Erco's telnet oriented talk server/client

Download talkerco-1.50.tar.gz (07/19/07)
or just view the script.

Description

This is a split screen chat program, similar to the unix 'talk' program. Run from the unix command line to establish a 'chat' server that listens on a port that remote users can just telnet into to have a text chat conversation with you. The script also acts as a client, which notifies you with a 'beep' when someone connects, and you can just type directly into it as a client to the conversation.

To let users connect in through your firewall, you only have to make a "port forward" to redirect the port# you want to use to your machine, then tell your remote friend to telnet to your firewall with that port number, e.g. 'telnet <your-firewall's-ip> 5555'.

It's fairly secure, because you can leave it off when you're not using it. Just run it when you expect someone to connect in, then kill it when done.

Currently, it only allows one person to connect at a time.. it gives a 'BUSY' signal to others trying to connect while a conversation is in progress.

'talkerco' Example Screen Shot

% talkerco 5555

*** Server: Listening for new connections
***         Screen size is 109 x 33
***
***     Tell remote to invoke: telnet ontario 5555
***     or if behind firewall: telnet <firewall-ip> 5555
***
***     Hit ^C to quit.
***

*** New connection from [fritzy@goddard] at 192.168.0.9

    -- WELCOME --
    You can just start typing..
    Hit ^C to close connection.
    Lines are not sent until you hit Enter.

    Remote's screen size is: 135 x 22
     Local's screen size is: 109 x 33

[erco] yep, looks good.
[erco]
[erco] OK, I'll check for other crlf issues, and if I find any,
[erco] I'll let you know by email, and will supply a new beta.
[erco]
[remote] cool - I'll let the other guys know about the update too
[erco] I think that finally wraps it up..!
[remote] now I'm hungry!
[erco] Will see you in email.. thanks very much for helping debug!!
[erco]
[remote] ok, see you later..

----oO------------------------------------------------------------------------
over and out_

The script runs on Linux, MacOSX, FreeBSD and probably other unix derivatives. It supports telnet connections from just about any platform I could get my hands on, including windows telnet and windows 'putty'.

License

This script is licensed under the GPL. See the script and the LICENSE.txt file in the tar file you downloaded for details.

To report bugs, see the instructions in the comment header at the top of the script.

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