This user account is a bot operated by Slakr (talk).It is used to make repetitive automated or semi-automated edits that would be extremely tedious to do manually, in accordance with the bot policy. The bot is approved and currently active – the relevant request for approval can be seen here. Administrators: if this bot is malfunctioning or causing harm, please block it.
SineBot is a bot that is designed to replace HagermanBot, which added {{Unsigned}} and {{UnsignedIP}} tags to unsigned edits made to talk pages as well as a handful of non-talk pages. The bot derives its name from a happy coincidence: "signing" on Wikipedia involves typing four tildes in a row (~~~~). Each tilde resembles the graphical representation of a sine function, and, of course, the very word "sine" is a homophone of "sign." Moreover, the word "sine" means "without" in the Latin language.
A graph of the displacement of the bot's sine wave. It is fighting with its evil archenemy, the cosine wave.
What SineBot does
SineBot is a recent changes patrolling bot that uses api.php to spot edits made on certain pages the moment they happen.
It will automatically add {{Unsigned}}, {{UnsignedIP}}, and {{Undated}} templates to comments left by registered and IP users, respectively.
Except on pages that are frequently modified, the bot will normally give editors a grace period (a minute or so) to sign and date unsigned/undated comments before assuming that a particular editor forgot to sign.
It runs continuously (except, obviously, for maintenance).
If a particular user makes three or more unsigned comments in a 24 hour period, the bot will place a single {{uw-tilde}} advice message on his/her talk page.
Reports obvious vandalism and suspected personal attacks to various anti-vandalism IRC channels.
Where SineBot does it
After a long day's work, SineBot can get pretty stressed.
To explicitly disable autosigning on a single specific edit, place !nosign! or !nosine! anywhere in the edit summary.
Entire talk page
Entire pages can be excluded using {{bots}} allow/deny tags. This is useful if you don't want the bot signing comments to your talk page. However, be sure to establish consensus on article talk pages before denying the bot from signing comments made to them.
Do note that even when {{bots}} is used to prevent SineBot operating on your user talk page, the bot will still issue reminders when it signs posts on your behalf at other pages (as signing your posts is required by the Wikipedia:Signatures guideline, and the bot should not be used as an alternative to properly signing posts yourself).
Opting back in for experienced editors
Editors with over 800 edits are ignored by the bot by default, with the assumption that they should already know the signatures guideline by that point and that if they didn't sign, it was either intentional or the result of doing something complex (e.g. refactoring discussions). Many experienced users, however, would like the bot to continue to look after their edits in case they forget to sign.
Therefore, for experienced editors wishing to re-enable autosigning of unsigned comments, you can add {{YesAutosign}} to your User: or User talk: page and wait a few minutes for it to take effect. See the corresponding template page for more info.
Note that if you frequently forget to sign or stop signing altogether, the bot will continue to pester you with {{tilde}} warnings—even if you attempt to use a {{bots}} or {{nobots}} tag to deny it access to your User talk: page. This is intended behavior to prevent abuse of the bot.
What it looks for
The bot looks for signatures that are auto-generated by the most widely-used form of signing, tilde-based signatures.
It should have a link to your user page (like "slakr")
It should have a timestamp in UTC (like "01:58, 18 August 2007 (UTC)")
The easiest way to combine the two and to avoid the bot complaining is to stick four tildes ("~~~~") at the end of your talk page contributions.
There are exceptions to account for many strange/bizarre signatures, but if you keep having trouble with the bot not recognizing your signature, consider using the opt out methods listed above.
Playing with it
To see SineBot in action, try leaving an unsigned comment in its sandbox just as you would leave a comment anywhere else.
SineBot is written from scratch in PHP and runs as a background process using phpcli. It makes use of native libcurl and xdiff libraries for faster processing of changes made to pages. All network transfer is compressed using zlib to save bandwidth (i.e. maximize user throughput to Wikipedia's servers).
For your tireless automated work in signing those damned irresponsible editor's posts, you are awarded the Working Robot's BarnstarLoodog 23:43, 20 August 2007 (UTC)
Hooray for SineBot! You are filling a pressing need at Wikipedia, and will be much appreciated. Have a nice frosty glass of bot oil on me. -FisherQueen (Talk) 21:51, 19 August 2007 (UTC)
The Special Barnstar
For being the most eagerly awaited Bot in ages and an extremely useful and needed Bot when it came into existance! Many thanks also to Slakr for creating it. Lradrama 09:57, 25 August 2007 (UTC)
What?!?
You mean to tell me that a bot that was engineered to sign names doesn't have the signiture of the man whose name has become synonomous with signitures!? Then I must insist that you accept this John Hancock award for a job well done :) Keep up the good work! TomStar81 (Talk) 08:59, 30 August 2007 (UTC)
The Barnstar of Diligence
No man goes through the Wiki without signing now! Cheers,JetLover 22:17, 31 August 2007 (UTC)
For your tireless work in signing unsigned posts. Otolemur crassicaudatus (talk) 22:38, 21 February 2008 (UTC)
The Order of Merlin (Third class)
The Order of Merlin, the WikiProject Harry Potter Barnstar, is awarded by Jammy (talk) to SineBot for signing all the comments by people who think they know everything about Harry Potter but really don't, thank you for the dedication you show Mr SineBot.
The Original Barnstar
I award you the original barnstar for being a great bot and letting me know that I forgot to sign comments --Numyht (talk) 12:28, 30 June 2008 (UTC)
This user just got a generic mini-barnstar from CompuHacker.
Press DEL or click here to sell it for §1.
This is the Barnstar from TurtleShroom, hand-crafted from the finest MS-Paint available. Of all people, you and your Sign Bot deserve this! I want to import him into Wikia! Lord knows he's needed there! I owe my endless habit and recently untarnished record of endless signing to you and your SignBot.:) --TurtleShroom! :)†Jesus Loves You and Died for you!† 20:26, 6 February 2009 (UTC)
Good job signing my posts! iBendiscuss 01:43, 31 December 2009 (UTC)
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The Working Wikipedian's Barnstar
Thank you SineBot for signing the endless amounts of unsigned comments on my user talk page! Unsigned comments drive me absolutely crazy, and I'm glad there's a bot that helps me regain my sanity. I wish I could bring you over to Wikia, which desperately needs a bot that signs comments. K6ka (talk | contribs) 02:56, 2 February 2014 (UTC)
The Anti-Vandalism Barnstar
Thank you for helping catch impersonators by “signing” their comments. Hurricane Clyde 🌀my talk page! 11:48, 30 August 2024 (UTC)
Opt out - the bot will ignore your unsigned comments.
Opt in - the bot will resume signing your unsigned comments.
Show opt out list - view a list of user pages of users whom the bot will ignore.
