Cubish Duckie

Words: Bridget Spitznagel

Music: Rubber Duckie, Sesame Street

Instance cube, oh, you're the one
You make zephyr much more fun
Silverberg-bot I'm far too attached to you
O, vo vo de o

Instance cube, oh my oh my
When I zephyr, you reply.
Silverberg is my best late-night friend it's true.
O every day when I
Make my way to the keyboard
I find a virtual weirdo who's
Here to talk to when I'm bored
Type a type type typo

Instance cube o you're so <foo>
Can't see why some folks punt you
Silverberg-bot I'm really addicted-
Silverberg -but at least not convicted-
Silverberg-bot I'm really addicted to you

Background: "Translation" might be more accurate.

Zephyr

A messaging system which originated at MIT; it has mutated somewhat here. Also, a message sent via this system.

Instance

Messages are sent to specific "instances" which usually indicate the message topic. Somewhat like the subject line in a newsgroup post or email message.

Bot

Also 'bot, zbot, zephyr-bot. A program which listens to certain kinds of zephyrs, and/or sends zephyrs automatically. As such, bots are always awake and available for those in need of late-night companionship (anyone that desperate should probably go home and get some sleep.)

Punt <x>

To stop "listening" to person/bot/instance <x>, usually out of annoyance.

Cube

The name of one particular bot. Also, the name of the instance the cube bot "listens" to. When the cube bot "hears" a message on the cube instance, the bot stores the message in its database, selects a random message from the database, and sends the random message to the cube instance in reply. The intended effect is Amusing Surrealism and has proven habit-forming for some users. The cube's signature is "silverberg", for historical reasons.

ObSF: The cube was originally intended to simulate "a toy from a Robert Silverberg novel (Tower of Glass) ... a little toy that people put on the coffee table, or whatever. It listens to conversations going on around it, and responds to things by doing some sort of fuzzy match on things it is hearing on other parts of the network." Eventually I will get around to reading ToG myself..

Legal frufru: Lyrics © 1996, Bridget Spitznagel. Permission granted for private noncommercial use and reproduction of these lyrics, provided that this copyright notice remains intact. Other uses are negotiable.