[inbox] OT: Chat Networks Used

[green_man]

Joe wrote, On 12/22/04 10:18 PM:

> While we're on the subject.  I know what an instant messenger is, but 
> that's all I know about them.  Mozilla comes with Chatzilla, but I 
> don't know how to configure it.  Any pointers on how to do that, a 
> good howto article, or a reason why I should try to install gaim, etc. 
> instead would be appreciated.
>
> Are instant messaging and irc's two separate things?  I need basics.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Joe


Joe-
Sounds Like you're at about the same point I was a year ago.
I think of instant messaging  like an e-mail client - if you know a 
specific person's address, you can communicate with only them *instantly*.
No batching or message queues for delays, like e-mail, though.
That's about the extent of my IM knowlege, because , as I said, I 
haven't used it.
GAIM sounds like it can run all the "proprietary" IM clients inside 
linux, so it's probably really great.
Several creators of live CDs that I have thought it worthwhile to include.
The GAIM users in the list can probably expound it's virtues. :-)
[If some one could show *me* about GAIM, I'd love it.]

IRC [internet relay chat] is more similar to a web browser - you log on 
to a server, then a channel, and everyone on the channel can see what 
 you type.
You log on with commands, or in CZ, at least you can hit the"links". You 
will need to choose a "nickname" that you will be known by on the channel.
You can send a private message to someone logged on to the channel, like 
IM, though.
You can be logged on to many channels simultaneouslyon different tabs, 
and recieve messages from each, which can get confusing, if you have too 
many open.
Mirc is apparently the most popular chat client, but you have to *BUY* 
it, and ChatZilla, in the spirit of open source, is free, and now even 
included.

I have CZ 0.9.46, which runs in Moz 1.0, Netscape 7.0 and FireBird 
0.7,but I'm sure it's evolved since then.
Bob Ginda's site [CZ's creator] is a good starting point.
http://www.hacksrus.com/~ginda/chatzilla/
<http://www.hacksrus.com/%7Eginda/chatzilla/>[If that URL gets "escaped" 
that's a tilde, the linux "home" symbol, or gamer's "console" button, in 
front of ginda.]
 From there, you can find FAQs, and links to basic IRC sites.
If you want, e-mail me off the list, and I can send you the results of a 
weekend of searching and reading various FAQs, copying and pasting info 
I found useful as an IRC newbie, condensed down into a couple of text 
files.
When I started with CZ, there was no "installer" and prefs had to be 
editted manually, so I e-mailed Bob Ginda, and he got me going far 
enough that I could ask questions on theChatZilla channel.  
irc://irc.mozilla.org/chatzilla

If you have questions about specific prefs, I can probably help.
Here's a bookmark I have called "ChatZilla Prefs" , dated 12/13/03.
It's from "silver", ChatZilla's co-developer's website. He helped me too 
- those CZ guys really cool !
http://www.warwickcompsoc.co.uk/~silver/mozilla/chatzilla/prefs 
<http://www.warwickcompsoc.co.uk/%7Esilver/mozilla/chatzilla/prefs>

-- 
The sole purpose of my life is, apparently, to test my sanity. 

Scott
Netscape 7.0 Mail


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