Virtual1 Chat Transcript

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Virtual1 Chat

This chat was done by Hotline News and Ninewire Productions/ 


Oli - Send Me: Well, first I'm supposed to do this interview 
Oli - Send Me: Jesse and colombo are supposed to 
Oli - Send Me: a chance I'm here 
Oli - Send Me: well 
Oli - Send Me: We're gonna start the interview anyways 
Oli - Send Me: So welcome to this Interview Online 
Oli - Send Me: Tonight we're Virtual1 
Virtual1 [HS]: ok lets see... Nick is Virtual1, I've been on hotline since oh.... what was it... v1.1b18 was out, b19 was
released I think about two weeks after I got on hotline

Virtual1 [HS]: I've been running a server since that day. I actaully ran an FTP server for a good year before that, and
switched over to HL when I heard it had resumable file transfers 
Oli - Send Me: Nice 
Virtual1 [HS]: that was on a Performa 631CD, blazing 33mhz 040 
Oli - Send Me: Now we will start with the questions 
Oli - Send Me: If you have any, please send them to me 
Oli - Send Me: First, can you tell us what is this [HS] in your name 
Virtual1 [HS]: HS stands for two things... HotSocket and HotStuff. HotSocket is a "core" (class) in RealBasic that contains
everything needed to make a bot or client in Hotline. HotStuff is a basic client I wrote to demonstrate the HS class.
People were more interested in the client than the class, so I developed it. # 
Virtual1 [HS]: (powerbot also uses the HS core) 
Oli - Send Me: Why did you first decide to make PowerBot 
Pboss: howdy virt 
Virtual1 [HS]: PowerBot evolved from AdminPak, a collection of QuickKeys scripts I originally wrote to keep my server
connected. That's back when I had a dial-up connection for my server. I had to reset the connection every 7 hrs or my ISP
would reset it for me. PowerBot evolved from that simple concept to a long list of things to make life easier on the
admins, and later also features for the users, such as mailboxes. # 
Him: take 2 
Airling: hmm... 
Oli - Send Me: wtf 
Oli - Send Me: man 
Oli - Send Me: I like bugs 
Oli - Send Me: guest chat is off 
Macnyt: i can chat.. and i geta message saying i cant 
Oli - Send Me: but they still talk :) 
Airling: ;) 
Oli - Send Me: howa cool 
Oli - Send Me: Well please don't abuse 
Oli - Send Me: ok, let's keep going 
Airling: sorry, ill stop 
Oli - Send Me: from unknown: any plans for a peeeeceeee version of powerbot? 
iGrandFunk: that was mine. 
iGrandFunk: =] 
Oli - Send Me: :) 
Virtual1 [HS]: I have wanted to compile it for PC, but right now REALbasic (the language powerbot is written in) does not compile well to PC. (they're working
on the bugs) Theoretically, it should port directly over. Right now I am working on P2 though, the next generation of powerbot. Its main focus is stability. Absolute
stability. 
Oli - Send Me: ... 
Virtual1 [HS]: P2 is also set up so that other coders can contribute "modules" to add onto the functionality of P2. I haven't received any 'donations' of modules yet
though. # 
Oli - Send Me: would you be interested in making a newer version of mbot if you were given the source code from an unknown someone? 
kuesch: 
iGrandFunk: that was mine too. 
kuesch: oops 
Virtual1 [HS]: heh... I don't want to infringe on someone's sourcecode. (I also happen to know the author, we 'talk bot' now and then) 
Oli - Send Me: Pixy would like to say that mBot 2.0 will be reales very soon! (just for info) 
Virtual1 [HS]: I have gone to great lengths not to take features from mBot or other bots. I have never even ran the bot on my computer before. I do this so I don't
subconsciously work toward it. I only go on features I come up with myself, or by suggestion of other users. (though sometimes I get a 'can you do xyz, like in
xbot?") 
Virtual1 [HS]: # 
Oli - Send Me: From Ceilidh: ever hear of anyone thinking a PowerBot was a real person? 
Virtual1 [HS]: yes, several times. I have gotten to watch people log into my server, have a short 'conversation' with the bot, thank the bot, and leave. I enjoy that
greatly. :-) # 
Oli - Send Me: hehe 
Oli - Send Me: that must be funn 
Oli - Send Me: from 
iGrandFunk: where do you see hotline in one year? 
Macnyt: in debt 
Oli - Send Me: :) 
Virtual1 [HS]: I see a lot of people still using 1.2.3. I see several 3rd party hotline-compatible servers. Beyond that, I don't expect a great deal to change. # 
Oli - Send Me: ok 
Oli - Send Me: I'd like to remind everyone that they can msg me their question... send me a lot! 
Virtual1 [HS]: (I actually made a hotline compatible server "REALity" which was released almost exactly a year ago) 
Oli - Send Me: can you talk about REALity? 
Virtual1 [HS]: yep 
Virtual1 [HS]: (is that an invitation to babble? ;) 
Oli - Send Me: :P 
Oli - Send Me: yep 
Oli - Send Me: Why did you make it? 
Virtual1 [HS]: I had seen many HL-compatible clients cropping up, but no one had even attempted a server. I thought that would be my nichŽ. Last Nov 30 I got
a wild hair to go make it. Three weeks later, I had what I still believe to be a superior server. It was a single app that could run UNLIMITED servers, and had all
kinds of wild features. It also had *resumable* file transfers, which most clone clients didn't even have. It was beautiful. But due to a bug in REALbasic (that is still
there!) file transfers are unstable. :-( 
Yoshi: Remember, watch ALtv on Mtv, the reason television was invented. 
Oli - Send Me: we don't see a lot of server running it... REALity was only an experiment I believe (and stopped in making). What about the idea to make a REAL
server clone? 
kuesch: heh colombo: hey 
kuesch: shhh 
Virtual1 [HS]: the only problem that REALity really had was the file transfer problem. REALbasic has a problem with sending data to a socket that disconnects
suddenly, causing an internal error in RB, crashing the server. Since most HL servers require file transfers, that is why you see so few REALity servers running. I
have tried everything I know to get Real Software to fix that bug in their compiler, but they still have not done anything about it. Several others have tried to make
WWW and other HL servers, only to fail with the same bug. :-( 
Virtual1 [HS]: # 
Oli - Send Me: hello again Virtual1 
Virtual1 [HS]: got disconencted, and logging in here is a challenge :/ 
Oli - Send Me: ok 
Oli - Send Me: should I ask the question again? 
Virtual1 [HS]: (I am patching HS to cope with SOJA....) 
Oli - Send Me: from padme: so why stick with real basic then. Why not write in C++ 
kuesch: or arabic Rain: This is the Question From Hell. *** Kernel prepares for the holy war 
Virtual1 [HS]: my memory. I have what has been described as an unusual learning disability... 
kuesch: it's all padme's fault. 
kuesch: heheh buddha: hehe 
Oli - Send Me: hehe padme: you bet 
Oli - Send Me: ok 
kuesch: i think i have that too... Kevin : heh 
Jesse -> Let': Ok 
Jesse -> Let': Guest 
Jesse -> Let': Guests 
Jesse -> Let': Lets handle the chat 
Oli - Send Me: from 
kuesch: do you like porn? 
Virtual1 [HS]: I can only remember things visually, but my memory is not photographic. I have problems with C++ because it is not a language of learning what
command does xyz, it's a case of learning how to use 15 different commands/symbols in a particular COMBINATION to do xyz. I can't remmeber that. 
Virtual1 [HS]: I spend 90% of my day with my nose buried in a book reading the same things over and over because I can't remmeber them. That's not fun. So I
stick with basic. # 
Hotline News : test 
Oli - Send Me: ::shut up:: 
Hotline News : I work for HLNews 
Oli - Send Me: from buddah: is Pbot Y2K ready? 
Hotline News : Am I not supposed to be talking? Guest Chat is on 
Jesse -> Let': No 
Jesse -> Let': Your not 
Virtual1 [HS]: PowerBot uses the standard TotalSeconds call, seconds from 1904 jan 1st midnight, so it will be good to sometime in 2024 I think.tual1 [HS]: # 
Jesse -> Let': Soja bug - we are fixing it now 
Oli - Send Me: from treke: Is linux support in the works for PII? Hotline News-: The next guest to talk will be kicked... how's that? :) 
Oli - Send Me: ::shut up:: 
Virtual1 [HS]: I would like to get the HotSocket core fully 1.7 compatible so it will run with the latest Hotline, the linux version, and also well... this SOJA thing. ;-)
# 
Oli - Send Me: from Pixy: will HS (and P2) be updated to the features of the next versions of Hotline (v1.7.x at the moment, and the upcoming v1.9)? 
Hotline News : v1! 1.8 is going to be radically different so don't update hs for 1.7.2. I test for HL 
Virtual1 [HS]: since they all use the same core (HotSocket) they will all update at the same time. # 
Oli - Send Me: Virt has mentioned the File Transfer bug, but why does some client clones work very well (done in RealBasic too) with file transfer and REALity
does not? 
Virtual1 [HS]: people periodically upload betas of the latest HL's at my server, so I will probably be 1.8 compatible before it's out.... ;) 
Virtual1 [HS]: the file transfer bug (aka "the socket bug") bites when you SEND large amounts of data and the other (receiving) end suddenly disconnects. Since
servers spend the majority of their time sending to clients, they are affected more. HotStuff client cannot reliably upload for the same reason. # 
Oli - Send Me: from Grendel: which is the better HL client clone in your opinion? 
colombo - Sen: Let me jump in for a second... will someone please message me the chat log so that I can delete the already-asked questions from my message
queue? [i'm late cause i was in a car crash] 
Virtual1 [HS]: I don't spend a lot of time testing other clients, I don't think I could have a good opinion. I have seen several with nice features that no others have,
but that are lacking in other areas. It would be nice to see them gather together and work on a big project and make a does-it-all client. 
Virtual1 [HS]: # 
Oli - Send Me: from 
iGrandFunk: have you had any plans about a bot for carracho? or switching the hl protocol for powerbot to carracho compatible? 
Virtual1 [HS]: caraccho has a challenge all its own... the logon sequence is encrypted. this makes it very difficult to make a clone. We'll have to wait for someone
to tear apart the client and translate the code to english so we can code it into our clones. # (any takers?) 
Oli: from 
iGrandFunk: if you were offered a job at hl communications. would you take it? *** Oli looks around 
kuesch: heheh *** Oli shrugs 
Hotline News : lol 
Virtual1 [HS]: I have been offered, more than once. HLC offered to purchase powerbot also. 
Oli: # 
Oli: :P 
Oli: and why say no? 
Virtual1 [HS]: I seriously considered it, but did not agressively pursue it, and kinda just dropped the idea. 
Virtual1 [HS]: # 
Oli: from email: Why did you distribute the Hotline Protocol? How has HCL responded? 
Virtual1 [HS]: I distributed it because I don't like closed protocols, especially when the company we are depending on making 1.2.4 etc is not able to give us the
bugfixes and upgrades we want. Remember we had quite a drought of no new versions there. *** Oli remembers 
Virtual1 [HS]: HLC never really responded. For quite awhile my server saw a lot of hits for the docs on the protocol, I kinda "wrote the book" on it. I have never
gotten any official communications from them. # 
colombo - Sen: Do you think the distribution of this protocol falls under the Fair Use of Copyright laws? Are you aware that HLC just hired 5 new lawyers? 
colombo - Sen: (for the purpose of enforcing HCL 
colombo - Sen: 's copyright) 
Hotline News : colombo is paranoid and scared of HLC Sean: yes 
Oli: hey! 
Oli: Let's not take a fight 
Oli: this is interview 
Macnyt: but guest shouldnt be talking.. server says so 
Oli: yea... we'll be enforcing our right to kick if you don't stop 
Virtual1 [HS]: heh... I 
Oli: from Pixy: How is the contact between HL and clone makers (if there is any). I got rumors that HL will take legal actions against clones ... 
Oli: bah, same question anyway 
Oli: While you're waiting, take a look at http://www.ninewire.com 
Oli: ahem... 
Oli: Virtual1 is trying to fix his own Hl client to work with Soja... please wait while its in progress :) 
colombo - Sen: If anyone has Hotline 1.2 Server for the Macintosh, please upload it to the main drop box 
Oli: ? Sean: hang on DonT: why not a 1.2.3 ? padme: go to girlpower, its there 
colombo - Sen: that's what i meant 
colombo - Sen: 1.2.x for the mac Pixy: is on the way 
Oli: why would they up that colombo? 
colombo - Sen: jesse wants to move out of soja for the rest of the interview 
Jesse -> Let': yes Sean: what's this server's address? 
Virtual1 [HS]: (this compile is soja-proof I think) 
Virtual1 [HS]: I have only seen HLC make one official letter to a clone developer. his clone was named too similarly to "hotline" and so they made him change the
name. that's fairly civil of them I think. # DonT: (is someone upin ? or should i ?) 
colombo - Sen: They are rewriting it in C++ and calling it HotWire --ed 
Jesse -> Let': Ok 
Jesse -> Let': We are switching servers 
Jesse -> Let': Every one - Reconnect 
Jesse -> Let': Never mind 
Jesse -> Let': :) 
Virtual1 [HS]: k 
colombo - Sen: While we're switching; here's Hotline News [http://hlnews.tsx.org]'s Quote of the Day: 
colombo - Sen: "That's got nothing to do with the software," says Jason Roks, Hotline Communications' 30-year-old vice-president of business development. "It's
got to do with people; it mirrors society. People steal, murder, it's part of human nature. A dumb-ass online," he says, "is a dumb-ass in person." 
Oli: since we're not switching... here is the next question: 
Oli: from Pixy: why have you decided to put the P2 "brain" into the preferences file as a ressource? The text file of PowerBot was much more easier to manage ... 
Virtual1 [HS]: it was a little easier to edit, but not as flexible. I got a lot of people asking questions on how to use it. The use of special symbols for things was not
working on international keyboards either. Also, all of P2's functions I was requiring to be remotely controlled. Editing and copying over a text file is not exactly
fitting in with that. # 
Oli: from buddha: how long have you been programming? 
Virtual1 [HS]: since 7th grade. I had a teacher introduce me to computers and we got along really well. I didn't have a computer of my own for some time after
that, I spent a lot of time at the local library on their machines, and staying after school and in study hall. # 
Oli: from 
kuesch: do you have a secret porn server name? 
colombo - Sen: I'm taking the last 5 questions now... msg 'em to me if you have 'em 
colombo - Sen: 4 questions left :) 
Virtual1 [HS]: heh... I don't run any porn servers. sorry guys. there are lots to pick from on the tracker. # 
colombo - Sen: via e-mail: What do you think of the Hinkley/HCL situation? 
Virtual1 [HS]: That is a long, rocky road. Here is my take on all ends: 
Virtual1 [HS]: - Adam Hinkley is acting a bit childish - he sabotaged company equipment and stole what he did not own. They would not play ball by his rules, so
he tried to take the ball home. 
Virtual1 [HS]: - Adam's father somewhat strong-armed, somewhat misinformed him to take certain legal actions and make certain decisions which were not aimed
to benefit Adam, but to benefit (financially) Adam's father. Adam needs to get a lawyer that he is paying for. 
Virtual1 [HS]: - HLC is looking to make money, as any good company should do. Right now, they just wanted to get their sourcecode back and walk away from
Adam. Adam is not letting that happen, he is trying to get large sums of money from HLC. He is the largest stockholder in HLC even now, and it is to his benefit for
HLC to succeed, but he does not seem to be pushing things in that direction. 
Virtual1 [HS]: In a nutshell, Adam should get his own lawyer, settle the dispute, and sit back and enjoy the stock options. HLC should forget about Adam entirely.
# 
Oli: did you read the Maclean article on HL, and if so what did you think about it? 
colombo - Sen: from Pixy: what was and IS the main goal of PowerBot/P2: to support HL server admins or to make a chatterbot (concerning to make an AI)? 
colombo - Sen: (i'll get the url of the court thing; just a sec) 
Virtual1 [HS]: P2 is, as P1 was, an "administrative assistant". It's primary goal is to help the admins. It does this by protecting the server, adding features to the
server, and assisting the users, thereby taking the "load" off the admins. The AI is one of a number of things falling into the "toys" category. # 
colombo - Sen: from Sean: do you ever thing of writing your own protocol? 
colombo - Sen: thing = think = Sean's error; not mine :) Sean: hehe =P 
Virtual1 [HS]: I am waiting for the "socket bug" to be fixed. Then I might go write my own client/server. File transfers are a must, but until the bug is squished, I'm
stuck. # 
colombo - Sen: we have room for ONE MORE QUESTION. Please message it to me now, hurry up! :) 
colombo - Sen: From Hotline News MacMan: Can you give us an APPROXIMATE release date for PowerBot 2? A VERY ROUGH release date will suffice as I
know you don't want to make false committments (i.e Blizzard, Hotline). 
colombo - Sen: (that's not the ONE MORE QUESTION btw) 
Virtual1 [HS]: I have not had a lot of free time lately, I can't invest a lot of time in P2 right now. I'd like to have P2 in a more polished form by March or April. (I
know, a long way off, but remember, ANYONE can contribute modules, so if you are in a hurry to see something, you can always make it...) # 
colombo - Sen: (this doesn't count as a question, really, but) As follows with Hotline Chat Tradition: Boxers or Briefs? 
Virtual1 [HS]: btw, HLC is not the root owner of hotline. A2B Communications is. 
Virtual1 [HS]: (they are on the court docket) 
colombo - Sen: hello? 
Virtual1 [HS]: briefs. definitely. 
Oli: yea! 
Oli: ;P 
colombo - Sen: From MacMan: What would you do to Hotline Comm. If you were Jason Roks? 
colombo - Sen: (last question; sorry to everyone who got skipped) 
Virtual1 [HS]: I don't know what I would do. They are making their money now not off the shareware fee, but off the banners. ("impressions") I don't like those,
so there'd have to be some major changes. Free doesn't pay the bills though, and I don't like to charge for software, so I don't know what I would do. First thing
would be to make 1.5/7 clients backward compatible with 1.2.3. Try to regain the trust of the HL users. # 
Oli: The interview is now finished, guest is now open again, we hope you enjoyed. The chat log will be available soon here and on i-online.ninewire.com. Check
back later for future interviews. 
colombo - Sen: This chat has been brought to you by
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HOTLINE NEWS - THE ALTERNATIVE FOR NEWS ABOUT HINKS, BIGREDH & MORE 
Oli: yea yea 
Oli: that too 
Oli: who cares anyways :) DonT: Virtual1, PeonBoss was here earlyer but got kicked for some reason, but wanted to get this posted so here: "
Him: tell virt i said hi please" ;) 
colombo - Sen: dunno; why not have it in the log 
Oli: interview is finished 
Oli: have phun 
colombo - Sen: --- cut here ---

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