Author Topic: DONE: perform random URL queries (Random Submitter) (Read 74278 times)

Scott · « **on:** April 23, 2005, 04:56 PM »

Hmm, well, I suggest the utility I already mentioned: A little app that submits spurious searches to Google on a regular basis, to render useless their data collection. My guess is that this app would use the MSIE engine, and would simply read an ASCII-based word list, and that it wouldn't be that hard to make.

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2005, 05:26 AM »

sorry, this was one of the earliest requests, but it got lost in the move to new section..

i think chr was working on this a bit.. i have an alternate way to do it and i will implement this snack if chr decides not to finish his version..

frogblast · « **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2005, 07:10 AM »

Why would you want to wreck Google's database?

mouser · « **Reply #3 on:** May 01, 2005, 07:33 AM »

some of this request thread got lost when i moved it..
it was a very strange request, but scott's idea was that he didn't like the possibility of google collecting information on him through his searches.. so he wanted to submit random searches in order to make it hard for them to invade his privacy. that was the idea at least, as i understand it.

Scott · « **Reply #4 on:** May 01, 2005, 01:04 PM »

Yes, mouser has the right idea.

Google shouldn't have a "database" on me in the first place.

mouser · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2005, 02:18 AM »

http://www.wired.com...2,00.html?tw=rss.TOP

Scott · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2005, 04:49 AM »

I read that article when it came out. That's not when my concern started, though.

And their "privacy" policies mean nothing at all to me. They're invariably "subject to change", which to me means they're useless.

mouser · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2005, 05:13 AM »

scott, what is going on with your avatar?

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2005, 05:17 AM »

ok i have implemented this, as "Random Submitter"

Note i made it general enough that you can use this to submit random stuff to any url, and i added a few fun features (like view last result).

let me know what you think

download first version on coding snacks page:
https://www.donation...dingSnacks/index.php

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** May 21, 2005, 07:22 AM »

i wonder if people can think of other uses for this program..
i'm afraid it has some serious spamming applications

but maybe there are more productive uses as well?

Scott · « **Reply #10 on:** May 21, 2005, 09:37 AM »

scott, what is going on with your avatar?
-mouser (May 21, 2005, 05:13 AM)

What, you don't have authorization to view it either? It's just a quickie little image I put together.

Thanks for Random Submitter! Giving it a try now...

Scott · « **Reply #11 on:** May 21, 2005, 09:39 AM »

I'm almost afraid to mention it, but a bunch of the controls aren't visible at 120 DPI.

mouser · « **Reply #12 on:** May 21, 2005, 10:00 AM »

darn i always forget that don't i?

ok try downloading new version and let me know.

Scott · « **Reply #13 on:** May 21, 2005, 10:03 AM »

Better, thank you!

Sorry to be a pain in the ass.

mouser · « **Reply #14 on:** May 21, 2005, 10:09 AM »

it's not a pain - its nice to be have someone find bugs so quickly, all the better to fix them.

see if the new version makes it acceptable.

Scott · « **Reply #15 on:** May 21, 2005, 10:19 AM »

Version 1.00.04 is better. It's not like I don't know what all the text in the window says.

One problem I've noticed--and it probably doesn't matter for Google--is that if you have $PRANDFILE$ with an imbedded space (e.g. "$RANDFILE$ $PRANDFILE$"), the space will always be sent, even if $PRANDFILE$ isn't used. This occurs for every $PRANDFILE$ used (e.g. for "$RANDFILE$ $PRANDFILE$ $PRANDFILE$" you might have "recirculated kakemonos ", and for "$RANDFILE$ $PRANDFILE$ $PRANDFILE$" you'll have "recirculated kakemonos ").

mouser · « **Reply #16 on:** May 21, 2005, 10:22 AM »

i wont bother uploading a new version until there are more bugs to fix.
i will add later a checkbox that removes removes multiple spaces, that should be useful in such cases.

Scott · « **Reply #17 on:** May 21, 2005, 10:26 AM »

Cool. Thanks for all you've done. I really appreciate it!

Scott · « **Reply #18 on:** May 21, 2005, 10:58 AM »

Another minor issue:

1. Minimize the window to the tray.
2. Exit Random Submitter via Exit item in the tray menu.
3. Run Random Submitter again.
4. Double click the tray icon.

For me, this makes the window come up pseudo-minimized each time. That's probably not the right term (pseudo-minimized?), but the screen shot shows what I mean. The window is minimzied to a title bar, in the lower left portion of the screen, and needs to be restored.

If the window is shown when the application is exited, the problem doesn't occur.

Edit: I think this is what Windows XP does when an application orders its window to be minimized, but a task bar button for it hasn't been created for that window. Just a stupid-user, non-programmer guess.

JeffK · « **Reply #19 on:** May 21, 2005, 06:46 PM »

Thanks for that app., mouser. I'll try it out.

Jeff

mouser · « **Reply #20 on:** May 21, 2005, 07:32 PM »

modified to fix minimization weirdness and auto trim multiple spaces that might be introduced by $PRANDFILE$.

i also have taken to changing thread titles to match more general coding snack app functionality.

Scott · « **Reply #21 on:** May 21, 2005, 08:24 PM »

I'm not sure if text is getting cut off on submission, or when it is displayed in the Log. Here's the "URL" I'm using:

[Select]

http://www.google.com/search?q=$RANDFILE$ "$RANDFILE$ $PRANDFILE$ $PRANDFILE$" $PRANDFILE$ $PRANDFILE$&safe=off&sa=N&tab=wg

And here's an excerpt from my Log:

[Select]

5/21/2005 , 9:21:51 PM -> http://www.google.com/search?q=interliners "tintinnabula immaterial settee" epeirogeny&safe=off&sa=N&tab=w
Submission completed.
5/21/2005 , 9:21:54 PM -> http://www.google.com/search?q=phototherapies "psyches scrumping" somas&safe=off&sa=N&ta
Submission completed.
5/21/2005 , 9:21:58 PM -> http://www.google.com/search?q=indexer "mayan organologic"&safe=off&sa=N&tab=wg
Submission completed.
5/21/2005 , 9:22:00 PM -> http://www.google.com/search?q=booted "grumpishness"&safe=off&sa=N&tab=wg
Submission completed.
5/21/2005 , 9:22:02 PM -> http://www.google.com/search?q=radially "englutted" sainted&safe=off&sa=N&tab=wg
Submission completed.
5/21/2005 , 9:22:12 PM -> http://www.google.com/search?q=coupon "taeniae vitellogenesis clamourous" hr assailants&safe=off&sa=N&tab
Submission completed.

Looking at the end of each line in the log output, it seems that sometimes, the last parameter gets truncated, and other times, it doesn't, though it doesn't seem to be caused by URL length.

mouser · « **Reply #22 on:** May 21, 2005, 09:31 PM »

yes, they were being truncated - bug in my string replacement routine.
i uploaded a new version with fix.

Scott · « **Reply #23 on:** May 22, 2005, 05:07 PM »

Suggestion for (potential) future version: Roll off log entries after a certain number exist. Otherwise (and as I'm seeing here), memory consumption continues to grow over time.

Other ideas... Ability to change the user agent reported, ability to randomize the number of minutes between submissions, ability to randomize the URLs (maybe by reading a second TXT file, one that contains a list of URLs). I'll shutup now.

These are suggestions, not requests. As I've said a billion times, I really appreciate all that has been done already.

mouser · « **Reply #24 on:** May 22, 2005, 06:05 PM »

good idea, i'll add it in next version.