3. Chatting With Friends and Colleagues
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3. Chatting With Friends and Colleagues

 Choose Internet → Instant Messenger from the main menu to launch Kopete. A configuration wizard appears.

3.1. Configuring Kopete

Figure 1.7. Messaging Service Selection

Messaging Service Selection

Kopete supports communications with many popular messaging applications such as MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, IRC, etc. Select the messaging service from the list and advance to the next step. Please bear in mind that the different messaging protocols have different configuration parameters. We show you how to setup an instant messaging service account and then an IRC service account.

Figure 1.8. Account Parameters

Account Parameters

Now you have to provide the account parameters: as a minimum a username (or email address) and a password; some messaging services may need other options too. Refer to the messaging service documentation for more information on the account parameters to be set.

[Tip] Tip

Most messaging services have a Register New Account button that you can click to get a new account with that service.

Finally you are invited to connect to the messaging service and finish the messaging service configuration wizard. Uncheck the Connect now option if you wish to connect later.

Choose Settings → Configure from the menu, then select the Accounts section and click on the New button to add an account for a different messaging service. We now add an account for IRC server irc.freenode.net, channel #mandriva, where you can get support for your MandrivaOne system from other users of Mandriva Linux.

Figure 1.9. IRC Basic Parameters

IRC Basic Parameters

Provide your nickname[1] and an alternate one (in case someone else already has registered the nickname you've chosen), and optionally a username and a password.

[Tip] Tip

It's common to append a _ to the nickname to form the alternative nickname.

Figure 1.10. IRC Network Parameters

IRC Network Parameters

Then, select the Connection tab and choose an IRC network using the Network pulldown list. You can also select the default encoding and other options. Advance to the final step and finish the wizard.

3.2. Kopete Interface

Figure 1.11. IM and Chat Interface

IM and Chat Interface

Toolbar. Where the main action buttons lie. See Table 1.3, “Kopete's Toolbar Buttons”.

Buddy List. Where an entry is displayed for each of your buddies who is online, together with an icon identifying the protocol they are using. Buddy status is indicated as follows:

  •  The buddy is currently online and available;

  •  the buddy is currently online, but not available. Depending on the messaging service you might be able to send him messages anyway, which your buddy sees when he's available again;

  •  the buddy isn't currently online, you cannot send him messages. Please note that you might not see this status at all if you decide to hide offline buddies.

Service Status. One icon is displayed for each messaging service configured. If the icon is colored, it means you are currently online on that service, otherwise the icon is grayed. Right click on the service's icon to access a menu with actions for that particular messaging service.

3.3. Chatting and IM With Kopete

Table 1.3. Kopete's Toolbar Buttons

Button Function

Set Status. Displays a list of all possible online status from where you can select the desired one. Please bear in mind that this status applies to all currently configured messaging services. It can be thought of like a kind of global status setting.

Add Buddy. Select the messaging service from the suggested ones and then fill in the buddy's ID and optionally select a group using the Group pulldown list; click on OK to add the buddy to your buddy list.

Popular messaging services (MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, Jabber, etc.) store the buddy list on the server, so you get the same buddy list no matter where you connect to that service from.

When this button is pressed offline users are shown on the buddy list. This is handy to see which buddies you have on your list for the different messaging services.

To start chatting with a buddy, simply double click on his nick on the Buddy List. The window is divided in two, you type on the lower frame, and see the conversation on the upper frame.

IRC is a bit different, you first have to join a channel on a server. Think of channels as chat rooms where you can speak about a given topic. To join a channel:

  1. Click on the IRC service status icon.

  2. Select the Join Channel menu entry.

  3. Type the name of the channel in the dialog box that appears. Channel names start with a sharp symbol (#), for example #mandriva.

  4. A window similar to the IM one appears, it also has a list on the right with the people connected on that channel. If you don't see a list of people, it means you are alone on that channel, please try a different channel or wait for someone to join the channel.

Repeat the above procedure to connect to other IRC channels on the same server, a window opens for each channel you connect to so you can chat simultaneously on all channels you join.

There are many resources on the Internet about the so-called “netiquette”, which are norms and rules (some can be described as common sense) one should observe for fair behavior when chatting with other people. You can perform a search for “chat netiquette” (using Google) for more information.


[1] On IRC channels you are identified by your nickname and people will know you by it.

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