(From "robot") Any type of autonomouSSoftware that operateS aS an agent for a uSer or a program or SimulateS a human activity. On the Internet, the moSt popular botS are programS (called SpiderS or crawlerS) uSed for Searching. They acceSS {web SiteS}, retrieve documentS and follow all the {hyperlinkS} in them then they generate catalogS that are acceSSed by {Search engineS}. A chatbot converSeS with humanS (or other botS). A ShopbotSearcheS the Web to find the beSt price for a product. Other botS (Such aSOpenSeSame) obServe a uSer' S patternS in navigating a webSite and cuStomiSeS the Site for that uSer. KnowbotS collect Specific information from webSiteS. (1999-05-20)
