comparison doc/FAQ @ 141:f90b022235fe

[gaim-migrate @ 151] Updates to the FAQ (there's been a few changes since 0.9.5), and found a new (and presumably the last, since AOL stopped publishing it) copy of the protocol. committer: Tailor Script <[e-mail]>

140:436bead8f65d

        6. I have a bug not described here.
	7. I have Mandrake 6.0 and GAIM doesnt work!

IV. Programming
	1. I have a patch for gaim!
	2. Can you teach me how to program GTK?

V. Miscellaneous
        1. Can I talk to you on IM?
        2. I want to write an IM client.  Will you help me?
        3. I have money.  I need some software written.  Can you help?

and undocumented.  Some people have used network tools and such to figure
it mostly out -- Look for 'faim'.  We use TOC, which is completely open and
documented. 

	2. Where can I find info on it?
		Go to <http://www.aim.aol.com/tik> and download a copy of TiK.
In it you will find a document called PROTOCOL which describes the protocol in
full.

	3. What other clients use this protocol?
		Go to <http://www.aim.aol.com/tik>.  There is a list there.

	4. TCP or UDP?
		TCP.

	5. So the buddy list is stored on the server?

gaim.  This will eventually be fully incorporated into GAIM and the script
will no longer be needed.

        7. I'm not a native English speaker and I would like a translated   
           version of gaim.

		By all means, IM me at 'Zilding' or email me at
[e-mail].  I'm working on standard GNU locale support for the next
version of gaim, and I'm going to need translations.  If you can do a
translation for us, I'd greatly appreciate it!  Just let me know and I'll
give you detailed instructions on how to do it.

	1. WAAAAAH!  My sound doesn't work!
		./configure should autodetect whether or not you have ESD
libraries.  If you have them it _WILL_ compile with them, if not it won't. 
If it compiles with them, you don't need to be running the ESD daemon, it'll
automatically fallback to using /dev/dsp.  Make sure that gaim has proper
permissions to talk to /dev/dsp and /dev/audio though!  

	2. My buddy list disappeared!
		You didn't back up your buddy list, did you?  You never back
anything up!  Oh well.  The TOC server loses lists from time to time, it
happens to me as well.  (And no, I never have a backup ;).  I intend to

		I'm very interested in supporting other web browsers.  Do
send me information on how to send a URL to your browser remotely (or point
me at the source to the browser, I might be able to figure it out.). 

	5. I'm using the GNOME client.  I have a bug.
		Too smeggin' bad.  :)  I personally do NOT write any of the
GNOME code.  If you find bugs in the GNOME client, I will accept emails
describing these bugs, so I can pass them on to the correct person.
I will also accept PATCHES to fix these bugs (but not like any of y'all
ever do anything but whine about bugs anyway, who am I kidding ;).  
If you IM me whining about a GNOME bug, you will probably be ignored.
	
	6. I have a bug not described here.
		Well, it could be a few things.  Firstly, you MUST HAVE GTK+
VERSION 1.2.3 installed!  Please state in any bug report that you ARE using
1.2.3, otherwise you have a chance of being ignored.  With that said ;)
email me at [e-mail], I would like to hear your bug reports (but
please, not your problems installing GTK).

	7. I have Mandrake 6.0 and GAIM doesnt work!

Bob Meyer <[e-mail]> writes:

IV. Programming
	1. I have a patch for gaim!
		Nice.  Think about your patch though.  First, does it have
to do with AIM?  I won't apply patches for stock tickers, search engines,
etc.  We're working on plug-ins if you really want bloat like that. 
Second, is it useful?  A lot of patches I get are horribly unuseful except
in very specific situations (ie YOUR situation).  Thirdly, your code 
will not retain your copyright.  All code submitted must be protected by 
the GPL and the copyright will be given to Mark Spencer.  If you don't 
like this, don't send me your patches.  You will be given authorship credit, 

functionsLikeThis.  If you do that, fine.  It's great.  But guess what?
This is C.  C programmers don't write like that.  I don't write like that.
I don't want to READ code like that.  I want a homogenous coding style
on this program, and it's gonna be MY coding style. :)
	Now, if you've managed to get through all that and I haven't
discouraged you entirely, my email address is [e-mail], you can
send your patches there.

	2. Can you teach me how to program GTK?
		Yes, I can.  But no, I'm not going to. There's a really
nice tutorial at http://www.gtk.org.  If you're a fairly experienced 
programmer, and you get stuck on something odd, IM me, I'm usually happy to
help.  If you had a little BASIC experience in high school and are having
trouble making a button widget do anything when you click it, buy a book on

141:f90b022235fe

        6. I have a bug not described here.
	7. I have Mandrake 6.0 and GAIM doesnt work!

IV. Programming
	1. I have a patch for gaim!
	2. I have a plugin for gaim!
	3. Can you teach me how to program GTK?

V. Miscellaneous
        1. Can I talk to you on IM?
        2. I want to write an IM client.  Will you help me?
        3. I have money.  I need some software written.  Can you help?

and undocumented.  Some people have used network tools and such to figure
it mostly out -- Look for 'faim'.  We use TOC, which is completely open and
documented. 

	2. Where can I find info on it?
		In the document called PROTOCOL. It's the version that was
published with AOL's TiK client version 0.75, which appears to be the last
one ever published.

	3. What other clients use this protocol?
		There are a few other Unix programs that use it, I think. I
really couldn't tell you though. AOL used to keep a list of them, but no more.

	4. TCP or UDP?
		TCP.

	5. So the buddy list is stored on the server?

gaim.  This will eventually be fully incorporated into GAIM and the script
will no longer be needed.

        7. I'm not a native English speaker and I would like a translated   
           version of gaim.
		By all means, IM me at 'Zilding' or email me at
[e-mail].  I'm working on standard GNU locale support for the next
version of gaim, and I'm going to need translations.  If you can do a
translation for us, I'd greatly appreciate it!  Just let me know and I'll
give you detailed instructions on how to do it.

	1. WAAAAAH!  My sound doesn't work!
		./configure should autodetect whether or not you have ESD
libraries.  If you have them it _WILL_ compile with them, if not it won't. 
If it compiles with them, you don't need to be running the ESD daemon, it'll
automatically fallback to using /dev/dsp.  Make sure that gaim has proper
permissions to talk to /dev/dsp and /dev/audio though!
		The GNOME client now goes through GNOME for its sounds. If
sounds aren't playing, make sure you've got them turned on in the GNOME
control center. (The reason this was done was to make it more easily
configurable.)

	2. My buddy list disappeared!
		You didn't back up your buddy list, did you?  You never back
anything up!  Oh well.  The TOC server loses lists from time to time, it
happens to me as well.  (And no, I never have a backup ;).  I intend to

		I'm very interested in supporting other web browsers.  Do
send me information on how to send a URL to your browser remotely (or point
me at the source to the browser, I might be able to figure it out.). 

	5. I'm using the GNOME client.  I have a bug.
		GNOME bugs should be reported to Eric Warmenhoven (IM:
EWarmenhoven (how original)), who is now maintaining that part of the code. If
you ask the other guys about it, they'll just point you at him.
	
	6. I have a bug not described here.
		Well, it could be a few things.  Firstly, you MUST HAVE GTK+
VERSION 1.2.3 installed!  Please state in any bug report that you ARE using
1.2.3, otherwise you have a chance of being ignored.  With that said ;)
email me at [e-mail], I would like to hear your bug reports (but
please, not your problems installing GTK). Also, sourceforge.net has a bug
tracking system for us at <http://sourceforge.net/bugs/?group_id=235>.

	7. I have Mandrake 6.0 and GAIM doesnt work!

Bob Meyer <[e-mail]> writes:

IV. Programming
	1. I have a patch for gaim!
		Nice.  Think about your patch though.  First, does it have
to do with AIM?  I won't apply patches for stock tickers, search engines,
etc.  Rewrite it as a plug-in if you really want bloat like that. 
Second, is it useful?  A lot of patches I get are horribly unuseful except
in very specific situations (ie YOUR situation).  Thirdly, your code 
will not retain your copyright.  All code submitted must be protected by 
the GPL and the copyright will be given to Mark Spencer.  If you don't 
like this, don't send me your patches.  You will be given authorship credit, 

functionsLikeThis.  If you do that, fine.  It's great.  But guess what?
This is C.  C programmers don't write like that.  I don't write like that.
I don't want to READ code like that.  I want a homogenous coding style
on this program, and it's gonna be MY coding style. :)
	Now, if you've managed to get through all that and I haven't
discouraged you entirely, send your patches to Rob Flynn ([e-mail]).

	2. I have a plugin for gaim!
		Cool. Before you release it to anyone though, make sure you
understand that if it does anything useful, it is necessarily licenced under
the GPL. It's that whole "code that uses GPL'ed code is thus GPL'ed" clause.
Also, don't send it to us. It's not that we don't want it, but there are
better places to put it. Head over to sourceforge.net and submit it there
<http://sourceforge.net/patch/?group_id=235>. It'll be available more quickly
that way. 

	3. Can you teach me how to program GTK?
		Yes, I can.  But no, I'm not going to. There's a really
nice tutorial at http://www.gtk.org.  If you're a fairly experienced 
programmer, and you get stuck on something odd, IM me, I'm usually happy to
help.  If you had a little BASIC experience in high school and are having
trouble making a button widget do anything when you click it, buy a book on