14.4. Instant Messaging And IRC

This section will discuss Gaim, an AOL AIM clone. We will also discuss the X-Chat IRC client later in this section.

14.4.1. Instant Messaging With Gaim

Gaim is a very complete instant messaging (IM) client. With it, you can chat with people using other protocols than Gaim's (Oscar), that is AIM, Gadu-Gadu, ICQ, IRC, Jabber, MSN, Napster, Yahoo and Zephyr. Gaim is based on AOL's AIM client but as the developers say, "Gaim is NOT endorsed by or affiliated with AOL".

14.4.1.1. Using Gaim

To start using Gaim, access the KDE menu->Networking->Instant messaging->Gaim menu. If you use GNOME, use the same path starting with the GNOME menu. From a command line, simply type gaim &.

Figure 14-9. Gaim Login Window

To use Gaim, you need an AIM account which consists of a Screen Name name and password. If you already have one, simply fill in the respective fields and click on Signon. If not, you need to access the AIM site. Once you are there, click on New Users.

Then, you will be prompted to enter a Screen Name and other information has shown in the image below.

Figure 14-10. Gaim Registration

If all goes well, you now have an AIM Screen Name and password. If not, read on and correct what went wrong.

Below the Congratulations! message on the next page of the AIM registration process are download steps: forgot about those since the software is already installed on your Mandrake Linux system.

14.4.1.2. Signing On

Once you have your Screen name and password, type them in and press on Signon or Enter after you have entered your password. This window will appear.

Figure 14-11. Gaim Buddy List

This is Gaim's main window and it holds two small menus, along with the help menu on the right, which only gives out very generic information such as the developer's names and web site.

14.4.1.2.1. File Menu

The first item you will find is Add A Buddy. Click on it and add the relevant information.

Figure 14-12. Adding a Buddy

Note

You can activate the Gaim –Buddy Ticker in order to see which buddies are online. To do so, access the Tools->Preferences sub-menu. Then, when you see one of your buddies, click on its icon, and an instant messaging window will open.

The next item, Join A Chat, enables you to chat with many people at a time. Simply give the chat a name and invite your buddies to participate.

Figure 14-13. Joining a Chat

The next two items are self-explanatory: we will skip those and go straight to the Import Buddy List item. Clicking on it will pop up a window from which you can select the path to buddy lists for other instant messaging clients.

14.4.1.2.2. Tools Menu

Again, the items in this menu speak for themselves. But nevertheless, let us discuss a few of them.

14.4.1.2.2.1. Plugins

If you wish to chat with buddies who use Yahoo! Messenger, Jabber or whatever other protocol Gaim supports, you need to enable the plugin first.

Once you click on the Plugins menu, a window will pop up in which you will see a Load button. Click on it and a window displaying all the available plugins will be shown.

Figure 14-14. Loading Plugins

Once this is done, you can now add other identities through the Tools->Accounts sub-menu. Just enter your Screenname, Password and choose the right Protocol (i.e.: Yahoo for Yahoo! Messenger).

Figure 14-15. Managing Accounts

14.4.2. Other Instant Messaging Client Software

Here is a non exhaustive list of other instant messaging client software which work well under Mandrake Linux:

14.4.3. IRC Using XChat

Jarkko Oikarinen is the original writer of Internet Relay Chat (IRC). His main goal was to improve on the talk program. Although it proved to be functional, it only allowed for 2 users to chat at the same time.

Nowadays, thousands of IRC servers exist around the world, giving millions of users the chance to talk simultaneously with many users. These servers are dispersed in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. IRC servers are grouped in networks (also called "nets"), the largest ones being DALnet, EFnet – the original IRC network, Newnet and Undernet.

IRC servers are made up of channels where users regroup to chat with their keyboards. Anyone can make up a channel name, if that channel does not already exist. And although many people join a channel to discuss with many users, it is also possible to send private messages which other users will not see.

Note

Channels are server-dependant. Hence, the #linux channel on the irc.somechannel.net server is different from the one on the irc.someotherchannel.net serve: they do not communicate with one another.

The XChat application we will speak about in this section is only one of many multi-user, graphical IRC chat clients. We will give a list of other clients at the end of this section.

14.4.3.1. Launching XChat

Since XChat is used in a networked environment, you will logically find it in the Networking->IRC sub-menu of both KDE and GNOME menus. As always, you can also launch it through the terminal by issuing xchat &.

Figure 14-16. XChat Server List

Once XChat is launched, the server-list window will pop up. First of all, you must enter a nickname (Peter Pingus in our example) in the appropriate field by which you will go by on IRC. Then, select a server (in our example, irc.openprojects.net). Finally, choose a channel. The typical syntax to join a channel is /join #channel.

Now, let's join the #mandrake channel. Type /join #mandrake. If all went well, you are now "in" the Mandrake channel which targets Mandrake Linux new users.

Figure 14-17. XChat Channel

14.4.3.2. The XChat Window

The XChat window has 5 major components.

Menu Bar

Contains the 7 basic menus: X-Chat, Windows, User Modes, Settings, Scripts & Plugins, User Menu and Help.

Tool Bar

Under the menu bar. It shows 4 buttons on the left of the the Text Box (see next entry). The first one marked by an X closes the current channel/server, the button on its right links/unlinks the current window (which means you can attach/detach a specific window from the main window). The two arrows either move the current tab window to the left or right. On the text box's right are buttons displaying a series of letters (starting with T and ending with K) used to set channel modes. You need to be channel operator to use these but this exceeds the scope of our section.

Text Box

Shows one and only one thing: the channel's topic.

User List

Located on the middle-right, it displays the list of users currently in the channel. A green dot means that user is the channel operator. A yellow dot means that user can post to a moderated channel. Under the user list is a series of buttons which are linked to the Settings->User-list Buttons sub-menu.

Input Box

At the bottom of the window. On the left is your nickname. On the right is the mini-buffer where you can type your text. Leaving your mouse pointer on the arrow at the right of the mini-buffer, it will display Open Toolbox. Clicking on it will show plain, bold and underline options, a series of colors which you can apply to your text, an ASCII chart, a color paste option as well as conference mode.

14.4.3.3. Essential XChat Commands

The input box's mini-buffer is where you issue your commands. All IRC commands start with a / and are followed by the name of the command. Here's a list of useful ones:

AWAY

Shows a message signifying you are busy (by default). If you type /away eating, this is what will be shown:
* peterpingus is away: eating

BACK

Tells other users you are available again. It will also display how much time you were away:
* peterpingus is back (gone 00:00:23)

HELP

Displays the list of available commands in your XChat window.

JOIN

Used to join a channel. /join #mandrake will cause you to join that channel.

ME

Indicates what a user is doing/feeling. /me in a good mood displays:
* peterpingus in a good mood

MSG

Sends a private message to another user which other users will not see. However, it does not open a new tab (channel) like the QUERY command. The syntax is:
/msg nickname_of_the_recipient message
Hence, /msg Queen Pingusa how are you? displays:
>queenpingusa< how are you?

NICK

Allows to change your IRC nickname. For example, if Peter Pingus wanted to change his nickname to Johnny, he would issue /nick Johnny. Then, this will be displayed:
--- You are now known as Johnny

PART

Tells other users you are leaving the channel. The syntax is:
/part #channel message

Once you issue that command, you will be disconnected from the channel you were connected to. To reconnect, simply type:
/join #channel

QUERY

Opens up a new tab in your XChat window and starts a private conversation with a user. The syntax is the same as for the MSG command:
/query user message

QUIT

Terminates your IRC session. You can add a comment, like /quit going to bed.

14.4.3.4. Basic IRC Line of Conduct

Here are basic rules we strongly suggest you follow strictly. They are common-sense rules, but unfortunately, not everyone follows them.

Spoken Language

Most IRC users speak English, that's just plain fact. However, it's not the only language spoken on IRC. Before starting a thread, let's say in Portuguese, you should inquire about the channel's language policy. If it is obvious the channel on which you are is an English-speaking one, create or choose another channel where you can write in the language you prefer.

Note

Some channels may also be multilingual.

Greetings

Depending on the number of users on a specific channel, it might not be welcomed to greet everyone that enters/leaves the channel. Usually, one "Hello!" or "Goodbye!" is quite enough.

Attitude

If you do not know the people with whom you chat, chances are they will only know you through what you write. Hence, if you don't want to be perceived as a jerk, don't act as one! This means:

  • do not dump large amount of data on a channel/user;

  • do not harass others or flame them for no reason.

14.4.3.5. Other IRC Clients Under Mandrake Linux

Here is a short list of other IRC clients which work well with Mandrake Linux:

  • ksirc;

  • KVIrc;

  • BitchX (text-mode only).


Tux on Star from MandrakeSoft Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Unless otherwise stated, all the content of these pages and all images are Copyright MandrakeSoft S.A. and MandrakeSoft Inc. 2002.
http://www.mandrakelinux.com/