sending messages

[Randy Pratt]

On Sat, 5 Jun 2004 15:50:21 +0200
Michal Pasternak <michal at pasternak.w.lub.pl> wrote:

> arden [Sat, Jun 05, 2004 at 02:45:31PM +0100]:
> > reading the windows messaging thread with interest was wondering how you
> > would message a *nix box on the same network ?
> 
> man talk
> 
> Pity it's disabled by default in many today's unices, it was a great
> time using it to talk with various people on the net (and, sometimes
> exploiting bugs in talkd ;).

Yep, I agree.  Turning on ntalkd (/etc/inetd.conf) is one of the first
things I do on a new box.  I still use talk daily to keep in touch
with friends.  Often, we will use talk over an ssh connection but
this requires having an account on the box.  It'd be nice if there
were an encrypted version of ntalkd.

The thing I like about the unix talk is that it doesn't require any
3rd party servers like IRC, ICQ or whatever.  Its strictly box to
box.  I've even went so far as to hack talkd/announce.c to play a
wav file when a talk request is received.

The port net/ytalk is similar and allows more than 2 parties to
talk.  It also needs the ntalkd turned on.

Randy
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