that about?

What is their function?

 

[quietthinker]

Ahhhh, they get you to the other side
just kidding!

 

[amadeus]

Forgive my ignorance, but what are the robots that are numbered on the main page of this forum?

On the right column, it lists everyone who is online, then under that it lists the different types of users and the number count that are present.

Members:##, Guests:##, Robots:##

Really? What is that about?

What is their function?

Some interested party or parties probably want to know what is happening on this forum. What is a computer able to gather and what can anyone do with that which is gathered?

 

[GEN2REV]

Ahhhh, they get you to the other side
just kidding!

The other side of the Matrix?

Really interesting though.

I've known about 'bots being used on the web for different reasons, but I've never heard of them being used openly for any utility purposes.

Kinda figured I might be the only one who didn't know, but the lack of a quick answer is intriguing.

Curious to know what they actually do here.

 

[GEN2REV]

Anybody else?

This really shouldn't be this much of a mystery.

It can't be Top Secret.

Any Mods/Staff care to chime in?

 

[GaryAnderson]

Robots are actually search engines.

 

[GEN2REV]

Wow.

There's as many as SEVENTY of em??

 

[GaryAnderson]

There are not that many in fact, but one Robot or Search Engine like Google may index or search multiple pages/posts so it appears twice.
The administrator of this site or any site can control the behavior of search engines with a file called Robots.txt where you tell the search engine to index certain areas of your site and exclude others.

 

[Ziggy]

Click on a bot. It will tell you if it's google or some other data gatherer.
It will take you to their website, who they are, what they do, etc..
It's Big Brother watching every word we type.

They're everywhere.
Hugs

 

[GaryAnderson]

Here is a list of over 300 Bots crawling and indexing the internet if you’re curious.

The Web Robots Pages

 

[GEN2REV]

Click on a bot. It will tell you if it's google or some other data gatherer.
It will take you to their website, who they are, what they do, etc..
It's Big Brother watching every word we type.

They're everywhere.
Hugs

Already knew it.

Thanks Ziggy.

Here is a list of over 300 Bots crawling and indexing the internet if you’re curious.

The Web Robots Pages

Very interesting. I'll check it out.

Thanks Gary.