HT People

Well, this could be the first real hack-tech post since the blog was born because who wants to try this must know something about IRC, linux and python. I think (IMHO) that every HT People should have an IRC chatting experience in their life! :-) So...our great Internet Tablet can be used to join IRC channels also thanks to the XChat application but...what about an IRC Bot? For the ones who don't know, an IRC bot is a software that automates some IRC commands to help channel operators in their administration activities. They can also be useed to extend IRC channels with games, news, searching features, networking and other useful stuff.

Surfing the web I've found a great python IRC bot, it's called Supybot. Why python? Because it's platform indipendent so I can use it with my PC and my Nokia N800, also it is the simplest way to install an IRC bot on the N800.

So dear HT People, you should try this if you want to be a cool hack-tech user!!! ;-)

Yes but...how to do it? With only 3 simple steps:

• 1. Register a new cool channel on IRC
• 2. Install supybot on your Internet Tablet
• 3. Configure supybot to be a cool Bot for your channel

REGISTER A NEW COOL CHANNEL ON IRC

You can use XChat to perform this task. Choose a nickname and connect to a server (my preferred is irc.azzurra.org). If you haven't done yet, register your nick with the command:

/msg NickServ REGISTER <password> <email>

They will send you by e-mail an activation code as confirmation. Follow the instructions to activate your registered nickname. From now on you will get a unique nickname on that server...cool, isn't it? Every time you enter the server with that nick you have 60 seconds to identify yourself with the command:

/msg NickServ IDENTIFY <password>

Now you can register your channel. To do it join the channel you want to create and if it is free you will become automatically an operator for that channel. Now that you are in, type the following command:

/msg ChanServ REGISTER <channel name> <channel password> <short description of the channel>

Done? Congratulations!!! Now you are the founder of that channel and every chatter who will join it will call you "The Boss"!!! ;-)

There are lots of things you can do now but you can have fun to explore by yourself.

INSTALL SUPYBOT ON YOUR INTERNET TABLET

This is the simplest step. Download supybot and extract it where you prefer on your Internet Tablet (i.e. /media/mmc1/Supybot). If you haven't done yet, install python 2.5 from Maemo repository. You must also install the developer packages to run supybot, so open XTerm and type the following:

apt-get install python2.5-dev

Done? Ok...now change the directory to /media/mmc1/Supybot or where you have installed supybot and type the following command:

python setup.py install

And that's all!! You have now supybot installed on your wanderful Internet Tablet!!! :-)

CONFIGURE AND RUN SUPYBOT

Oh well...and this is the funniest step!!! :-)

If you have correctly installed supybot, you will find two files under /usr/bin/: supybot and supybot-wizard. First you need to configure supybot. Make a new directory which will contain the config and the log files and run supybot-wizard from there, for example:

cd /home/user
mkdir Supybot
cd Supybot
python /usr/bin/supybot-wizard

And now it's very simple...just follow the instructions and reply to the questions, and you will have your <channel name>.conf file under /home/user/Supybot. Don't bore with the plugins for now...you will play with them later, when you'll become cool in using supybot... ;-)

Done? Congratulations!!! :-) Now you can run it with the following command:

python /usr/bin/supybot /home/user/Supybot/<channel name>.conf

And that's all!!! Enter your channel and have fun with your cool BOT!!! You can do lots of things now and should configure as well as possible your BOT and install plugins...have fun!!! If you need help, please contact me or leave a comment here.

Hey guys let me know if you create your own IRC Bot...I will give it a look...

If you want to see my BOT in action, come to my channel on irc.azzurra.org: #meetupbari. Often you can find me there!!!

Have Fun!