New here. Some questions!

[Crocodile]

I don't even know if this the appropriate topic for my questions but since i haven't found any better topic....

I started playing on FIBS before some time and as i see now i have a reputation with that REPBOT thing of -4900(BAD).
Why the hell is that?

•First i have never dropped a game and i could _never_ do it!
OK when i played with one opponent that needed around half a minute for every move i decided to resign the game and leave our match. Since i was new to the FIBS i didn't know how to do it exactly, asked the chat, they misunderstood about my intentions and told me to write "leave" so i wrote "leave".
Then i realized after reading some of the comments that i actually became a dropper. They then said me about the "resign" command so after 20 seconds i immediately invited him back to finish the saved game and when he accepted i resigned immediately(correctly with "resign b" this time).

•Secondly my play is one of the fastest on FIBS(not to mention the best in FIBS -cube excluded-) as i play almost instantly. So i guess no one should complain about my playing speed.

•3d i never said anything impolite.

1)So why the hell i have a bad reputation?

2)My other question is how i can recognize if my opponent is a bot or not(notice that i don't ask if he is using a bot for his play, but if he is a bot or not)?

3)How my opponents send automatic messages after the game finishes like  "Good game thanks" etc? And moreover my name is included also like "Thanks for playing Crocodile".
How they do it?

4)Where i can find ALL the commands for FIBS?

5)How someone can connect a bot on FIBS? What protocol does it uses?

6)What bots are connected to FIBS? I mean all these GammonBots are what? GNUBG, Jellyfish, BGBlitz or what? Something else? (From the play of GammonBots there can't be Jellyfish or snowie, but rather a GNUBG version)
And what about Blunderbot? Is what is its name says? As i have seen it's actually a Bot that makes blunders some times. Is it really?

Let's see if there is any bright person answering all these.

[sixty_something]

great questions, Crocodile .. i'll tackle the first one first

"(BAD)" is just a reflection that your Rep is currently negative .. that can change to "(GOOD)" with a single vouch from an experienced player which would take your reputation (Rep) to a positive value .. RepBotNG uses a player's experience (Exp) to assign an additive value to a vouch with 10K the maximum value of either a vouch or complaint

obviously, someone did complain against you for whatever reason - it happens .. don't worry about it .. a -4900 Rep will not scare away most opponents, but would merely raise a caution flag

learn to use RepBotNG by going to the command line and simply typing TELL REPBOTNG HELP or, perhaps better, open a Chat window with RepBotNG and simply type HELP .. then explore each command with HELP ASK, HELP LIST, HELP ALERT, etc. .. btw, the same approach can be used at the command line for all FIBS server commands

RepBotNG is far from perfect, but has been a reliable tool for assessing a players reputation and continues to be maintained and improved .. frankly, a Rep within the range of -20K to +20K is what i would consider to be provisional .. even a Rep in the range -50K to -20K may contain players who are simply off to a bad start .. just as a +20K to +50K Rep may not be a good indicator of a player worthy of a good reputation (whatever that means) .. however, Reps of 50K or greater or less than -50K tend to be a good indicator of what to expect, but even that can and does change over time

the best way to get a good Rep is to consistently and responsibly use RepBot after each match by issuing a vouch if you would play that player again or recommend others to play them .. if the player is really a bad sport or terribly slow a complaint might be justified .. but don't get in the habit of issuing vouches for everyone and worse, IMHO, asking everyone you play to vouch you .. for example, whenever anyone asks me for a vouch, i almost never give it .. i even complained against a guy once when he mercilessly pestered me for a vouch after we played .. i eventually removed the complaint, but still remember the incident although i am clueless who that player was

another tip is to find and play experienced players (i.e., 10K or greater experience) a vouch from only a few of those players will have you above 50K or even 100K in no time

your other questions are all good ones, but i'll leave those for others to answer or for another time .. meanwhile, keep playing, keep reading, posting, and searching here at FIBSboard .. most importantly, keep enjoying yourself .. FIBS can be a funky little community, especially for newbies, but it is well worth the time and trouble to become a full fledged FIBSter and join in the shouts, tourneys, and other fun

cya around the boards

[spielberg]

Two more answers for you:

FIBS itself operates with a text protocol. All the commands it understands will be listed if you send the command "help". Further details on these commands are also available again by sending a text command. As you'll see there are a lot of commands but you can concentrate on the main ones by trying "help beginner".

Although FIBS is operating with text very few still use telnet to access. Several of the front ends (which are listed at Patti's guide to FIBS) give the ability to "autogreet" and "autothank". JavaFibs, which I use, gives the ability to send eg "Thanks for playing OPPONENTSNAME".

[playBunny]

JavaFibs, which I use, gives the ability to send eg "Thanks for playing OPPONENTSNAME".

Although there is the danger that someone who recognises these greetings as automatic may deem them insincere and valueless, even annoying. One clue being how the message appears two milliseconds after the match has finished. I'd recommend that you use personally crafted messages until you simply can't stand making such a huge effort any more.

[socksey]

Although there is the danger that someone who recognises these greetings as automatic may deem them insincere and valueless, even annoying. One clue being how the message appears two milliseconds after the match has finished.

I use my auto-greetings and farewells almost exclusively and have had no negative comments about doing that.  After all, I'm a very busy lady on Fibs and often get swamped with multitasking.  We all do the best we can with what we have.  My parting message reminds my opponent to vouch or to complain to repbot as they choose.  This also reminds me to vouch or complain.  I'm amazed at the number of long-time friends I have forgotten to vouch for in the past for who knows why.     Probably the multitasking thing again.

Anyway, welcome to Fibs, Crocodile!  Another hint would be to ask questions in shouts.  There is almost always someone there willing to answer questions.   

socksey



"If passion drives, let reason hold the reins." - Benjamin Franklin

[sixty_something]

i use this as an automatic Thx message to both promote RepBotNG use and remind me to use it

thx for playing and don't forget to use RepBotNG for vouches and complaints after matches   )

(i wish the wink icon appeared in JavaFIBS)

i generally try to say GM personally whether it was or not

[playBunny]

I use my auto-greetings and farewells almost exclusively and have had no negative comments about doing that.  After all, I'm a very busy lady on Fibs and often get swamped with multitasking.

How many annoying things aren't worth the effort of pointing out to people on a case by case basis? You think your thought about the annoying thing and the person who chose to do it, make a small wish that they wouldn't, and then you move on. They never get to know about it.

But even if you were to take the time to explain, people tend to fall at a hurdle; they fail to understand, appreciate, believe or care. You clearly understand that you might come across as too busy and important to use personal greetings. If the quote above were all that you said then it would sound as you had halted short of appreciating and believing.

However, ..

My parting message reminds my opponent to vouch or to complain to repbot as they choose.  This also reminds me to vouch or complain.

.. serves a different purpose and one that it's reasonable to automate.

[garp_02]

I do think it is polite to, at least, personally, acknowledge your opponent by taking a few seconds to type a few letters.......call me old-fashioned 

[spielberg]

I don't think that

old-fashioned

I think it charming and do the same not with the autogreet/bye but with dialogue during the match. Backgammon's a social game and much fun is missed when it's played in "silence". Chatting or kibbitzing can also improve your results against a fellow human - bot's can't be distracted or provoked into eg steaming but that's hardly the case for we people!