[comp.dcom.lans] Need 'phone' or 'talk' program for Novell

elmquist@nachos.SSESCO.com (Chris Elmquist) (09/20/90)

Does anyone know of a program that runs on Novell and works like
the UNIX 'talk' program or the VMS 'phone' utility?  These programs
allow keyboard to keyboard conversations to take place across the
network.  You typically get a split screen display...with things
you type on the bottom half and things the other guy types on the
upper half.  They can either work in character at a time mode
where you see every keystroke (and every typing mistake too) or
in 'line at a time mode' where you don't see what the other guy
typed until he hits return.

Anyone have anything like this for DOS and Novell?  I'm looking
for a freebie/shareware of course... but I might buy something
too...

--Chris
elmquist@nachos.ssesco.com

crowed@ECE.ORST.EDU (David Crowe Jr.) (09/20/90)

There is a nice CHAT program on SIMTEL (I got it from the 
wuarchive.wustl.edu mirror site) in PD1:<MSDOS.LAN> directory
and the file name was CHAT205.ZIP.  This program is very similar
to Unix style talk - split screen display working a character at 
a time.   It works in some nice Novell and DOS specifics to select
the user to request.  

At my site, many users have begun using it instead of the phone.  The 
only thing I would like to see improved is a capability to select the 
server used for querying active connections.  Otherwise it has been a
very nice utility.

David Crowe, Jr.
Network Manager,  College of Engr.
Oregon State University

email: crowed@ece.orst.edu

martin@hq.af.mil (Gregory.J.Martin) (09/20/90)

In article <20382@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU> crowed@ECE.ORST.EDU (David Crowe Jr.) writes:  
>
>At my site, many users have begun using it instead of the phone.
>

The Banyan VINES NOS comes with a "CHAT" program that allows conference
"calls" with up to five users.  But I have to say, Chat drives me nuts.  I can
be on and off the phone with someone in less than 1/5 the time it takes for
the same conversation using Chat.  Since I don't know two many people who can
type or read as fast as they can talk and listen, it just seems to waste a lot
of time.  Unless, of course, you're talking about someone and don't want to say
nasty things about them out loud. 8-)

...Greg  (martin@hq.af.mil)