What are "robots" doing on the forum?

[peregrina2000]

Ok, I know I am technologically challenged, but I just happened to look over on the right hand side of the forum page and saw that there were 57 members logged on, 103 guests, and 82 robots. What does this mean?

Please excuse the silly question, but I am curious. Thanks, Laurie

 

[MendiWalker]

They´re doing the Camino as well. And expect a "compostela" once reached Santiago.

Buen Camino!

 

[miguel_gp]

I may be corrected by Ivar or someone else more informed but I believe "Robots" are automated software that trawl websites and help to update search engines so that when someone enters certain key words that formed part of your's or any one else's post in the forum it appears in the search engine results. I don't know how quickly it gets turn around but for example if somebody searched on google, bing etc. for "camino santiago robot" your post may well turn up high in the search results.

 

[lynnejohn]

And a lot of your subesquent posts might reveal a lot of ads related to your previous posts. That's how it works. Unfortunately. It's just data collection, after all.

 

[jirit]

I just finished watching the 60 Minutes piece on robots and how they are taking over everybody's job (except those who design robots).

Never thought they would also have the ability to sign up to forums like this, and offer friendly robotic advice about walking the camino

Damn those robots can do almost everything!

Mind you I have yet to see one on the camino but I am sure that day will soon arrive

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks, everyone -- so, robots are automated software that are just gathering all sorts of data about what we say and who we are, but I still don't really get it. Who cares what people on the camino de santiago forum say? There were 82 of them online when I last checked, but there must be some human being behind them, right? So are they automated software put out by REI, or by some religious group, or by some crazy individual who thinks it's fun to see what people talk about on the Camino? I obviously would never be a successful capitalist.

 

[julie]

I may be corrected by Ivar or someone else more informed but I believe "Robots" are automated software that trawl websites and help to update search engines so that when someone enters certain key words that formed part of your's or any one else's post in the forum it appears in the search engine results. I don't know how quickly it gets turn around but for example if somebody searched on google, bing etc. for "camino santiago robot" your post may well turn up high in the search results.

Spot on! I just did that search and this thread appears. In this respect, robots are doing us a service as they increase the likelihood of searches turning up relevant information.

 

[dalston999]

So what are cookies then? Is it what the robots eat to keep them working?

 

[mspath]

So what are cookies then? Is it what the robots eat to keep them working?

"A cookie is a tiny little file that's stored on your computer. It contains the address of the Web site and codes that your browser sends back to the Web site each time you visit a page there. Cookies don't usually contain personal information or anything dangerous; they're usually innocuous and useful." See http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/defining-and-dealing-with-web-cookies.html

MM

 

[ivar]

These robots are indexing the content on the site for search engines. For example, google constantly visits this site ("all" sites on the internet, not only this site) to add new content to their search engine. When we later search google, google has an updated index and can show you links to pages that has content related to what you searched for. This is how google work.

So each day google send out scripts (computer programs) all over the web to collect this new information... they call them robots. Many company does this, but google is the largest.

You can see these robots in the visitor statistics... as you see, there are many visiting the site.

Not sure of this makes it more clear... I have no control over these robots, they are visitors to the site that I can not control. But I would not worry about them. For google (and other search engines) to work we need them.

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[ivar]

"A cookie is a tiny little file that's stored on your computer. It contains the address of the Web site and codes that your browser sends back to the Web site each time you visit a page there. Cookies don't usually contain personal information or anything dangerous; they're usually innocuous and useful." See http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/defining-and-dealing-with-web-cookies.html

MM

This is how this forum uses cookies:
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/help/cookies

 

[jmcorrigan]

And for the paranoid, if you have a Google+ account, Google can aggregate all your online activities in order to help you 'discover' sites and content (think ads) that you will like. Then the NSA and their like can make sure you're not some wacko crazy about to do something dangerous. Thank goodness! Haha.

 

[nellpilgrim]

Ah damn it couldn't you have left Laurie and I in blissful ignorance? You techies just shattered my dreams of my very own 'Camino bot'
When robots visit this forum are they Robotifumeiros?......

 

[David]

Robots! Robots on the Camino .. actually I find it rather scary, though I don't know why .... I also felt sorry for it when it fell over!

 

[jirit]

Nobody will get any sleep in the early morning if those things are allowed in the albergues!

 

[peregrina2000]

Actually, I think I'd prefer to have this thing next to me with a constant low hum motor noise than the noise of some of the other albergue companions I've had over the years.

And just like me, that thing falls down, rolls over, and gets back up and keeps on going!

 

[jirit]

Actually, I think I'd prefer to have this thing next to me with a constant low hum motor noise than the noise of some of the other albergue companions I've had over the years.

And just like me, that thing falls down, rolls over, and gets back up and keeps on going!

I thought it was kinda of cute when it fell and rolled down the small hill.
Reminded me of how I might feel when this happens - slightly stunned that I fell and...

"where am I? Oh yeah - stuck in some mud - better pull myself together and get going - hopefully nobody saw me fall"

 

[KinkyOne]

Nobody will get any sleep in the early morning if those things are allowed in the albergues!

Sure they will. You park this thing in front of the albergue. It doesn't eat, drink, sing, shit, snore, complain, shower etc., just need some electric plug-in or petrol station I guess
Wonderful companion, the same lame all over again, huh...

 

[David]

This one is REALLY weird - they name it Big Dog but it shows insect attributes to me. The ability to recover is astonishing!
Robots on the Camino - could one stand the noise?

 

[jmcorrigan]

About those robots again... all that indexing being done of this forum by the likes of Google, the American NSA (walking the Camino is for many a deeply religious activity after all), etc., results in me receiving constant reminders--on almost every website that I visit--that I am interested in walking the Camino de Santiago. I go to a physics site and I see ads about Camino adventures, or Camino travel. I go to a poetry site and I see the same. I go to a food recipe site and the page is emblazoned with ads for the Camino. News sites, the same. Everywhere. I know it is stupid and kind of like spitting into the wind, but I've started clicking on all of the ads just so the companies have to pay some money for intruding into my life. It wouldn't be as bad if it wasn't the same ads from the same company all the time.

 

[David]

hahaha - clear out the cookies in your computer and that will all stop.
If you download Ashampoo WinOptimizer from http://download.cnet.com/Ashampoo-WinOptimizer-2013/3000-18512_4-75021499.html
it will completely clear your system of all that junk - which will also speed up your computer. Do it once a week. Is perfectly safe and is free!!!

 

[vicrev]

I'm getting the same thing,Jim & it's driving me crazy. I don't open them (potential viruses ?) I just hit the spam button.........Vicrev

 

[Cejanus]

They´re doing the Camino as well. And expect a "compostela" once reached Santiago.

Buen Camino!

Now this made me have a big belly laugh. Thanks.
Oh and when I set off from Pamplona in the early morning having been woken by some awful music at 05:45 and trying to find my way across town in the predawn light, whenever I stopped to check my way they (the robots) stopped walking too. Scary so I was fortunate in that I met up with a german lady who likewise was a little lost. We felt safe walking together and our walking poles would have made short shrift of those robots had they got any closer to us.

 

[NicoZ]

About those robots again... all that indexing being done of this forum by the likes of Google, the American NSA (walking the Camino is for many a deeply religious activity after all), etc., results in me receiving constant reminders--on almost every website that I visit--that I am interested in walking the Camino de Santiago. I go to a physics site and I see ads about Camino adventures, or Camino travel. I go to a poetry site and I see the same. I go to a food recipe site and the page is emblazoned with ads for the Camino. News sites, the same. Everywhere. I know it is stupid and kind of like spitting into the wind, but I've started clicking on all of the ads just so the companies have to pay some money for intruding into my life. It wouldn't be as bad if it wasn't the same ads from the same company all the time.

Would you rather get ads for something you aren't interested in? The whole point is the ads are hopefully interesting. On the bottom of my screen is an ad for some apartment rental site. I guess related to my searches.

 

[vicrev]

Ads interesting?........Mmmmm........

 

[Cejanus]

Ads interesting?........Mmmmm........

I rarely notice the ads as i am too busy just keeping up with the forum.
Its a great forum and the help and advice given terrific. It sure made my journeys so much easier.
Thanks to you all.
Cheers

 

[wayfarer]

If you donate to the forum you will be add free.

 

[jmcorrigan]

Would you rather get ads for something you aren't interested in? The whole point is the ads are hopefully interesting. On the bottom of my screen is an ad for some apartment rental site. I guess related to my searches.

If I have to see ads, I'd rather get ones related to the site I'm visiting, such as related subject matter, NicoZ. It's creepy to see an ad for Camino tourism services when I'm looking up food recipes.

 

[jmcorrigan]

If you donate to the forum you will be add free.

wayfarer, I'm not talking about the forum. I'm talking about how my use of the forum is suddenly flooding every other site I visit with Camino related ads. Are you sure that you still aren't being tracked by Google just because you don't see ads on this forum when you donate?

I've cleared my browser catch of all cookies (going to have fun now reentering all my user ids and passwords into all the sites I use). I also have enabled the browser setting asking websites not to track me. Haha, we'll see how that works.

 

[newfydog]

If you want privacy, stick to your cell phone.
---Angela Merkel

 

[NicoZ]

If I have to see ads, I'd rather get ones related to the site I'm visiting, such as related subject matter, NicoZ. It's creepy to see an ad for Camino tourism services when I'm looking up food recipes.

I'd rather get ads for the things I'm mostly searching for. I don't think it's creepy booking.com is at the bottom of my screen right now. The only thing that bothers me is the ads tend to lag. In the new year I'll be getting ads for all the christmas gifts I searched for

 

[stevenjarvis]

Donating is the way .... http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/account/upgrades/

 

[DeeDum]

This has been very entertaining! Hey robot lurking out there, can I rent you to carry my backpack!!

 

[ivar]

These ads are served by google and they know a lot about us... what we search for and so on... then they serve us ads based on what they think we would be interested in... this happens on this site as well as other sites.

I understand that people use ad blockers since ads can be a bit annoying. But please remember that sites like this forum depend on income from these ads to be able to operate. This is why I remove ads for those that choose to donate since they choose to contribute directly with a donation, and not indirectly by clicking ads. If all users would be using adblock (and not donating) this site would need to shut down.

Food for thought ...

Happy Sunday!
Ivar

 

[stevenjarvis]

Yes , good point Ivar !

Donating is the way to go , http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/account/upgrades/

 

[Al the optimist]

Jacotrans better watch out

 

[jprogers]

This has been very entertaining and enlightening and amusing and alot of time wasted and it is late in the day. But just think about those anagrams
Caminos becomes macinos
robots becomes boots-r
so maybe they do all fit together.

 

[Annie Little]

Well folks ….keep walking the Camino……. " we do not stop walking because we get old, we get old because we stop walking…… AND indeed the age care sector is gearing to have robots looking after us in our old age……. indeed I was shocked when i went to a conference to find they are already doing it in America !!!!

Tis enough to scare one into back to back Caminos ……..

I have been lax … but intending to donate to this site… will attend to that this week

 

[Kathy F.]

Robots! Robots on the Camino .. actually I find it rather scary, though I don't know why .... I also felt sorry for it when it fell over!

Woo. I freaked out a bit when it stood up and started to move. I don't know how I'd feel about having it follow me on the Camino. I'd have to give it a good name, I guess.
When I walked the Camino, a woman had a donkey along to carry her bags. The donkey didn't make it very far. Sore feet, finally refused to go any further.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Woo. I freaked out a bit when it stood up and started to move. I don't know how I'd feel about having it follow me on the Camino. I'd have to give it a good name, I guess.
When I walked the Camino, a woman had a donkey along to carry her bags. The donkey didn't make it very far. Sore feet, finally refused to go any further.

I agree - I thought it was either a Spanish pig or one of the Pamplona bulls that was a little lost.