Three steps
How to send in your bot
1 Ask your Tab to export it
Copy this, swap [what it does] for your bot's job (say, "checks my energy bills"), and send it to your Tab.
Export the bot you built for me that does [what it does] as a single copy-paste prompt that anyone's Tab could run. Remove all my personal details (names, addresses, email addresses, account numbers, logins). Include what it does, what it needs from the user, and any schedule it runs on. Keep it under 150 words and send it back to me as plain text.
Not sure which bots you've got?
Ask your Tab for a list first:
What bots, watchers and scheduled jobs are you running for me? One line each, please.
2 Read it through
Your Tab should have stripped out anything personal, but check: no names, addresses, email addresses, account numbers or logins. If something's left, ask your Tab to take it out.
3 Email it to WotBot
Send it to wotbot@mail.tab.bot
Subject: WotBot: and the name you'd like for it (for example, "WotBot: Fridge Fairy").
- The prompt your Tab exported (the only must-have)
- One line on what it does
- An example result, if you have one
- How to credit you: first name, a handle, or anonymous
Email from somewhere else? Copy the template
Suggested name: What it does (one line): The prompt: [paste the prompt your Tab exported here] Example result (optional): Credit me as (first name / handle / anonymous):
Or just tell your Tab: "email that prompt to wotbot@mail.tab.bot with the subject WotBot: [name]". It'll show you the email before it sends.
What happens next
- We test it. Does it work? Is it useful? Is it safe? Is it different from what's already on The Bot Lot?
- We name it. Your name if you picked one. If not, something goofy.
- It goes live on The Bot Lot, credited the way you asked. If it makes the Lot, we'll reply with the link.
House rules
What gets in
- No personal data. No names, addresses, account numbers, logins or anyone else's details.
- The user stays in charge. Nothing that signs people up to things, switches tariffs or providers, or spends money without the user's own say-so.
- Nothing illegal, spammy or sneaky. No mass messaging, scraping people, or bots that contact others without asking first.
- It has to run today. Something a Tab can actually do now, not a wish list.
- We may tidy it up. We may edit the wording so it runs for anyone, and rename it something goofy.
- Submitting gives us permission to publish it on The Bot Lot and share it, credited the way you asked.
Quick answers
WotBot FAQ
What is WotBot?
WotBot is the submissions desk for The Bot Lot. If your Tab built you a bot that saves time or money, send us the prompt. We test it, and if it's useful we publish it on The Bot Lot so anyone's Tab can run it.
Do I need Tab?
Yes. Your Tab exports the bot, and the people who copy it from The Bot Lot run it on their own Tab. Tab is a personal assistant you text on iMessage or WhatsApp.
Will my name be on it?
Only if you want. Tell us in your email: first name, a handle, or anonymous. If you don't say, it goes up anonymously.
Can you change my bot?
We may tidy the wording so it runs on anyone's Tab, take out anything personal, and give it a goofy name if you didn't pick one. We won't change what it does without telling you.
The honest small print: we can't publish everything. We pick bots that work, help lots of people and keep the user in control. Published prompts are free for anyone to copy. Please don't send passwords, bills or anything personal, only the prompt.