##  eChat

    eChat v0.04
    copyright (c) 2000-2003 SeaD

    see GPL for copying info


##  what is eChat

    eChat is a serverless messaging system dedicated to
    chat and messages exchange over the TCP/IP networks

    compatible with Vypress Chat and quickChat for Windows9x/ME/NT/2000/XP


##  installation

    download from: http://deep.perm.ru/files/echat/
    or from: http://www.vypress.com/products/chat/unix/

    % edit Makefile for your system
    note: you'll need ncurses library
        (ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ncurses)

    % make
    % make install

    % cp /usr/local/doc/.echatrc.sample ~/.echatrc

    % edit ~/.echatrc
    % echat

    my recommendation to use open, for example:
    % open -c11 /usr/local/bin/echat


##  usage

    keyboard:
	F1-F4 - switch to channel
	^O or TAB - next channel
	^D - exit chat
	^A - change activity
	^K - reverse users
	^R or F5 - update users
	^L - refresh screen
	^T - top of screen history
	^B - bottom of screen history
	^P or PGUP - scroll up
	^N or PGDN - scroll down
	^E - recode input line after cursor (-DCHARSET)
	'`' , [1-9] - put nick #[1-9] into input line:
	    `1 - will be replaced with first nick,
	    `2 - with second nick, etc
	'/' , [1-9] - message to nick #[1-9]:
	    /1 - message to first nick,
	    /2 - message to second nick, etc

    available commands:
	quit - quit eChat
	help - help on commands
	version - show version
	status - show current status
	keys - show working keys
	verbose - toggle verbosity
	clear - clear command and screen history
	! - shell command
	load - load configuration from file
	save - save current configuration to file
	answer - show/change current autoanswer
	gender - change gender
	my - change beeps mode
	favorite - show/favorite/unfavorite nick(s)
	ignore - show/ignore/unignore nick(s)
	ban - show/ban/unban address(es)
	join - join channel
	leave - leave channel
	nick - change current nick
	message - send message to nick
	mass - send mass message
	exec - execute command
	me - me action
	topic - show/change current topic
	add - add to current topic
	mode - change current mode
	normal - change current mode to normal
	dnd - change current mode to dnd
	away - change current mode to away
	off - change current mode to offline
	info - get info on nick(s)
	beep - beep to nick(s)
	talk - private chat with nick
	here - who here
	active - change current activity

    note: some command may be used with double space
        for cleaning entire list:
        `/favorite  ', `/ignore  ', `/ban  ' - clear user lists
        `/dnd  ', `/away  ', `/off  ' -  clear autoanswer lists
        `/topic  ' - clear current topic

    users menu:
	+ - normal mode
	- - dnd mode
	= - away mode
	* - offline mode


##  tips

    - if your nick change activity without your action - refresh users list
    - you can silently change autoanswer by `/answer <new autoanswer>' command
    - if you use `/!' command with some output - you'll need press ^R
    - `echat -d' will show compile defines
    - when -DTCP enabled you can telnet to echat port from any machine
    - `\,Enter' in command line works like LF, so you may send
        multiline messages, looks weird ;)
    - if your messages dont reach their recipient - try `bcast' command


##  platforms

    eChat was developed on:
    FreeBSD 4.6-RELEASE, gcc-2.95.3, ncurses-5
    Linux kernel 2.2.15, glibc-2.1.2, gcc-2.95.2, ncurses-4.2

    compiled and worked on:
    Debian GNU/Linux 2.1
    RedHat Linux 5.2
    ASP Linux 7.1
    Corel Linux 1.0
    FreeBSD 4.0-RELEASE-1, gcc-2.95.2, ncurses-3.1
    CygWin_98-4.10, gcc-2.95.2, ncurses-5.2

    any reports and patches for other platforms are welcome


##  credits

    VyPRESS Research, LLC <http://www.vypress.com> - for nice program
    Sergey Barkov <stive@softhome.ru> - for technical support
    Genix <genix@sendmail.ru> - quickChat port, first man page
    sibkot <sibkot@mail.ru> - author of VyperChat for linux
    all the FreeZNet for testing assistance, and personally Andy, Mouse


##  bugs

    quickChat and Vypress Chat protocols are basically insecure
    and contains no any protection against spoofing, flooding or sniffing.
    it's not a bug, it's a feature

    ProChat uses base64 `encoding' that cant be named secure
    but makes sniffing complicated a bit


SeaD <sead@mail.ru>
