Further Exploration

Now that you know how to use webbots to interface with newsgroups, here is a list of ideas you can use to develop news bots for your own purposes.

  • Develop a newsgroup clipping service. This service could monitor numerous newsgroups for mention of specific keywords and either aggregate that information in a database or send email alerts when a keyword appears in a newsgroup.

  • Build a web-based newsgroup portal, similar to http://groups.google.com.

  • Create a webbot that gathers weather forecasts for Las Vegas from the National Weather Service website, and post this weather information for vacationers on alt.vacation.las-vegas.[48]

  • Monitor newsgroups for unauthorized use of intellectual property.

  • Create a database that archives a newsgroup. ...

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