1.1 Introducing AmTalk

AmTALK is an enhanced version of the UNIX talk program. This program was the precursor of IRC in that it permitted remote users to chat with one another in real time. While IRC extends the basic functionality such that many people can talk to each other simultaneously, the basic need for a direct one on one method of communication is still there. However, using talk is rather like using the phone in that people aren't always available so wouldn't it be nice to have an answering machine.

AmTALK has the following features:

• Fully multithreaded for several talk sessions at once.

• Auto answer facility to accept talk requests and store incoming messages. Can be triggered manually or by a user-definable timeout. Optional auto answer information icon on workbench displaying number of new and unread messages.

• "Locate" function to locate a user on a dynamic IP address even if you don't know which IP he is using right now.

• History of last used talk addresses for easy access.

• User configurable sounds for notifying of incoming talk requests and successfully established talk links.

• Userlist to store frequently used talk partners, with aliasing for easy talk start and specificable access privilleges (override auto answer, refuse/ignore always, locate always etc.)

• Can be started from inetd, or reside resident in the background, activated by hotkey.

• Supports clipboard Cut & Paste from talk windows.

• Keeps a full log of incoming talk requests.

• Nice and friendly GUI to start talks, control operation and configuration.

• Handles incoming talk requests with "wrong" usernames gracefully.

• Works with Miami, AmiTCP and as225r2-derived TCP/IP stacks.

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