User talk:TonyBot

Please leave messages that need to be read on Tony Sidaway's talk page

This bot is currently unflagged, unauthorized and inactive

Purpose

This is to be a general purpose query engine for English Wikipedia, using a simple functional programming interface to permit queries of varying complexity to be performed, and the results delivered either to the user's enabled email address or to a nominated page in the user's userspace.

Query language

The query language is based on scheme, a dialect of the lisp family. If you can write a simple lisp expression you can query this bot.

Typical query functions will look like:

• (whatlinkshere PAGE)
  • Produces a list of pages that link to the page.
• (editorsof PAGE [datetime-since [datetime-to]]))
  • Produces a list of unique usernames and IP numbers identifying all editors of the page
• (editsof PAGE [datetime-since [datetime-to]])
  • Produces a list of edits to the page
  • (editsby
• (apply EXPR [PAR...] LIST)
  • Applies the single expression, with optional parameters, to the list
• (map EXPR [PAR...] [LIST...])
  • Maps the single expression, with optional parameters, to the each member of the list.
• (list [EXPR...])
  • Composes a list of the expressions
• (email EXPR)
  • Sends the result of evaluating the expression in email

Using the bot

To register to use the bot, you must edit the bulleted list of usernames at User:TonyBot/Users to add a link to a page in your userspace. If you simply add your userpage (User:Example), then TonyBot will use the page User:Example/TonyBot to communicate with you. If you add another page in your userspace, then it will use that page instead of User:Example/TonyBot.

To make a query, edit your TonyBot page to add the query. TonyBot will execute the query and edit your TonyBoy page to provide a link to a page containing the results. This will be at User:TonyBot/Example/N where N is a numeric value which has meaning only to the bot.

Limitations

• Queries that take too long to execute may be stopped before completion
• Queries that are judged too complex will be rejected
• Queries that return very large volumes of data may be rejected or cut short.

The value of "too long", "too complex" and "very large" may vary over time in an unpredictable way.

Conditions of use

This bot is an experimental service and is provided as-is. Queries are run at the discretion of the bot operator and subject to the operational requirements of Wikipedia's services. It may be subject to unplanned outages, and may disappear without warning, at the discretion of the operator and subject to the wishes of the community.

All queries must be made by registered Wikipedia users, in public, on the wiki. The bot owner reserves the right, for good reason and with the interests of Wikipedia in mind, to refuse access to any user. The reason for refusal will be stated publicly on the user's talk page and may be subject to revision if you can somehow successfully cajole, persuade or provide reasonable reassurances.

See also

• Bot policy (WP:BOT)