Eicq - an XEmacs ICQ client News

Yes, that is right. Eicq is now working again. But you can't get it from SF.net. We're hosting everything elsewhere.

Website: http://www.eicq.org/
FTPsite: ftp://ftp.eicq.org/pub/lisp/Eicq/
GNU/arch (tla) source repo: steve@eicq.org--2006 http://arch.eicq.org/2006/

This will most likely be the last time that the SF.net Eicq project pages are ever updated. It's been a blast, but we're having more fun on our own now. :-)... read more

Well, it's been quite a while since any activity was seen in this project. The good news is that the project is NOT dead.

We now have our own domain `eicq.org'. The web page is at http://www.eicq.org/ and the mailing lists are now...

eicq-bugs@eicq.org
eicq-devel@eicq.org
eicq-users@eicq.org

We have also switched from CVS to GNU/arch (tla). The main repo is at steve@eicq.org--2004 http://arch.eicq.org/2004/... read more

As the subject says, we have switched over to the BSD License.

Unfortunately, something has happened that is beyond our control. For some reason the ICQ people have decided to stop supporting and using version 5 of the ICQ protocol.

You guessed it, Eicq uses ICQ V5 protocol.

This means, that at the moment, Eicq is fairly useless. And, I'm sad to say, will remain that way until we have implemented the new V7 (or V8 if that protocol is where it's at).

We will do our best to get a ICQv7 compatible Eicq out just as soon as we can.... read more

One of our users sent me a Debian package of Eicq-0.2.17. None of us here use Debian, so we won't be supporting the Debian package. Use at your own risk, YMMV and all that.

Another day, another release...

- Buddy buffer is reset to pre-logged-in state on logout.

- Enhancements to the connect/disconnect code.

- Dynamically add new contacts to your buddy list/buffer.

- Search for users by their ICQ number. (UIN)

- Eicq is now "web-aware" capable. This means that you can put a status indicatory on you web page that will show if you are online or not.

- Enhancements to EicqWharf. It now won't try to do anything if the frame hasn't been created.... read more

Here we are again! So what's new in this release?

* EicqWharf. A tiny XEmacs frame that keeps track of the number of unread messages you have. It's suitable for docking into a GNOME panel... Way cool!

* By default, the log file gets saved on exit. Yes you can turn this off.

* Exit, no questions asked. You'll no longer be prompted about unsaved buffers.

* All the background colour attributes have been removed so now Eicq won't look quite so ugly if you are using a light background.... read more

Here's the brief rundown of what's new or updated in Eicq version 0.2.15.

- Cygwin and Solaris builds are now possible. At this stage some hand-editing of the Makefile is required. (autoconf is coming)

- Convert Licq and Micq contact lists to Eicq 'world' format.

- icq2tcp is now ANSI C instead of C++

- Better handling of remote bridges. Yes, Eicq can connect to icq2tcp that is running on a remote machine.... read more

Well it's been a while since the last release (I've been as busy as lately).

Anyway, here is a brief rundown of what's new or updated in Eicq-0.2.14:

- a couple of cosmetic changes
including a new toolbar button (help)

- removed some ICQ V2 specific things

- use customize type 'boolean' for vars that need
it

- re-wrote the bug report code
it will now list any variable that has been
changed from the default. (sensitive info
like passwords are not listed)... read more

I have just received a report that someone has made Eicq work on Alpha Tru64 Unix. I haven't yet seen the code, but I'll make it available as soon as I can.

So far, Eicq is know to run on GNU/Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD and now Tru64. Could be time I learned the magic that is 'autoconf'. :-)

The Eicq web page at http://eicq.sourceforge.net/ has had a facelift. Nothing spectacular, but a different look. I hope you like it.

BTW, if you think you could do a better job with the page, don't be shy, check out the eicq-web CVS module (details in news item "Eicq Web Page Under CVS Control") and send a patch to eicq-devel@lists.sourceforge.net

The web page now gets updated once every hour. So when a commit is done to the eicq-web CVS module the changes will go "live" within the hour.

The Eicq web page is now under CVS control. The master plan is to have http://eicq.sourceforge.net/ automatically updated whenever a commit is done to the eicq-web CVS module. It doesn't do that yet, but hopefully soon.

If you want to check out the module:
cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/eicq co eicq-web

A few cosmetic changes:
- There is now an extra buffer "*Statuses*" from where you can change your status via your rat.
- Smilies have been implemented.
- Most URLs are now clickable.
- The number of toolbar buttons has been reduced.

Other changes/updates:
- The sound variables 'eicq-*-sound' have been moved to an alist.
- New flag to turn sound on/off 'eicq-use-sound-flag'

OK, there have been a number of changes/improvements in this release.

* 'eicq-login' now automatically brings up the Eicq buddy and log buffers.
* 'eicq-show-window' now leaves you in the log buffer instead of the buddy buffer.
* In the log buffer: 'n' moves to next unread msg
'p' to prev unread msg
'N' to next msg
'P' to prev msg
* Outgoing messages and system messages are automatically marked as 'read'.
* Auto away/na is working properly.
* After an auto away/na you will auto-online with the next message you send.
* The statuses listed in the buddy buffer are now clickable widgets. You can now change your status by mouse-3 (right click) on the status name in the buddy buffer.

'eicq-report-bug' and 'eicq-email-author' are both working properly. And both will use Gnus if it's available.

'eicq-delete-offline-messages-flag' now defaults to "'ask".

'eicq-icon-directory' is now customizable via 'eicq-customize'.

There is a new build/install procedure. Don't get excited, it's simply: 'make' 'make install'. It also installs to different directories. So, if you're upgrading, REMOVE the old version first.

From this version onwards I won't be making Eicq available as an XEmacs Package. This could change in the future (and I sincerely hope that it does), but not until Eicq is OS independent. The upside to not releasing as an XEmacs Package is smaller tarballs. Eicq 0.2.10 tarball is 85K, whereas, the previous version was over 300K.... read more

I've just received a success report from someone running Eicq on FreeBSD.

A patch to udp2tcp.cc is all that is needed to get things rocking and rolling on FreeBSD. As soon as the patch has been applied to CVS I'll release a new version.

Stay tuned.

The `eicq-email-author' function has been enhanced. It now uses Gnus if available.

A new function `eicq-report-bug' has been implemented, although, not fully. This too, will use Gnus if available.