Inktomi Slurp Spider?
 

:eek: The index currently lists 129 people on the board, with 68 viewing the Books. Further investigation reveals that most of these are Inktomi Slurp Spiders. A Google search turns up the information that when Yahoo! bought Inktomi, it took the Slurp Spiders out of commission and renamed them Yahoo! Spiders. Is the board being haunted?

Seems likely enough.

Stay on the green threads. Don't you go a-meddling with old programs or cold Spiders who go prying through other people's forums.

what IS a slurp spider exactly?

Of Spiders and Slurping.
 

A spider is the program search engines use to update their database of pages. Or maybe it's the program they send out when someone's using their seach engine to access the page. I'm not sure.

A slurp spider is a spider found at your local 7-11. :)

YUM!

Thanks for that info -- now all I have to do is figure out which one is which...

And I think I'll get some of that slurp spiders :D

The spiders have returned in even greater numbers! Where is Sam Gamgee when we need him? But , then, why should I be surprised? This is a Tolkien site!

As of 4:30 pm there were 185 Inktomi Slurp spiders swarming over the Barrowdowns. When I checked, they seemed particularly interested in the Shire discussion threads, for what reason I can not possibly imagine.....

Perhaps there were Inktomi Slurp Spider's that escaped the fate of their brethern? Maybe they weren't all deleted, and they ran for cover here in the downs! We're being invaded! Spiders! They're everywhere! There's only one thing to do: "Aiya Earendil Elendion Anacalima!"

*slurp*
 

Hmm, I could foresee a very silly RPG involving chasing strange slurping spiders out of said Shire....

*slurp* indeed -- that reminds me of those chocolate spiders in Dreyers ice-cream...that was a few years ago. uuuugggghhhhh.

Now I know what those spider things are I should have paid more attention to that 'What's Going On' link. heh.

It gets weirder ...
 

I was just checking Whose Online (me, stalking? never) and noticed that the action given for one of those Inktomi Slurp Spiders was:


Spiders have friends? They send Chapter-by Chapter discussion threads to them? Who are these friends? Where are they? Why are they doing it? I think that we should be told.

I'm afraid that the invasion of the Downs by a swarm of spiders might be my fault. . .

They've come in search of their friends!

(Shameless self-promotion? Me? ME? Not possible, not possible. . .

. . .well. . .

. . .maybe a little possible.)

11 members and 9 guests
Most users ever online was 243, 10-09-2004 at 10:53 AM.

Last Activity--------User Name--------------------Location

04:37 PM--------Inktomi Slurp Spider--------Giving Reputation

So now we know. Little blighters.

By far the most amazing thing about your post, Rimb, is something I haven't noticed until now -- 243 users online on 10/9?!!! A sac of spider eggs must have burst open on that day.

*shiver*

Part of the reason I posted that line as well, Unde - wondered if anyone else wondered at it, so to speak. I rarely see more than twenty names on the site, and certainly nowhere near three figures, spiders or no.

I remember that day quite well. I was up (very early) with my son and I went online to see what was happening, and there was indeed quite a swarm of the little blighters (as you so eloquently put it)! I was postively afraid for the Downs!

Now wait a minute!
 

Ah, but I thought one had to be registered in order to give Reputation! Or do we have a member called Inktomi Slurp Spider? :D

Perhaps the 'Downs ought to adopt a Forum cat, who will be sure to make short work of any spiders. He might bring some headless mice in though.

On the other hand: the higher the spider population, the lower the mosquito population. Used to keep a web or three in the room up at camp, and slept better without the mosquito's background music.

Then again, there was that one time I woke to the sound of scratchy little footsteps; to find a Shelob marching down the ancient green canvas windowshade towards my pillow. She had to be a bloated grey inch across, just on her body. Scared the sleep right outa me, and I boxed her up and took her outside...

This must be the spiders' favorite WEBsite! HAHAHAHAHAAAA! Get it? WEB-site? WEB... *looks around.* I'll shut up now.

hordes of Inktomi Slurp Spiders. They're back. Sam! Sam! Where's that glass??

How very strange! It's Christmas morning, at least in the U.S., and according to "who's online" we have 70 guests viewing the site (and only two spiders).

The only thing I can think of is that all those slurp spiders are miraculously transformed into actual humans on this one day of the year.....

In any case, welcome to our 70 guests and may you have a fine holiday. Just don't start spinning webs!

Where have all the spiders gone, Long time passing
Where have all the spiders gone, long time ago
Where have all the spiders gone
Labeled as Guest, every one
When will they ever learn
When will they ever learn

Here's something to think about...

Seriously though, we're all doing our very best to keep the Barrowdowns in an excellent condition.

I will be happy to answer any questions you may have for us.

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!! :eek:

**pokes Inktomi Slurp Spider**

Under the red and blue mask, I bet we find a mod...

Hmmm...

In the profile, under occupation it says, "Holding the site together."

That couldn't possibly mean that even our fearless leader would engage in such tom-foolery his ownself...

...could it?

(Then again, it might have been the elusive and ever mischievous Underhill...
but, then again, that spider seems to be wearing a tiara...
but, then again, it seems rather...gray...
is that a saucepan I see in the web...)

Ah! There they are. Perhaps they are nocturnal after all.

The Spiders

Basically, these spiders are happy little creations that crawl around webpages to help build search engines. When our own resident Inky said they're doing their best to keep the 'Downs in great shape, he's kind of right. With The Barrowdowns being found through more search engines, more people will be on here, and so by default, more people will be donating money. :)

Here's a question, Inky... what's your real identity? ;)

Fea

I'll leave you to keep guessing.

*Ahem!*

I mean, how dare you dispute my spidery ways! Keep this up and I will dabble with your posts, young lady.

Spider Cousin's
 

:eek: I see you've invited your cousin's the MSNbot and askjeeves spiders to join you! WE'RE BEING INVADED, we'll have to get all the Gamgee's for this invasion. :smokin: :eek:

I note it posts at what would be "just finished work time for a Brit" or "lunchtime for East Coast America /Canada" which may be a clue. And I think I would guess a Brit..... But I think it is possible to analyse writing (and I mean content not handwriting) to ID wok. But I doubt we have enough to go on yet.

More spiders?
Most users ever...yesterday, 335!
Now there are Google Spiders and the very alliterative Speedy Spider Spider.
I never kill spiders, I just transfer them to my garden. However, I don't think I could cope with 335 all at once. ;)

Ooh, it's a mystery! *dons Sherlock Holmes hat*

Should be interesting to see if we can figure it out... any computer-savvy members know how to find a user's IP address? :p

<---We need a magnifying glass icon!!
 

Well, that would narrow the field of potential candidates...considerably.

As far as I know there is only one Brit moderator.

However, there are two in Germany, which is not so very far off on time that it would be impossible for a small piece of evening mischief.

There is one mod that I know for certain who lives on the east coast of the US. He can occasionally be a bit...rascally.

However, going by your theory, that would eliminate the mod that I thought was doing it because I think he lives in entirely the wrong place.

Floridian Spirit of Mist? Hmmm, Inktomi Mithslurp...

I think it's fairly evident.

My first guess would have been the Wight, considering the rapidity of the pounce. But then, there's more playfulness in the Spider than I would expect.

Actually, there are two Brit moderators, Kuru as well as the two in Germany. Two admins on the East Coast and a mod. An Admin and mod in Texas. One Mod on the West Coast and one Admin. One mod in North North America. But let us not be too hasty. I can think of others, though, who aren't officially mods, who are well known for their playfullness and who have done their share of 'keeping the forum together'.

Helen, do frogs pounce as lightly and easily as spiders?

ISP might give us some idea, but only mods have access to that, and only in their own forum. We all know who mods this forum.

Oh, thank you very much. Now I've got arachnophobia to deal with. As if having fear of stalkers is not enough.

Bb, to the best of my admittedly limited understanding, frogs are known less for their pouncing than for their lightning-fast tongue.

Thank you for the most excellent rundown of mods, admins, and their locale. I shall have to bookmark your post for future reference.