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- NETCHAT V.1.0 Rev. A
-
- NetChat is an independently developed program which allows peer-to-peer
- communication on a Novell local area network. By enabling users to "talk"
- to one another directly through their workstations, NetChat speeds routine
- office communication, without placing any additional demand on the fileserver.
-
- The program presented here is the revised Limited version of NetChat,
- which does not offer many of the features which you can obtain in the Full
- version of NetChat. With this upgraded version of the program your network's
- users will have access to an "Answering Machine" module, multi-user "Forum"
- chats, and an E-Mail system.
-
- NetChat is a shareware program. It is freely distributed on the understanding
- that those who use it for over 30 days will register with, and submit a small
- license fee to, its developers. To obtain a registration form, please print
- out REGISTER.FRM.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- INSTALLATION:
-
- 1. Log in to your network as the network supervisor
- 2. Make a CHAT directory on the root of the SYS volume of your fileserver.
- It is essential that CHAT be installed on SYS to ensure correct execution
- of the program.
- 3. Copy your unzipped NetChat files onto the CHAT directory.
- 4. Check that you have the following files:
- CHAT.EXE
- REGISTER.FRM
- NETCHAT.ICO
- READ.ME
-
- 5. Put the CHAT directory into the path of each of the workstations, and grant
- at least the read, write and create rights to all users for this directory.
-
- To run the program, type CHAT at the DOS prompt.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- SETUP:
-
- Each user may change certain characteristics of NetChat by choosing Setup
- from the main menu:
-
- Available for Chat:
- If the user does not wish receive calls for a period of time, he or she can
- toggle this option to NO. Setting it back to YES makes the user available
- once more for calls.
-
- Timeout After:
- The user may define the length of time for which NetChat will wait for
- an answer to a call. The time interval is stated in seconds, with a
- default value of 30.
-
- Chat Request Line:
- The user may personalize the message sent to those he or she calls by
- typing text into the highlighted area.
-
- Press Escape to leave Setup. You can now save or abandon your changes.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-
- PLACING A CALL:
-
- - Run CHAT
- - Choose "Page" from the main menu.
- - You will be presented with a second menu (the Page menu) listing all users
- currently logged into the network.
- - Use the up and down arrows to highlight the user you wish to contact.
- - Hit enter.
-
- NetChat will now page the user you have selected - for this example the user's
- name will be Jim.
-
- Upon selecting JIM from the Page menu, you will receive one of the following
- messages:
-
- JIM is unavailable This indicates that Jim is either engaged in a NetChat
- call already, or that he has elected not to receive
- calls at the moment.
-
- Prompt Blocked Retry? Jim's monitor is currently displaying a network
- message, so the message that you were paging him
- could not reach him. If you wish to try calling again,
- in the hope that Jim has cleared the message which
- blocked yours, select "Yes". If not, select "No" and
- you will be returned to the list of those currently
- logged into the fileserver.
-
- Paging JIM ... Your call has been placed. Jim's workstation will
- inform him that he is being paged. Your workstation
- will wait for Jim to respond for the length of time
- you have specified in Setup. You may hit a key at any
- time to stop paging and return to the Page menu.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- RECEIVING A CALL:
-
- If another user is paging you a message will appear at the bottom of your
- screen informing you that you are being paged, and by whom.
-
- If you receive this message while in NetChat:
- - Hold down the Control key while pressing Enter to clear the message.
- - You will be connected automatically with the caller
-
- Otherwise:
- - Hold down the Control key while pressing Enter to clear the message.
- - Go to DOS
- - At the DOS prompt, type CHAT
- - You will now be connected with the incoming call.
-
- To chat, simply type in what you wish the other party to receive. Both
- parties can type simultaneously.
-
- When you wish to hang up, press Escape. This will cut the connection between
- the terminals, and return both parties to NetChat's main menu.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-
-
-
- ADDITIONAL NOTES:
-
- NETCHAT & MICROSOFT WINDOWS(tm):
-
- NetChat works great under Windows! Set NetChat up as you would any other
- DOS application under Windows, and change the icon to NETCHAT.ICO, which
- is included in this package. You will now be able to initiate or respond
- to CHAT requests with the click of a mouse button.
-
- USING NETCHAT FROM REMOTE:
-
- NetChat can be accessed through remote communication packages such as
- Telereplica(tm) and Co/Session(tm). Just dial into the network, log in
- and type CHAT, as you normally would from a local workstation.
-
-
- We hope that you enjoy using NetChat and find it useful and effective.
- Please distribute the package freely, however, the files:
-
- - CHAT.EXE
- - REGISTER.FRM
- - NETCHAT.ICO
- - READ.ME
-
- MUST be distributed together and unmodified.
-
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- REVISION NOTES:
-
- The first release of NetChat was designed for 50-user (or less) networks.
- As a response to demand, revision A now works correctly on networks of up
- to 250 users.
-
- Some users of the earlier version experienced difficulties in selecting
- a user to page from the page menu. This was corrected in revision A,
- as were a few other minor bugs.
-
- If you already use NetChat, are not yet registered, and have a version of
- NetChat older than revision A, please replace the older version with this
- one.
-
- Registered users of NetChat will receive this revised version in the mail.
-
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- Copyright 1992, Markus A. Weigl
-
- The developers make no representations or warranties with respect to this
- program and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability
- or fitness for any particular purpose. Further, the developers reserve the
- right to revise this publication and software, and to make changes from time
- to time in the content hereof without obligation to notify any person of
- such revisions or changes.
-
-