Web Agents and Intelligent Agents

WEB AGENTS

WEB ROBOTS, SPIDERS AND WANDERERS are programs that traverse the WWW information space. They move from one Web doc to another by referencing the hyperlinks embedded in the web pages. Web robots speak the language HTTP using it to retrieve web docs from the servers. They crawl on the web to discover new resources, to index the Webspace for automated maintenance.

WEB COMMERCE AGENTS are automated Web shoppers, bargain-hunters, and smart online buyers for comparison-shopping and automated procurement. They are also the automated online catalogs and electronic sales representatives for manufacturers and retailers.

WORMS AND VIRUSES are malicious agents that replicate themselves in an elusive way to travel from machine to machine.

MUD AGENTS provide useful services to human players, such as answering inquiries and giving directions through a type-written natural-language interface.

CHATTERBOTS are conversational agents whose main job is to chat with human players.

Adapted from:

Cheong, F. (1996). Internet Agents: Spiders, Wanderers, Brokers, and Bots. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders.