I first built the Random Generators in 1997, starting with the Band Name Generator. I gradually added several others. Most of them are based on a technique of multiple passes of replacing keywords in phrases. They start with a template, then replace keywords with plain text or another keyword phrase. This goes on until only plain words are left.
A key component to this is the large database of classified words. I started with about 300 words originally, and coded an interface for people to add more. As of September 2006, the database had more than 40,000 words. Although there are some people who add garbage words, the majority of words are appropriate. In 2005, I added a system that tracks votes on words. This allows visitors to help with editing. Words with low vote counts are not used. Words with high counts are used more often.
52 replies on “Random Generators”
Hi! I see that we both love Random Generators and PHP. I would like to invite you to publish your random generators on a website dedicated to post-modern meta-art. Please contact me by email so we can talk about this.
for the fellow requesting the pimp name generator, such can be found at http://www.playerappreciate.com, though i would like to say it’s not as fun as it might sound like it would be.
Could you take the Dictonary restriction off the Proper Nouns
any chance of getting these as downloadable *.exes??!
would be v nice..
Yesterday I kicked out all the words that aren’t in the dictionary. I also added a facebook app that allows you to update your status with a random phrase. I’m currently working on Google Gadgets versions of the generators so you can plop them down on your iGoogle page and see random stuff every time you go to your start page. Weird? Yes.
Arno,
I’ve let people enter whatever they wanted forever, but I recently switched it only accept dictionary words. See my comment above for why.
Thanks,
Leon
Hi,
I can’t add any word, though it is correct English.
It says it isn’t in the dictionary but who can something like “is eating donuts” be in the dictionary?
Why don’t you try a CAPTCHA test to prevent spam?
Ciao,
Arno
It’s sad, but spammers are submitting words to the database. I can’t use the same techniques for catching email spam since they are just single words. The idea of bulk votes probably just puts off the problem for a little while. I don’t have the sense that there are enough people willing to fight it out as they do on wikipedia.
I do have an idea, though. The least amount of work would be to disallow submitting words that I don’t already know are in the dictionary. That would definitely keep out undesirable words while still allowing anyone to contribute. I think I may need to roll back the clock on the words since there’s a tremendous number of junk words in there.
could please get rid of all the spam people have written!
Hi, I find way too many junk in the words db for the generator to be useful… you could take the “Bad word report” page a step further with a multiple selection feature, so one can vote down for many words with a single submit (and also increase the number of words displayed).
An interesting feature would be the possibility for a user to save her own words database and have the generator use it on request, so it does not messed up by someone else’s “anal toys”…
Ciao!