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Justa User 
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 Topic: Active Forum: Odd values for OS & Browser
Posted: 16 August 2005 at 1:44pm |
Problem:
I have noticed on the Active Forum Users that there are sometimes odd values for the OS and Browser columns.
Steps:
1. Go to the active_users.asp page, like these two samples:
http://voip-forum.tmcnet.com/voip-forum/forum/active_users.asp
http://forums.webwiz.net/active_users.asp
2. Note the values for the OS and Browser columns
Some of the things I've seen (OS / Browser):
Search Robot / MSN
Search Robot
/ Inktomi
Search Robot / Ask Jeeves
Search Robot /
Googlebot
Note that "Search Robot" isn't an OS and "Ask Jeeves" isn't a browser.
What's going on here? Is there a problem with the code you guys are
using to get Browser and OS info? Or is the problem on the users
system?
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sfd19
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Posted: 16 August 2005 at 2:10pm |
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, it is working exacly like it is supposed to work. If you do not like the clumn titles "OS" and "Browser" then rename them to something you like better.
boRgs code is identifying the different search engines and adding them to the active users, clearly indicating that they are not humans but search robots.
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Justa User
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Posted: 16 August 2005 at 2:18pm |
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D'oh, I think I see what's going on here. These are just the
robots that search engines are using to index the site...
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MadDog
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Posted: 16 August 2005 at 2:49pm |
Its called a "Search Robot"... try to pay a little more attention 
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Justa User
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Posted: 16 August 2005 at 6:18pm |
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I posted my follow up a few seconds after the original post, but
because this is a 'moderated' forum the post didn't show up until after
your comments. Oh well...
Those aren't OS or Browsers.
I don't know if you can tell by my user name, but I am not a site
admin, but use a site that chose to use this forum engine. After
the forum was hacked I was just concerned about it. These robots
should be exclude from the list.
By the way, I like the WYSIWYG of this beta version.
Edited by Justa User - 17 August 2005 at 2:42pm
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dpyers
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Posted: 16 August 2005 at 7:43pm |
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Search robots are actually browsers. They just don't have displayed
output and they have built in logic for following links, spawning, and
pusing data back to their source.
If you want to see how a searchbot views your site, try the Lynx browser.
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Lead me not into temptation... I know the short cut, follow me.
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dpyers
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Posted: 17 August 2005 at 11:02am |
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Also, It's useful if your site is running to be able to check if a couple of bots have been on it for a hour or two.
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Lead me not into temptation... I know the short cut, follow me.
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Justa User
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Posted: 17 August 2005 at 7:54pm |
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Alrighty, thanks for the info. That seems like useful info for the site admin. However, depending on the audience, it doesn't make sense to the site's end users. That's my 2ยข.
Submitted at: 20050817.1644
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