Libre Software and Libre Knowledge in Education

Instant Messaging using Libre Software for windows Users

Christopher Harvey

Brisbane, Qld  4151
Australia

Copyright © 2006 by Christopher Harvey (Crowds - 2005 Melbourne Show image by Fir0002 GFDL)

Copyright Notice

Copyright (C) 2006 by Christopher Harvey .

This document may used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or higher. (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this document provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this document under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this one.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this document into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, except that this permission notice may be included in translations approved by the Free Software Foundation instead of in the original English.

We thank Fir0002 for the Crowds_-_melbourne_show_2005.jpg

Libre Learning Objects


Table of Contents
Overview of Instant Messaging for windows Users
What we need
Installing Gaim
Messenger Account setup
Communicating Online
Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
Notes From the Author
Links

Overview of Instant Messaging for windows Users

Gaim is a multi-platform instant messenger capable of logging in to multiple accounts on multiple Instant Messenger networks simultaneously.

It is compatible with AIM and ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, SILC, GroupWise Messenger, and Zephyr networks.

This means that you can be chatting with friends on MSN Instant Messenger, talking to a friend on Yahoo Messenger, and sitting in an IRC channel all at the same time.

Like this guide, Wikipedia is Libre knowledge and contains the most accurate and up to date information available on the internet and links to the most relevant resources. Libre knowledge implies freedom to read, listen to, watch, or otherwise experience explicit knowledge to learn from, copy, adapt and use it for any purpose; contribute new insights and share these for the common good; and all of this with free software.

In this guide we will aim at just getting it to work and learn as we go.

Links for further study:

Terminology: Instant Messenging, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Online chat, Computer conferencing, Social networking

Libre Software: Gaim

Instant messenger networks: Jabber, Jabber Australia

What we need

The essentials:

  • A computer running windows

  • An Internet connection

When downloading software its always best to have the latest stable version, below are links to the versions used in this guide and links to the homepages so that you can check that your using the best version, learn about the programmers and find more valuable information and tutorials. Most of the software has a feature that you can run to check for the latest version.

Download this Software:

Installing Gaim

  1. Go to where you downloaded Gaim and double click the gaim-1.5.0.exe.

  2. Choose your language and select OK.

  3. Select Next.

  4. Agree with the GNU General Public License.

  5. Check any extra components and select next.

  6. The next screen reports that Gaim has been succesfully installed so select finish.

Messenger Account setup

  1. Double-click the desktop shortcut to start Gaim.

    If you don't have any account with any of the instant messenger networks visit Jabber Australia and sign up for a free one.

  2. The Login Screen, select Accounts.

  3. The Accounts screen, Select Add

  4. First select the Protocol then add your Screen Name, Password and an alias is usually optional and select save.

    For example Jabber, username@jabber.org.au, omgbbq007, Chris

  5. Now add any other accounts you have, choose whether you want to auto-login whenever you start Gaim or just tick the Online box and you will be prompted for a password for that account or you will be logged on to that network.

Communicating Online

  1. Here we see the buddy list

  2. You have 3 main options, Buddies Tools and Help. Below we see the Buddies and Tools menus.

    Select Add Buddy and add your friends, its very much like the section called Messenger Account setup.

  3. Your friend will be listed on the Buddy List, double left click on them and a chat window will open.

  4. You can click on the little smiley face and add emoticons to your messages.

  5. In tools > preferences > plugins > transparency. You can set the transparency, its a helpful feature for multi-tasking. The screenshot shows the chat window on top of the buddy list while reading the Wikipedia page on transparency.

Online communication skills are essential for E-Learning.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

Internet Relay Chat usually involves commuicating with groups in rooms.

  1. Setup an IRC account just as above in the section called Messenger Account setup and login.

  2. Then Select Tools > Room List and select Get List.

  3. Find the room that interests you and select join.

Notes From the Author

This guide was created using a free/libre operating system known as GNU/Linux using free/libre software. I need your feedback, so please do me a favour and send me some comments. If your keen to re-write this guide just contact me instead, I'm currently looking for work in education.

Links

Links:

If you know of any IRC networks for education please contact me so I can add them to this list.

Educational IRC networks: