= Getting Started with Zephyr using BarnOwl on Athena = == Using 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) will word-wrap the text you've entered for you. 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. Instead of entering a `zwrite` command manually, you can also select a message in the message list with the arrow keys, and ''reply'' to it using `r`, which will automatically set up an appropriate `zwrite` command. == Classes and Instances == Most interesting discussion on Zephyr, however, happens on so-called Zephyr ''classes''. A class is a bit like a chat room in other IM systems. Anyone can send a zephyr to a class, and anyone who is subscribed to that class will receive it. There is no security on classes -- anyone who knows the name of a class can subscribe, and there is no way to determine who is subscribed to a given class. To subscribe to a class, use the `subscribe` command: {{{ :subscribe CLASSNAME * *}}} To send a zephyr to a class, use the `zwrite` command with the `-c` option: {{{ :zwrite -c CLASSNAME}}} Zephyrs to classes usually have an ''instance'' attached. An instance is a short “topic” or “subject” that indicates the context of a zephyr. Different instances are often used to multiplex multiple conversations on a high-traffic class. You can specify an instance with the `-i` option to `zwrite`: {{{ :zwrite -c CLASSNAME -i INSTANCE}}} A message without an instance specified will default to the instance “personal”. === Common Classes === Some common classes include: help:: `-c help` is a class for asking (and answering) questions on virtually any topic imaginable. Be sure to use an instance (such as “linux”, “barnowl”, “campus”, or so on) when asking questions, since it's a fairly high-traffic class. sipb:: `-c sipb` is where most SIPB members hang out. It's a place for technical discussion, questions, support, and organizing SIPB events or projects. You should also always use an instance when sending to `-c sipb`. 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. == Questions == If you have questions, you can send them via email to `sipb@mit.edu`, or via Zephyr to `-c sipb` (with an appropriate instance).