Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 8:14 pm Post subject: Microsoft's "Invasion of the Bots" Contest
Found this today and knew a few of you "might" be interested:
"Microsoft is challenging developers worldwide to create conversational robots, or BOTs, for MSN® Messenger and Windows Live™ Messenger. The most original, useful robots collect $40,000 in total prizes."
Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 2292 Location: Colorado
Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 8:34 pm Post subject:
This is realy amazing. I mean its a compelte switch in attitude by M$. The announcment seems to imply that we have to use the SKD's provide...i'll have to do some reading on that, but even then this is amazing. It will be an awsome way to get some visibility for anyone who can put together a nice bot.
My heads going a 100 miles an hour trying to figure out what can be done. Any way it is going to be a blast I know it! And we have a pretty goood community here to support out own entries for the Users Choice award!
It isn't just about winning prizes either, this will be an awsome chance to try out new chat bots in an enviromnet where hopefully we will get lots of users.
Man my head is just spinning like a top. Some ideas for bots off the top of by head are MUDs, WordGameBot, or even just a BotDepot bot that relates info about the forums through chat and maybe interfaces with the PM system in some sort of natural language way. _________________ Eric256
Proud previous owner and current admin of Bot-depot.com
I wonder if this means they'll change something on the protocol as far as contact list handling goes, making these bots be special somehow, like having no allow-list limit?
I imagine that if they did add such a feature, the SDK would be used to trigger such a thing on... packet sniffers anybody?
I dunno, but you'd think that with Microsoft doing something like this, they'd need to do something about their protocol limits that have been holding bots back so much in the past. _________________ Current Site (2008) http://www.cuvou.com/
Please Note: By entering the Contest and uploading for continuing entry, validation and verification a Tendered Entry and a Robot, each Participant grants to each of Microsoft (including Microsoft’s other affiliates and subsidiaries, employees, agents, and contractors), any testing partners, and the Contest Administrator and Contest Judges an irrevocable, royalty free, fully paid up, worldwide non-exclusive license under the Participants' copyrights, patents or other intellectual property rights to use, review, assess, test and otherwise analyze the submissions and all their content in connection with this Contest. Microsoft and its designees shall be free to use for any purpose in any and all media now known or hereinafter developed in any territory in perpetuity the residuals resulting from access to or work with Participants' Robots. The term "residuals" means information in intangible form, which is retained in memory by persons who have had access to the submissions, including ideas, concepts, know-how, or techniques contained therein. Microsoft shall not have any obligation to limit or restrict the assignment of such persons or to pay royalties for any work resulting from the use of residuals.
I'm not a lawyer, but basically anything (code, idea, anything) you submit to them for the contest they get to use as they want "in perpetuity" which is basically forever, without having to pay anyone a cent. Not that that's bad, just important to know. Exciting contest idea, I can't wait to see how this one plays out! _________________ Gadgets | Bot Coding | MMORPG | Ads Pixel | Random Messages | Gift Baskets | Used Electronics | Resident Evil | Hero NBC
Sounds like a great idea ... there's lots of these designer contests these days ... mostly for auto-pilot vehicles for military applications ... I can see two real perks ... it generates alot of media / public buzz in the field and it brings out the best and brightest for the organizer - in this case good old Bill - to pick over the best of the best for job offers ...
I had a look over the site ... it all looks a bit beyond me ... but the first chance I get I'm chatting with one of the entrants - 'W' - apparently an MSN bot that replies with quotes from George Jr.
All and all sounds like fun ... look forward to seeing some familiar names ...
Welcome to The Microsoft Windows Live Messenger Invasion of the Robots Contest Promotion (the “Contest”), sponsored by Microsoft Corporation (“Microsoft” or “Sponsor”) and administered by Gage Marketing Group, LLC (“Gage” or “Administrator”), offering exciting benefits to individual technology developers or authorized representatives of independent software developers, consultants and/or vendors (including Microsoft Solution Providers, developers and custom solution builders) (collectively, “ISVs”) who are at least 18 years of age (or of legal majority in their jurisdiction of legal residence) and have technical programming education and/or knowledge to create “robot” software programs for use with MSN Messenger / Windows Live (collectively, including meeting all Contest-related eligibility requirements, “Participants”) who by registering and participating in the Contest can qualify to potentially win a share of over $40,000 (Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) in USD) in total Contest Prizes, as more fully described and subject to the terms and conditions specified in these Official Rules, Terms of Use, Privacy Statement and official Contest communications and publications by Sponsor.
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