It was around July i think when my interest with bots started. I was talking with Erx then at #Filipino_Teens, he was working with his bots Spy, Buddy, and Franky. So I got curious, my fascination with how these "automated" channel guards work was insatiable.

At first, i thought they were "scripted" Pirch or mIRC programs. I did not ask Erx then, i researched on Pirch and mIRC sites and tried downloading several programs with good scripts but none quite like the ones Erx was working on. So, kahit na medyo nahihiya, nagtanong na rin ako sa kanya, "Spy is an eggdrop..." he said, and he was kind enough to give me some websites I could visit. I don't know about eggdrops, much more programming, am just your average fascinated chatter.

But i do know what Spy does, he kicks flooders in #Filipino, automatically gives OP Status on command, interacts on certain "texts" spoken by chatters. Sure, Pirch and mIRC has events that gives the same effect but Spy is different, he is always on-line. So, i asked Erx again, and he answered my curiosity, Spy is run by a server... now, my curiosity increased...!!!

So, i'm back to the websites and started looking for "eggdrops..."

And I found several of them, in many different versions... and I cannot understand anyone of them at all...!!!

The Need for a Test Room

Now what? I cannot open the eggdrop in gz and tar files, how do I unzip these things? Heheehe, hindi pala talaga puwede kasi pang Linux OS pala ang na-download ko... So, balik uli sa websites, searching for an eggdrop that will work with Windows. Around this time, BBQ is also setting up his bots for the #Filipino_Club and the #Philippine_Plaza. BBQ gave me access to Sarge, and his companion Daimos, so I got the chance to see what's inside the bots, and my search for an eggdrop bot that would work with my Operating System continued. Then I came across what were called "Ports". Eggdrops for Windows pala are called Ports. So i downloaded my first bot, Eggdrop 1.3.16. I called it FiRe. Now, what? I need a place to run the bot...

The Birth of #Filipino_Cafe

It was originally named #nothing, but I was all alone there. I cannot get the configuration right and I cannot seem to make the bot start running. It was dis-appointing. BBQ is always out busy with his studies, and Erx is also taking seminars. I am left on my own and a handful of documentations. It took me about a week checking the config file of the bot, and I was constantly thinking of a new name for a testing room. A lot was going on at the same time, Channels were suddenly un-registered, Microsoft was having split server problems and it was first come-first own for the rooms. Around this time, I learned how to set room keys, and wrote some simple scripting programs (for Pirch and mIRC) by opening scripts and looking at how they are made and how they run. It was fun, albeit time-consuming. My very first chat GF dumped me for another guy (or so it seemed...) despite my being dead serious with her... from here and on, my time got focused on getting the "darn" bot working...

FiRe Goes On-Line, and #Filipino_Cafe has an eggdrop bot!!!

I cannot test the bot where there are plenty of people, that could be very annoying and very disruptive for chatters. Plus, some people are dead serious with being kicked out of the room for no apparent reason. But I also need the cooperation of a few chatters to test the bot. I need to have a room where people might give a chance visit, it should be a Filipino room too because Pinoys will always find their way in somehow. It was both fun experimenting with TCL Scripts and working sleepless nights configuring the bot to a desired setting. JasJoyce was among my very first guinea chatters, Elaine started to hang-out in the room and at one time even invited her friends there. Styles, wondering where his sweetheart is found her chatting at the #Filipino_Cafe... FiRe was born, and so did the #Filipino_Cafe... it was not a chatroom then, it was just a bot testing arena... Fujin, another bot, was FiRe's buddy. They would "kick" each other when the servers go split... but no problem, both of them were in my PC and I would just click the "X" mark to shut them down. Right now, FiRe is re-named MrCoffee, resting in Yahoo5's server in Qatar, alongside the Bartender of #Filipino_Bar. MrCoffee is serving #Filipino_Cafe and the #Philippine_Plaza, a much improved and more patient bot than the "kick"-ing happy FiRe, but still as much an eggdrop bot.

#Filipino_Cafe, suddenly a Chatters Room...

I was having a good night's sleep that September Night, left my PC open and have the bots running. I left Elaine and Styles in the room that night. In the morning, i jumped out of bed and went to see if the bots are still on-line, whoaaahh!!! What happened to #Filipino_Cafe? Ang daming tao, ang gugulo at ang iingay pa.!!! What's going on?