The ktalkd Handbook
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# Chapter 1. Introduction

`ktalkd` is an enhanced talk daemon - a program to handle incoming talk requests, announce them and allow you to respond to it using a talk client.

GLOSSARY : In this document, if somebody wants to talk to you, you are designated as the "callee".

`ktalkd` has the following features :

KDE or not KDE

  That is the question. :) More seriously, this means that `ktalkd` is able to be compiled with or without KDE support. To use it without KDE, the compilation stage will detect if X or Qt or KDE is not installed, but you can force a non-KDE daemon if you use the configure option '--without-X'.

Answering machine

  If the callee isn't logged on, or doesn't answer after the second announcement, an answering machine is launched, takes the message, and mails it to the callee.

Sound

  If desired, a sound is played with the announcement.

X Announce

  If compiled with KDE installed, ktalkd will use ktalkdlg, a KDE dialog, for announcement. If ktalk is running, it will be asked to make the announcement itself. (New since 0.8.8).

Multiple displays annoucement

  If you are logged remotely (e.g. with an `"export DISPLAY=..."` command), the X announcement will be made on this display too. Answer on the one you want ! If you're also logged in a text terminal, and if you're NOT using xterms (internal restriction), then you'll see a text announcement too, in case you're using the text terminal at the time of the announcement.

Forwarding (New since 0.8.0)

  You can set up a forward to another user even to another host if you're away. There are 3 different forwarding methods. See section 'Usage'.

Configuration

  If ktalkd is compiled for KDE, it reads config from KDE config files, the sitewide ($KDEDIR/share/config/ktalkdrc) and the user one, in its home directory. The sitewide one has to be manually edited by the administrator, but there is now a configuration dialog for the user one. It's called kcmktalkd and can be found in the KDE Control Center after installing `ktalkd`. On non-KDE systems, `ktalkd` will read /etc/talkd.conf.

Internationalization

  Under KDE, the announcement will be in your language provided that you set it in the KDE menus and that someone translated ktalkdlg to your language. The same goes for the configuration dialog, kcmktalkd.

Support for otalk and ntalk (New since 0.8.1)

  ktalkd now supports both protocols, even when forwarding. ktalk supports both protocols as well.

I hope you will enjoy this talk daemon,

David Faure

faure@kde.org

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