--- name: "gtalkd" section: "8" platform: "linux" package: "gtalk" version: "0.99.10-13" release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/gtalkd" --- # gtalkd(8) GNU talk daemon ## NAME gtalkd - GNU talk daemon ## SYNOPSIS **gtalkd** \[ **-bfghsStv --version** \]\ ## DESCRIPTION *gtalkd* is a talk daemon which is fully compatible with *ntalkd* which is the *BSD* talk daemon. *gtalkd* provides a talk service via the internet. A user may use a *talk client* to send a UDP message to *gtalkd* which will then provide the services of storing invitations, and making announcements to a user's terminal. Command line switches are: - **-b, --bsd** Emulate the BSD post 4.2 talk protocol by not accepting any GNU talk protocol extensions. - **-f, --forever** Open a socket and loop on it forever. Unlike running under inetd during which stdin and stdout provides the socket necessary for communication, this option lets the talk daemon run as a separate self supporting process. - **-g, --gnu** Run using the GNU talk protocol extensions. This is the default. - **-h, --help** Print process help. - **-s, --sun** Simulate the pre BSD 4.2 talk protocol which is commonly found on SunOS and Solaris. - **-S, --sunforward** This option is run as an extended option for the --sun option. Instead of acting as a daemon and answering requests, all requests are sent to the n/gtalk daemon on the same machine. Answers are received and forwarded back the the requester. - **-t, --tty** Send all error and verbose messages to the controlling TTY. In addition, create and bind the correct socket by hand instead of inheriting it through stdin and stdout. - **-v, --verbose** Print out verbose information, or verbose syslog information. - **--version** Print out the current version of gtalkd. ## INSTALLATION The GNU talk daemon can be placed in a system bin such as */usr/sbin* or */usr/local/sbin* and then installed in the *inetd.conf* file in place of the normal talk daemon which may be found there. The resulting configuration in *inetd.conf* should contain the following lines: talk dgram udp wait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /sbin/gtalkd -Ss ntalk dgram udp wait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /sbin/gtalkd In addition, if you are installing on SunOS or Solaris, you will have to make it aware of the ntalk service. This service is found in */etc/services.* Simply find the line which says: talk 517/udp and add the line ntalk 518/udp right after it. ## FILES - **/etc/inetd.conf** Contains definitions for the Internet Super Server to start gtalkd. - **/etc/services** This file contains information relating names socket/service information to names. It is used to determine the "\[n\]talk" socket used when in forever mode. - **/etc/passwd** Accessing /etc/passwd in the usual way allows *gtalkd* to determine a users home directory to read their personal ringer file. The ringer file allows *gtalkd* to forward announcements directly to an interested process. - **~/.ringer** Different individuals may start applications which create and manage this file. The file contains a UDP socket definition which allows *gtalkd* to automatically pass the announcement information directly to a process which cares. - **~/.talkfilter** This is read by gtalkd to determine of a pattern matches an incomming call for the callee. If it does, then the requested response is returned. A pattern is of the form - username@hostname DENY\_METHOD - The username is a string which must match the incomming caller's id exactly. The hostname can be a substring of the caller's host name to match. One of username or hostname can be blank, which conflicts defaulting first to username only matches, and then to complete username,hostname combinations. - Valid DENY\_METHODS are *ALLOW* , which allows a pattern to announce to you, and *NOT\_HERE* , which cause *gtalkd* to predent you are not logged on. In addition, *FAILED* sends a failure message, and *PERMISSION\_DENIED* pretends that you have permissions turned off on your tty. Lastly, *SELECTIVE\_REFUSAL* means to send a specific message back saying that you have chosen to specifically prevent that person from calling you. If their client is not GTALK compliant, then it is downgraded to *PERMISSION\_DENIED* - **/etc/utmp, /var/adm/utmp** Different locations of utmp which contain login information for different users. This file is referenced to determine which TTY device to open in order to write an announcement message. - **/dev/tty\*** Terminal devices users are attached to. These devices are opened in order to write an announcement message. ## AUTHOR Eric M Ludlam \ ## BUGS Report bugs to \. This system has never been tested in a high volume situation due to my limited resources. ## COPYRIGHT Copyright © 1995, 1996 Eric M. Ludlam Copyright © 1997 Free Software Foundation. ## AVAILABILITY The newest version of gtalkd can be found within the etalk distribution. As of the writing of this manual, it can be found on ftp.ultranet.com:/pub/zappo/gtalk-\*.tar.gz ## SEE ALSO [**inetd**(8)](/inetd/8.md),[**talk**(1)](/talk/1.md),**etalk**(1),[**xphone**(1)](/xphone/1.md)