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ios.txt
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1996-10-27
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faust.uni-paderborn.de 5000
GETTING STARTED ON IOS
In this document, I've used ``quotation marks'' to set apart the
names of commands. Please don't type the quotation marks when
using the commands.
This is a quick, five-minute course on how to use the Internet
Othello Server. It's not meant to replace the normal IOS help
system, which can give you complete details and syntax for any
command. To use that system, type ``help'' for a complete list of
commands, or ``help {name of command}'' for information about any
specific command. There are a lot of tricks and functions which
won't be covered here but which you'll want to learn as you become
familiar with IOS.
1. What is IOS?
The Internet Othello Server, located at the University of
Paderborn, Germany, is a computer which allows Othello / reversi
players to play against each other, observe others' games, or
simply chat.
2. Logging on
You've probably logged onto IOS as an unregistered user.
Once you've registered, a password will be required for anyone to
log on under your special username. That prevents someone else from
playing under your name and ruining your rating! Type ``help register''
for complete information.
3. Who else is here?
There are several different commands for figuring out who
else is logged onto the server.
* The command ``who'' gives you a complete list of the users
logged in. If you use the ``who'' column and look under the column
marked ``G,'' you may see game numbers next to some of the
players' names. If ant+ and jcarney+ each have the number ``2'' in
the G column, that means those two players are currently playing
game number 2.
* The command ``players'' is similar to ``who'' but only shows you
the users who are available to play. This chart will ususally be
shorter than the ``who'' chart, since it won't include players in
the middle of a game or those who have specifically made
themselves unavailable.
* The command ``games'' will list the games currently being
played, showing you who is active.
4. Are these computer programs or real people?
Good question -- and one that's not always easy to answer.
If you become a regular IOS user, you'll learn to recognize many
of the usernames and you'll know whether they're human or
computers.
You can use the ``finger'' command to call up information
about a player, and that listing will sometimes (but not always)
tell you the player's real name or mention that it is a computer
program. Type ``finger ant+'' and you'll see that ant+ is a
computer program; type ``finger jcarney'' and you'll see that he's
John Carney, a real live human. But not every listing includes a
name or description.
You can also try talking to a player, using the ``tell''
command: ``tell {name of user} Hi. Would you like to play a
game?'' Humans will often respond; computer programs usually
won't. If a human player doesn't respond, it may because the
message scrolled off his or her screen before he or she noticed
it. Or the player may have the type of Internet connection which
allows him or her to stay logged into IOS for long periods of
time, in which case he or she may not be paying attention to the
computer at the moment.
5. How do I play a game?
If you want to play a human opponent, you may want to
strike up a conversation first, using the ``tell'' command. But
when you're ready to start a game, with either a human or a
computer program, type ``match {name of user}'' to challenge that
user. This will send a message from you offering a match. The
other user can accept, decline or just ignore your message.
If someone offers you a game, you'll see a message
including the words ``match from'' pop up on your screen. Simply
type ``accept {name of user}'' if you agree to play, or ``decline
{name of user}'' if you don't.
The default game on IOS allows each player 15 minutes for
all of his or her moves. You can specify a different time if you
like; type ``help match'' for details.
6. How do I watch someone else's game?
Find the game number through the ``who'' or the ``games''
chart, and then type ``observe {game number}''. You can find out
who else is watching the game with the ``whoobs {game number}''
command.
You can talk to other observers and/or players, but be
courteous. The ``kib {game number}'' command sends a message which
can be seen by players and by other observers. But if you're
watching a serious match, you're better off using ``whisp {game
number}'' to send your message only to the other observers. That
way you don't distract or unfairly help a player.
7. What next?
If you think you'll be stopping by in the future, you'll
probably want to register, which gives you the right to maintain a
rating. With a rating, you can see how you compare to other
players -- that's helpful when looking for opponents in your
general skill level. (Don't be afraid to play stronger players,
though -- that's how you improve.)
Registered players can also have transcripts of their games
mailed to them automatically -- a great way to help you study your
play and improve your skills.
Type ``help register'' for details on how to register.
Please follow the directions carefully!
You'll probably want to check out one of the ``client''
programs available for various computers and operating systems. A
client program replaces the Xs and Os of the basic IOS display
with a stable, attractive graphic screen. Since your game board
isn't constantly scrolling off the screen, you're less likely to
miss messages from other players.
A client program also lets you use what's called ``trust
mode,'' in which your moves are timed by your own computer, rather
than by IOS. That way, you aren't penalized when the Internet
suffers from ``lag,'' a condition that slows down communication
between your computer and IOS.
Type ``help clients'' for more information about client
programs.
Also, be sure and check out the regular IOS tournaments,
held on the first Saturday of each month. Start times are changed
from month to month in fairness to players from various time zones
around the world. Some tournaments allow only human players;
others allow both humans and computer programs.
So, welcome to IOS -- and have fun!
--------------
By John Carney (jcarney@InfoAve.Net), documentation coordinator,
International Internet Othello Association