Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I set up my buddy list?
See the section on
working with buddies.

Can you add another key combination to send messages?
There's really no need. Fire already supports several methods for sending messages. Either the Return or Enter keys can be configured to send messages. (If Return is configured to send a message, Shift-Return will suppress the send and insert a carriage return; same for Enter.) Cmd-S will also send a message, as will the Send Message toolbar item.

Can I customize the toolbar?
Absolutely. Control-click on the toolbar (when it's visible) and select "Customize Toolbar...". Then pick the items that best suit how you work.

How do I view previous conversations?
Under the File menu, select "View Previous Conversations". Find the user you're looking for, then the conversation you're looking for. (Conversations are sorted by date, according to when they started.)

When will a OS 9 / Windows / Linux version be released?
There are no plans to port Fire to OS 9, Windows, or Linux, nor will there likely ever be. Windows and Linux users have other solutions they can use. OS 9 users will need to upgrade to OS X to use Fire -- think of it as something to look forward to.

Why doesn't Fire support file transfer?
It depends on the service. We now support file transfer in Yahoo! Others, like AOL™,
don't let third-party clients implement file transfer -- that's a feature they reserve for their own banner-driven client. Other services, like irc, may allow any client to implement file transfer, but we haven't gotten around to implementing it yet. In the mean time, you're running OS X, so why not try setting up your web or ftp server?

Why not create a home-grown solution for file transfer?
There has been talk lately that Fire, Proteus, Adium, and other OS X clients implement some sort of ad hoc solution that would let Fire/Proteus/Adium users share files, even if it's only with other Fire/Proteus/Adium users. This is a Very Bad Idea(TM). The last thing we need is a non-standard, hacked solution to a problem that doesn't exist in the first place. If you want to share files, use one of the existing protocols designed for that purpose -- HTTP, FTP, AFP, NFP, or SMB -- all of which are built-in to Mac OS X!

I'm having problems with Fire. Where can I get more information?
If you still have questions on how to use Fire, you have a couple options on how to get more information. Stop by #fire, an irc channel specifically for Fire users. The
firelist is a mailing list for Fire users. More information may also be available on Fire's homepage or SourceForge page.

Fire keeps crashing (unexpectedly quitting). How do I turn on crash reporting?
Open /Applications/Utilities/Console.app. In the Preferences, go to the Crashes tab and check the box next to "Log crash information in ~/Library/Logs/". The information in this crash report is very useful to the developers when trying to track down the cause of a crash.