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IRC bot requests is the process by which users of the RuneScape Wiki's IRC channel decide who shall be allowed to run bots in the channel. A bot developer should create this request himself or herself, unless there is sufficient need for other users to do so on his or her behalf.
- What is a bot?
- For the purposes of this process, a bot is any IRC client whose sole purpose is to respond automatically to user requests or commands aimed at it, either by a single-character prefix such as !, ` etc., or by having its name used directly as in Examplebot: command here.
- Decision process
- The strength of the arguments supporting, opposing, or expressing a certain opinion of the candidate bot is the main factor used in determining the success of the request (see our consensus policy). Requests must last for at least one week at which point they may be analyzed for a final decision, which may determine whether or not there is consensus to allow the bot to run. Additionally, if the outcome of the request is not clear, the nomination may be extended for a further week in order to determine a proper consensus.
- Here are a few general guidelines:
- Bot developers should be well-known, trusted, and helpful contributors to the wiki and IRC channel.
- Bot developers should have been active contributors to the wiki/IRC channel for at least eight weeks to a few months.
- If a request fails, it is generally a good idea to wait a few weeks before creating another request for the same bot. Depending on the reason(s) for which a bot request failed, it may be wise to add or remove commands, or perform more testing in other channels on Freenode (using /join ##examplebot) first.
- Expressing opinions
- Any user who has an account is welcome to comment on requests. Comments should assess the use or need for the bot.
The following is a list of common discussion markup choices which should be placed at the beginning of all posts within a nomination section.
- Support - followed by a reason for supporting the bot.
- Oppose - followed by a reason for opposing the bot.
- Neutral - followed by a reason for neither support nor opposing the bot.
- Comment/Observation/Note - followed by a statement presenting facts or clarifying a disputed fact.
- Not yet/Wait a little - followed by a reason for currently opposing while suggesting future support.
- Notice of intent - an administrator's notification of an intent to either close a discussion or extend it for a specified period of time.
- {Decision} - a decision made by an administrator presented in the form of {Example candidate bot} has been approved to run in the IRC channel or {Example candidate bot}'s nomination is now over, and it has been denied.
Creating new requests[]
All nominations should be posted at bottom of this page, not at the top.
How to request[]
To request approval for an IRC bot, simply place a header below containing the bot operator's main nickname, optionally wikilinked to his or her username on the wiki, and the planned nickname of the bot (required), and a section for discussion:
===[[User:Example|]]'s Examplebot=== Your reasons for requesting here, remember to sign with ~~~~
For administrators[]
Nominations for bot approval are to run 1 week. Please take note of the time the request was made and close this discussion 7 days from then. If the request is successful, please adjust RuneScape:Off-site/IRC#Bots. If the bot fails consensus, simply archive the nomination.