On the topic of chatbots...

[moonshadow]

Google thought I was a bot... I had to go through a captcha to prove otherwise, but it does go to show that sometimes unusual traffic can be misleading.

I admit it's rather amusing when a bot [Google] thinks I'm a bot... I can assure you.... I am not... a bot...

Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. This page checks to see if it's really you sending the requests, and not a robot. Why did this happen?

IP address: 185.215.181.223

[Coder]

Google thought I was a bot... I had to go through a captcha to prove otherwise, but it does go to show that sometimes unusual traffic can be misleading.

I get this almost every time I login to my hosting account, they use cloudflare CDN which has some kind of anti-DDOS technology... I don't think it's very sophisticated as my IP stays pretty fixed (well, it used to anyways). I've also gotten the Google captcha, but usually only when I'm on a work network as those IPs get reused and the blocks are pretty large. It's not just IP addresses these companies use... but I'm sure they play a part. It could be that whatever IP range you are on, someone's running a bot farm out of their house.

Also, you have to stop doing searches like "How do I tell my friends I'm a bot?" and "How to pass captchas as a bot". That's an immediate clue to Google you are a bot

[GerdG]

Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. This page checks to see if it's really you sending the requests, and not a robot. Why did this happen?
IP address: 185.215.181.223

And is it your IP address?

I often get the same message - when using VPN. When I detach VPN there is nothing suspicious with my net work any longer.

[crfriend]

And is it your IP address?

I often get the same message - when using VPN. When I detach VPN there is nothing suspicious with my net work any longer.

Residential addresses virtually always belong to the ISP (Internet Service Provider); "VPN" addresses vary dramatically and one might never know where the exit-point is -- including large data-centres that are typically full of targets that people go to and not come from.

In Moon's case, that IP is listed as being in a netblock belonging to "Packethub S.A." somewhere in the US (and the range belonging to a company in Panama).

[moonshadow]

Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. This page checks to see if it's really you sending the requests, and not a robot. Why did this happen?
IP address: 185.215.181.223

And is it your IP address?

I often get the same message - when using VPN. When I detach VPN there is nothing suspicious with my net work any longer.

Currently I'm running my cell phone through a VPN, but even if it were switched off, I'm not sure how it would come back as the phone I use runs on Walmart's "Straight Talk" service.

I noticed that the IP address came back through Atlanta, however I'm currently sitting in a hotel room in Louisville.... coming home today... thank the ever living God... (this week has been a PITA)

[Uncle Al]

A slight change of direction for A.I.
Have Fun

Making a real JARVIS A.I. was a mistake.

Uncle Al

[crfriend]

Here, hilariously, Dissecting ChatGPT -- which I only read late last night, is largely how I identified the problem. In essence, I had to "write" a "Voit-Kampf test" for chatbots on-the-fly.

Ultimately, it was the entirely non-human responses that clued me in -- especially after I tweaked it in certain ways that would have gotten the attention of even the densest human simpleton in a room -- and it completely missed the clues.

Al's post was laughing matter. This thing fooled people -- and that has dire consequences for humanity if we cannot learn to discriminate human writing from non-human "writing". This is not a laughing matter, This thing, if it's used wrongly, has the power to really destabilise things. Think about the sheer amount of mis- (and outright dis-) information it could spread if so-called reputable "news outlets" started using it. If that thought does not send a shiver down your spine I might question whether you have one or not.

[greenboots]

Thank God this topic has calmed down.

As a Christian minister for over 25 years, I have had to deal with a fair share of situations in which accusations have flown, but I could not defend myself in public because I was party to information that could not be shared as it might prejudice future proceedings or reveal personal information: employee relations, safeguarding, spiritual standing or pastoral situations.

Some of the harsh comments directed at Carl and the moderators remind me of a scene in the Paddington movie. The Browns return home to discover the fire brigade packing up after extinguishing a blaze in the kitchen. Paddington, always truthful to a fault, describes a creature with the skin of a snake and the head of an elephant. The story is so far-fetched he is accused of lying, and leaves the house in disgrace. Of course, he is proved right and the Browns have to rescue him from a fate worse than death.

We are not supposed to discuss politics, religion or undergarments on this site. Yet these topics are in fact unavoidable. Politics affects our everyday lives, many of us here attend places of worship of varying flavours, and unmentionables are integral to our clothing choices. Hence, the moderators generally take a light touch in such discussions unless they become acrimonious. It would therefore seem reasonable to assume that they would not make accusations of the existence of chatbots without some evidence, even if it cannot be shared openly.

Finally, if I felt I could not trust the moderators on an internet forum, I would not waste my time arguing with them; I would close my account immediately or I may be at risk.

[Offkilter69]

I’m sorry, but I respectfully disagree that ScotL is a chatbot. An argument could definitely be made for excessive posting that is problematic for a moderator to sort through, but nothing appeared suspicious to me about his posts. Contrary to an opinion previously stated, I found his posts to be genuine and refreshing, albeit sometimes long winded. From what I’ve read about Chatbots, they are good at organizing facts but lack creativity and have difficulty displaying empathy, two traits that the accused did demonstrate. Let’s face it, we all constantly rehash MIS topics and opinions, myself included, over and over. There can be only so much originality after a point.

I believe he also mentioned that he is a physician, thus is likely proficient in using dictation software that could enhance his ability to post quickly and often. Just a thought.

A conspiracy theory revolving around AI infiltrating a web forum dedicated to men wearing skirts is also hard for me to swallow, especially since it was from a very “pro” perspective. What would be the motivation? Insidious users of AI have bigger fish to fry than MIS.

Finally, I received an IM from ScotL a week ago thanking me for my contributions to the Cafe since they were relatable to him. He feared the consequences that seem to have occurred and wanted to reach out to me before anything happened. Would a Chatbot do that? I highly doubt it.

I respect the moderators for the undoubtably difficult and often thankless job that they do managing this forum, but it would be a shame and disappointing if discrimination is occurring here over forum politics and having a few member’s skirts ruffled.

If the accused was counseled about excessive posting and responded with insolence, then disciplinary action can be justified without need of a conspiracy theory. I do not claim to have read every post, so perhaps I missed something.

And for the record, I can identify all of the traffic lights in a set of pictures…if they’re good pictures.

[FLbreezy]

Why under ScotL's name is it listed Chatbot? Have I been missing something?

He was incorrrectly identified as a chatbot, or as an operator sometimes using a chatbot, by Carl and the administrators of the forum.
...

I believe that ScotL has now been expelled from membership of the cafe. This will be my last post on the forum for a while, as I am going to go and sulk about the insensitive and unreasonable behaviour of the administrators. If any wants to communicate with ScotL, they can send me a PM, as I have an email address for him.

That kind of BS by the admins here is why I took a break from reading/posting here. I see it's only gotten worse. I saw ScotL as a valuable contributor, even if he sometimes got into heated discussions over fine points. I chalked that up to his difficult work/sleep schedule.

[Fred in Skirts]

Once again people we do not know all of the problems our mods had to look at!!

There is a lot of things that we as non mods can't see and do not understand. If the mods said there was a bot, there was a bot! If they said the bot was in Scotl's account then there was a bot in that account and what they did behind the scenes we did not see nor would we need to see.

If you can prove beyond a shadow of doubt that there was no bot then prove it!
Otherwise just let the mods do their job and stop trying to second guess what went on behind the scenes.

Just my two cents on the subject! Take it as you will and read into it what you want but remember you can't read my mind nor those of anyone else here in the forum.

Fred

[Uncle Al]

FYI-
This "situation" is similar to an Iceberg because what you "see" on the forum,
is about one tenth of the total picture. There were MANY discussions and PM's
to 'The Member' offering help, in any way possible. All were mocked and refused.
'The Member' didn't need any "help".

Everyone's spouted off as an "armchair quarterback" would do. Most of
you have not "walked in our shoes" and don't have access to the stockpile
of information, and years of experience, used to figure this out.

So, enough said. Can this be laid to rest

Uncle Al

[FLbreezy]

So, enough said. Can this be laid to rest

How to kill a community...

[Elisabetta]

I never said I didn't back Moderators in their decision I was just curious until I read everything that was going on as to why they claimed he was a bot. I thought he was an innocent member however it's true we don't know all of what goes on in other areas of the forums that we can't see which is Moderators access only. My comments were of observations and what was going on at hand I didn't realize there was more to the story so if I've upset anyone not intentional just asked where the information with the bot ordeal lied as I've not been on these forums like Moon has that's all.

[moonshadow]

Once again people we do not know all of the problems our mods had to look at!!

There is a lot of things that we as non mods can't see and do not understand. If the mods said there was a bot, there was a bot! If they said the bot was in Scotl's account then there was a bot in that account and what they did behind the scenes we did not see nor would we need to see.

If you can prove beyond a shadow of doubt that there was no bot then prove it!
Otherwise just let the mods do their job and stop trying to second guess what went on behind the scenes.

Just my two cents on the subject! Take it as you will and read into it what you want but remember you can't read my mind nor those of anyone else here in the forum.

Fred

It is important to trust the expertise and judgment of moderators and understand that there may be information that they have access to that the general public does not. If there are concerns or doubts, it may be best to approach the mods and have an open and respectful conversation to find a resolution.

(I plugged your response into a chatbot just to see what it would say...)

I think one of the smoking guns here was the frequency of post within a small amount of time. Members certainly have it within themselves to cut and paste an article, thread comment, or any other commentary into a chat box and then simply copy and paste the response in short order. In suppose it could be possible in this case, though would be difficult to prove, I mean, anyone can do this at any time, and it takes no special skill.

Hang on... let me try something...

Hey deepai, write about my trip to Gatewood Park in Pulaski Virginia...

Gatewood Park in Pulaski Virginia is a beautiful natural area that is perfect for a family outing or a quiet and peaceful picnic. During my trip to the park, I was amazed by the scenic views and the relaxing atmosphere.

Upon arrival, my family and I were greeted by friendly park staff who gave us information about the park's facilities and activities. We chose to explore the lush green hiking trails that meandered through the park, providing ample opportunities to admire the stunning views around us. As we hiked along, we were amazed by the wildflowers, towering trees, and chirping birds.

After our hike, we decided to relax by the sparkling lake at the center of the park. The serene calmness of the water was captivating, and we rented a boat to explore it further. We saw fish swimming in the crystal-clear waters and even spotted a family of ducks floating nearby.

We also took advantage of the park's picnic facilities, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch while basking in the sun. The park has several picnic shelters, tables, and grills, making it easy to enjoy a meal among the beauty of the natural surroundings.

Overall, my trip to Gatewood Park was an unforgettable experience. The park is an excellent destination that offers a wide range of recreational activities for families and individuals alike. From hiking and boating to picnicking and sightseeing, Gatewood Park is a hidden gem that is definitely worth a visit.

Not bad... woefully inaccurate though, but I have to admit, if it had gotten the actual experience correctly I would be pretty freaked out by now. There was no "we" as Liz didn't hike or go on the water, it rained 7 out of the 9 days of my vacation, and I own my own kayak, so no rental. No ducks, plenty of Canadian geese though, I did see quite a few fish swimming, and yes, there were wildflowers.

And no mention of this on day 8, right before we went home....

20230623_193022.jpg

Such a beautiful photo.. had to be A.I. generated right? At least photoshopped? No... It was genuine. And a good thing too, if it had rained one more day I was going to start constructing an ark.