GAIM(1)

NAME
gaim v0.11.0pre10 - Instant Messaging client

SYNOPSIS

gaim

DESCRIPTION

gaim is based on the published Toc protocol from AOL, writen in GTK. The following sections describe how to use gaim.

Accounts
    How to use your online messenger account.

Buddies list
    How to use and edit your Buddy list.

Communication
    How to send instant messages and files. (File transfer not yet available)

Preferences
    What the preferences do.

Plugins
    Plugin options.

SCREEN NAME
    A Screen Name is how a person can be contacted once signed on.

ACCOUNTS
The first time you start gaim, you will be presented with a dialog box. Enter your AIM screen name creen Name field and enter the password in the Password field. Gaim will add multiple accounts, by simply typing in another screen name in the Screen Name field. You must use existing accounts, because gaim does not support creating accounts. You may also modify your accounts by clicking on the Accounts button.

Buddies LIST
The gaim Buddy list contains Groups, and Buddies.

You may export Buddy lists from gaim by using the Export Buddy List option under File.

You may also import saved Buddy lists from gaim by using the Import Buddy List option under File.

To add a new Buddy, under the Edit Buddies tab, click on the Add button. In the Add dialog: Enter their online screen name, an optional alias for the person in the alias field, and select the group you would like them to be a member of in the To Group field.

The alias that you enter, if you so desire, will be how your buddy is known. For example, you could add the buddy 'jsmith1281xx' with the alias 'John Q. Smith'. John Q. Smith would appear on your buddylist in place of jsmith1281xx.

To create a new group, add a new account as above, and instead of selecting an existing group in the Group field, enter the name of the group you wish to create.

To delete a Group, or Buddy, click on its name in the Edit Buddies tab, then click on the Remove button.

COMMUNICATION
The Online tab shows your Buddy list of online Buddies. Next to each Screen name, or alias, is a icon indicating if a buddy is a Normal AIM User, AOL User, Trial AIM User, Administrator, or Away.

  Messages
To send a message to a Buddy, double click on the Buddy under the Online tab, and type your message in the field at the bottom of the conversation window. Messages received from a Buddy will use the existing conversation window with the Buddy or will open a new one if it does not exist. If the Ignore unknown users option is selected, messages from an unknown person will be ignored. Otherwise, a conversation window with an Add button, which you can click on to add them to your Buddy list.

  File Transfer
Currently only files can be recieve. A option to Send files will added in later versions.

PREFERENCES
The preferences are accessed by selecting Preferences from the Tools menu. These preferences allow you to configure various aspects of gaim including: default fonts, colors, and user configurable sounds. You may also configure different visual aspects of gaim. For example, you may choose to have buttons displayed without accompanying text.

PLUGINS
The plugins are accessed by selecting Preferences from the Tools menu.

Plugin files are to be placed in $(HOME)/.gaim/plugins/ - To load a plugin click on the Load Plugin button and select the plugin desired

To unload a plugin select which plugin you want to remove and click the Unload Plugin button.

Permit
To add a user to Permit/Deny them, select the Permit tab and click on the add button. Type the Screen Name of the desired person in the Add field, and select Permit/Deny.

To remove a Screen Name select the Screen Name and click on the Remove button.

FILES
$(HOME)/.gaimrc - Gaim Config File
$(HOME)/.gaim/SCREENNAME/ - SCREENNAME's conversation logs
$(HOME)/.gaim/plugins/ - Gaim Plugin Files

BUGS
Known bugs are at http://sourceforge.net/bugs/?group_id=235

BUG REPORTS
If you find a bug in gaim, please submit a bug form at http://sourceforge.net/bugs/?group_id=235

Before sending a bug report, please verify that you have the latest version of gaim. Many bugs (major and minor) are fixed at each release, and if yours is out of date, the problem may already have been solved.

SEE ALSO
http://www.marko.net/gaim/

LICENSE
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple PLace, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA

AUTHORS
The authors of gaim are:

 Rob Flynn <rob@marko.net> - IM: RobFlynn
 Eric Warmenhoven <warmenhoven@yahoo.com> - IM: EWarmenhoven
 Jim Duchek <jim@linuxpimps.com> - IM: Zilding
 Mark Spencer <markster@marko.net> - IM: Markster97

The manpage was written by Dennis Ristuccia <dennis@vertex.978.org> IM: D3nnisR