=== Using Barnowl ===
+You will need access to an Athena machine to run barnowl. The easiest way to do this would be to SSH into linerva.mit.edu.
+
+On a Debian-based linux distro, open up a terminal and type {{{ssh <username>@linerva.mit.edu}}}.
+
+On Windows, download a SSH client (such as PuTTY, at http://chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html) and install it. Once you've opened it, type {{{<username>@linerva.mit.edu}}} into the prompt and hit enter.
+
+On a Mac, open Terminal from the Utilities Folder in Applications. Type {{{kinit <username>@ATHENA.MIT.EDU && ssh -K <username>@linerva.mit.edu}}} If this command fails (saying -K is invalid), then just do {{{ssh <username>@linerva.mit.edu}}}
+
+(In all these cases, don't include the angle brackets, just replace <username> with your MIT username). You will then be prompted for your password. Enter it, and then carry on with running barnowl!
+
To start barnowl, run the command {{{add barnowl; barnowl}}} at the prompt on any Athena machine or dialup, such as linerva.mit.edu.
The simplest use of Zephyr is to send personal zephyrs to other users. To send a zephyr, type : to bring up a command line, and run the command {{{zwrite USERNAME}}}. You can also start a {{{zwrite}}} command by simply typing z.
-You can then enter your message, and then enter a {{{.}}} on a line by itself to finish the zephyr. By convention, zephyrs are usually word-wrapped to 70-character lines or so; Pressing M-q (Alt-q, or Escape then q) will word-wrap the text you've entered for you.
+You can then enter your message, and then enter a {{{.}}} on a line by itself to finish the zephyr. By convention, zephyrs are usually word-wrapped to 70 characters or so per line; barnowl will wrap at about 10 characters less than the width of your terminal window, so if you have a large window, you may need to press M-q (Alt-q, or Escape then q) to word-wrap the current paragraph to a smaller width.
Once you've sent and received zephyrs, you can navigate the message list with the arrow keys. Press {{{d}}} to mark a message as deleted, {{{u}}} to undelete it, and {{{x}}} to expunge all messages that have been marked as deleted.
'''Personal Classes'''::
By convention, nearly every Zephyr user has a "personal" class that is the same as their username. How this class is used varies from person to person, but it's often a sort of mini-blog, a place to report what one is working on or up to, or ask friends questions, or just rant about something.
-'''"un" Classes'''::
- Many people use "un" classes in addition to their personal class, for example {{{johndoe}}} might use {{{-c unjohndoe}}}. Sometimes there are nested un-classes as well, such as {{{-c ununjohndoe}}} or {{{-c unununjohndoe}}}. It is extremely rare to see anything more than three "un"s. Un-classes are generally used for snarking about a conversation going on in the next class up ({{{-c unjohndoe}}} snarking about {{{-c johndoe}}}), or for more intense ranting. The more "un"s, the more intense the snarking/ranting generally becomes.
-
=== Zephyr Slang ===
If you spend enough time on Zephyr, you'll begin noticing some strange phrases and words being thrown around. Some of these include:
-'''i,i foo''': originated from CMU and means "I have no point here, I just like to say:". Sometimes people simply use quotes: {{{"foo"}}}.
+'''i,i foo''': picked up from CMU zephyrland and means "I have no point here, I just like saying:". Sometimes people simply use quotes: {{{"foo"}}}.
'''mix''': If somebody accidentally sends a Zephyr to the wrong class or person, they will send another Zephyr to that wrong/class person simply saying "mix". This basically just means, "oops, sorry, I didn't mean to send that Zephyr here". You might also see "-i mix", which is the same thing, only with instances.
There are many other acronyms that are used; if you don't know what it means, try using the {{{whats foo}}} command at an Athena terminal. If you don't have the command, run {{{add sipb}}} first.
+=== Zephyr Etiquette ===
+
+There are rules that people tend to use on Zephyr. These include:
+
+Good grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Not everybody uses capitalization, but they will still use good English. Please do not say things such as "hey wut r u up to???". It makes you look like an idiot. Really.
+
+You don't need multiple question marks or exclamation points. Usually.
+
+There are a few abbreviations people use, such as YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) or IIRC (If I Remember Correctly), as well as some nerdier ones like DTRT (Do The Right Thing, in reference to a computer command). Try running `add outland; whats dtrt` to look up an abbreviation. Common abbreviations that you might find on AIM, however, are not often used. People tend to look down upon "lol", "rofl", and such.
+
+Personal classes are by convention considered a little more private than non-personal (public) classes. Although most people don't mind people they've met subscribing to their personal class and lurking, it's poor form to talk loudly on the personal class of someone you don't know.
+
=== Startup ===
There might be some options that you want to be consistent from session to session; you don't want to have to set the same variables each time. You can fix this by adding the commands to your "startup" file, for example, {{{.owl/startup}}}. This can be done from within Barnowl, by using the {{{startup}}} command:
:set logging on
}}}
-This will log to the "zlog" directory in your locker. You probably don't want people to see what classes you're on or what people you talk to, so you can run the Athena command
+This will log to the "zlog" directory in your locker. You probably don't want people to see what classes you're on or what people you talk to, so you can run the Athena commands
{{{
mkdir -p ~/zlog
fs sa ~/zlog system:anyuser none
+mkdir -p ~/zlog/people
+mkdir -p ~/zlog/class
}}}
-to make this directory completely hidden.
+to create the necessary directories and make them completely hidden.
=== Colors ===
== Running Barnowl in Screen ==
-It can be very annoying to have to close Barnowl when you turn off your computer. During the time your computer is off, you're missing many (possibly important) zephyrs. It can also be frustrating if you leave your computer on with Zephyr up, but go to a different computer and want to check your zephyrs - how do you do this? These problems can be solved with the magic of screen.
+It can be very annoying to have to close Barnowl when you turn off your computer. During the time your computer is off, you're missing many (possibly important) zephyrs. It can be aggravating to be using zephyr via an unreliable network connection. It can also be frustrating if you leave your computer on with Zephyr up, but go to a different computer and want to check your zephyrs - how do you do this? These problems can be solved with the magic of screen.
A more detailed and extensive explanation of this can be found at http://web.mit.edu/kchen/bin/owl-screen.txt.
To detach a screen session (for example, if you want to log out), press C-a d (Control-A, then D). Screen continues to run, but is no longer active.
-To reattach a screen session, possibly detaching from wherever it's currently attached, run {{{screen -dr}}}.
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+To reattach a screen session, possibly detaching from wherever it's currently attached, run:
+
+{{{
+screen -dr
+}}}
+
+{{{screen}}} can do a whole lot more. To find out about it, see UsingScreen.
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