Hello,
Oz has a few functions now, that channel users may experiment with.
As Oz is new, these things might change. Hopefully not too much though. The goal is to provide useful and interesting things, and they become less confusing with familiarity.
Some things will need to be 'fine tuned' as time goes by, and we watch and learn. Please feel free to contact us with suggestions.
Oz will reply to !help sent in the channel. It is very brief help, merely to get you pointed in the right direction.
Right now, Oz has a database of over 90 terms. We can add/delete/modify. If you find that there is a term that you often use in the channel when assisting others, let us know, and we'll include it.
A couple ways to access:
!info <term> example: !info avast
!expl <term> example: !expl avast
!info normally gets you a shorter reply, with a link.
!expl can get you a little longer reply, with a link.
To search:
!ls *<term>* example: !ls *viru*
!info *<term>* example: !info *viru*
Important difference in two searches: !ls searches only the terms themselves
!info searches the terms AND also within their definitions.
If in doubt, just use !info .
The enclosing asterisks are wild cards, and with the above examples, it would find "virus".
!ls alone, with no term behind it, will get you a listing of ALL the entries. Can be handy, if you really want it.
Oz will respond to 'seen' requests. And not just for Ops, and about Ops.
example: @seen Calum
In the channel, you will see "&Bot", and it replies to !seen , but only to Ops and about Ops.
Try @seen if you want to find out when somebody you are looking for was last in the channel.
[Edit: "&Bot" no longer exists in the channel. The trigger for Oz has
been changed from @seen, to !seen ]
Oz will do weather reports. !weather <town, state> or !weather <zip code>
example: !weather Sandy, UT
example: !weather 84094
Oz replies on many non-US cities too. Just try it, is the best bet.
Oz will do weather forecasts too. !forecast <town, state> or !forecast <zip code>
and a report on daylight, astronomy, etc. with !sky <town, state> , or !sky <zip code>
There are some fun stats that you can call up too. The basic command is !stat .
For other related info !top10, !top20, and !place .
For a little bit of information about channel usage, try *average .
There is also a Google search interface. This one uses the exclamation point as the beginning command character.
Example: !google free computer help
Perhaps with the use of the exclamation point, newcomers will not feel that they are being addressed and told to go google something.
It's happened a couple times.
[Edit: New command! Try !ch <search terms here>
This command uses Google to search
just one site -
www.computerhope.com .
Example: !ch ms dos
and the response will be a link to CH's page on Dos commands. ]
Since most of these functions have been available in the past, we've tried to continue to make them available. They were not abused nor over used then, so they probably won't be now.
Please avoid channel clutter though, when questions and answers are going on.
( !google, !weather, !forecast, and !sky will work just fine via /msg (PM) )
Oz monitors some certain activities in the channel.
Repeating lines over and over, will cause Oz to issue a warning to the user posting them. If it continues, Oz will kick them. On the thrid offense, Oz will ban them.
Same for repeating characters.
Example: Hellooooooo!!!!!!!!!
Same for YELLING by typing in all caps.
Same for using language that contains words that are on the mibbit server's 'bad words' list.
The fine tuning of the above is on-going and probably never ending.
It is a balancing act, with the goal of getting results, without being overbearing.
Oz has protection against abuse too. Normal use is not abuse though.
The bottom line is for all of this to be a benefit to the channel, and to be enjoyed by all.
Join us, whenever you like. Looking forward to seeing you there.