Hey there,

One of the features I like the most in open source is the ability to change and improve the software in the way you wish using Plugins/Extensions.

It’s been a long while i’ve got spam messages from ICQ. if there’s something I really hate is spam. and because I support ICQ for being the first IM success in the history (and for being an Israeli invention as well) I just can leave it.

Anyway I was getting so many spam messages per day I was about to get mad. I started to look for the best plugin to give an end to that spamming story, and got very unsurprised to find one over the repositories 🙂

So what’s the concept?
the idea is that when someone wants to add you he should first answer a question. this is quite much the same plugin that was very popular back then to the Gaim days (which I can’t find its name BTW).

How to install?
couldn’t be more simple: find your way to the Ubuntu software center (or if not using Ubuntu, you can still try your luck with your software installer) and look up for “bot sentry” (without quotes). Click the Install button, and – that’s it!

All you need to do now is to activate it on your pidgin. open Pidgin and use Ctrl + U to open the plugins window. now you should tick the checkbox next to “Bot Sentry”. almost there…

Now click the “Configure plugin” button, and fill the form with the details you want. I suggest using for the question something that is quite sure that everyone knows the answer (yes, it means no private jokes!).
PLEASE NOTICE that it is working on all your accounts by default, so you better hurry up for the next step of the guide 🙂

How to use?
as i mentioned below, now the plugin already runs, and by default affects all your accounts. go to the accounts management window (Ctrl + A) and modify the accounts you don’t want to use this feature. go the the advanced tab for each account and remove the check from “Use Bot Sentry for this account” checkbox.

Done!

NB – Even though I was writing mainly about ICQ, this feature works with about any IM protocol.

NB2 – for those who wish to know why Pidgin and not Empathy: in Hebrew we use to say that you shouldn’t argue on taste and smell. besides, Pidgin rocks way more than Empathy!

Dor 🙂