First, what is this code called? There are 4 names that are "sanctioned" for it. The official name of this talker release is "PlayGround 96" or PG96. An older, and functionally equivalent name is "PlayCode 96" or PC96. The distinction is that PlayCode refers only to the source code, where PlayGround refers to the entire release. In some documents, you'll here it refered to as PG, in others as PC. The reason? I'm lazy. Deal. There are also approved "nicknames" for the code. The main two are EW4 (or spelled out, EW-for, or ElseWhere-for). The name "deathtraP", a working name in the early going, should not be used, and is discouraged, because it gives credit to one author over the other three, and it just sounds stupid anyway ;-P Bottom Line. The official name is PlayGround 96. PlayCode 96 refers to the code only (and not the auxillaries like Update 1.1 or MS 1.2, or the help files, etc). EW4 is an approved shorthand (and denotes PG96's origins, being based on EW2) ************************************************************************ OK. Hopefully you've read the LICENSE and you agree to abide by it. Here's what you need to do to get the talker running: in config.h, starting at line 56, code looks like this #define BACKUP_TIME 40000 /* default port no */ #define DEFAULT_PORT 9669 /* Root directory -- NB: the trailing / *is* important!!! */ #define ROOT "/home/username/talker/" /* and, what is this talker CALLED? =) */ #define TALKER_NAME "The Great Unnamed Talker" /* and the emergency HCADMIN password */ #define HC_PASSWORD "silly+rabbit" You need to change all of these defaults first: The first one, is BACKUP_TIME. This is the time_t value of the day when you want your backups to start. You probably want to set this to go off during the least crowded time of the day (for me, 40000 was 2 am my time) The Second one is your port number. Thats simply the digits after the site name (i.e. piglet.success.net 2060) -- so set it to suit your tastes -- but I suggest not making it lower than 2000 nor higher than 9999. The default is 9669 (96 for PG96, and 69 I think you can guess at :-P) The third one is the working directory. This is easy to find. Go into the talker directory, and type 'pwd' -- then enter that in in the ROOT field. The Fourth one is your talker name. Be creative, be unique, or be boring, its all the same to me. This field however, automates the process of changing references to one given talkers name, and by changing this, you change the talker name in most places in the code. The last one is the HARD CODED ADMIN password. (Yes, its stored in the code as plain text) -- you NEED this password to login as a default admin! Also, CHANGE it, because people will try to hack your admin accounts if you're not careful. This password is used anytime a HARD CODED ADMIN is deleted, and someone attempts to login with a HARD CODED name. Speaking of HARD CODED, here's where to change who is and isn't HC'd. admin.h, line 40-44 /* interns */ const char *HCAdminList[] = { "admin", "coder", "sysop"}; const int NUM_ADMINS = 3; /* this MUST be the same as the # of names in the *char[] above */ This defines the names "admin", "coder" and "sysop" to have admin powers. Change it immediately to your admin names (probably just your talker name, at first, later on, whomever is added to the project.) You MUST be sure that NUM_ADMINS accurately reflects the number of people defined above as HARD CODED. Now, the nitty gritty. You're ready to compile. Just type 'make install' from the src directory, and cross your fingers. This program is optimized for Linux 1.2.13. Using it on any other platform may require some minor porting. If you get "gcc: not found" or something like that, then you're in trouble (this thing isn't designed to compile with CC) I know that, for running it under SunOS, you'll have problems finding the localtime() function, and the bzero() function. The fix is that both of these functions are actually macros, and so you have to find what the name of the macro is on your platform. This should actually handle most bugs, but there are always a few stray, misconfigured systems or OS's that really drive one batty. The last thing, before I leave you to discover the spoonage that is PlayCode 96, is something very important. At this time, you have a code. Thats the easy part. You need a site (this can be really hard to get), you need residents, and you need a staff now. Running a talker sounds like a great idea at the time, often, but sometimes, it just isn't. Ask yourself, "Why do I want to start up another talker" -- if the answer is "because I wanna be an admin" or "I wanna let my friends be sus" then you're in for a rough go. Its not for everyone.. and its a LOT easier to just logon to existing talkers and chat there, than it is to start your own. Good luck with it. Mike Bourdaa (traP) 6/3/96