back to article Microsoft completes its Skype bot invasion with Web, OS X versions

Mac users have been wrapped up in the warm embrace of Microsoft's Skype Bot strategy. The Skype bots first hit at the Build conference at the end of March, with Redmond pitching them as bringing “expertise, products, services and entertainment” to Skype (really, truly nothing like Tay, okay?). It's part of Satya Nadella's " …

  1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    MS are brilliant

    at messing up something that used to work perfectly well.

    Why would I want bots on Skype? I get enough spam connect attempts as it is (even though my skype user name is very obfuscated)

    So the next question is...

    How to disable/get rid of this?

    1. chivo243 Silver badge

      Re: MS are brilliant

      @Steve Davies 3

      I get at least 3 skype invites from women.... I would call it spam too

    2. 1Rafayal
      FAIL

      Re: MS are brilliant

      Try reading the article.

      The only way you can interact with the bots is by actually adding them to your list of contacts.

      1. BurnT'offering

        Re: The only way you can interact with the bots ...

        Currently

        1. 1Rafayal
          Black Helicopters

          Re: The only way you can interact with the bots ...

          So you think MS are going to arbitrarily add Skype bots to everyone's contacts list in future.

          To what end? Just for advertising?

          Or just to infuriate people.

  2. SecretSonOfHG

    Not having it update for Linux is good then

    Group calls no longer work across platforms but at least no bots

    1. Richard 12 Silver badge

      Re: Not having it update for Linux is good then

      Group calls are mostly broken on all platforms. Even when we're all on the same version and Windows 7, about half the time it just doesn't work.

      Skype has gone to the dogs and been chewed up.

      1. Teiwaz

        Re: Not having (steaming turd) update for Linux is good then

        "Skype has gone to the dogs and been chewed up."

        Skype has gone to the dogs and been chewed up, crapped out, trodden on and smeared all over pavement as the luckless treadee tries to get it off their shoe without actually touching it.

        - FTFY

      2. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not having it update for Linux is good then

      It was bought by MS, what do you expect ?

  3. Teiwaz

    "Murphy" & "Summarize"

    'Murphy' sounds like it's purpose should be to connect you to deals usually brokered by 'a bloke in the pub'.

    I'm not against the idea, as long as the concept is an option, and not forced on people. However this is Microsoft we're talking about.

    Fat chance of a bot that can sift fact from propaganda from the blether of politicians, that would have some real world value.

  4. ducatis'r us
    Mushroom

    England? Not Scotland or Wales then!?! And I've checked, that is exactly what it says on Skype blogs as well.

    1. Teiwaz

      Old England (not new England)

      Can't say I'm surprised,...

      I can't think of any other countries other than the one those messages originated from would have 'World Series' for sports only played on roughly three quarters of one continent.

    2. Bill B

      They're anticipating the aftermath of a Brexit when Scotland votes to leave the UK and Wales and N Ireland follow suit.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @ducatis'r us

      Yep! Because Cymraeg and Gaelic are bloody damn difficult for those snooping around, and they also cause bots to overheat and trip the thermal protection :)

  5. Avatar of They
    FAIL

    Curious

    I bet it doesn't go to the Xbox 360 either. Always an odd one I thought for it not to be on there, even before the Xbox One came around.

    ...Despite having some clever people working for MS, they still seem to be run by idiots.

    1. Teiwaz

      Re: Curious Xbox

      I've an Xbox360. It has no wireless, never mind a camera/kinect (or whatever it's called).

      I'm sure the percentage of xbox360s without kinect are higher than those without wireless.

      Either way, seems small return for the effort before or after the arrival of Xbone - it's not like it has a vast potential use for people likely to pay for use.

  6. BurnT'offering

    And the killer app for this will be

    Sex chatlines

    1. Teiwaz

      Re: And the killer app for this will be sex chatlines

      I for one can't recall Microsoft ever 'turning me on' (or even turing me on).

      - If only they'd left Tay on for another day or two, she might have morphed into quite a good dominatrix.

  7. x 7

    Sex chatlines?

    Whats that going to be called? Sexbot? Fucqbot? Gaybot? Arsebot?

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like