The Input Window

This window is where you type the text in that will appear as either an action, a public message to the channel, a private message to a specific individual or a topic for a channel.  On the left hand portion of this window are the words ‘Link'.  This is how you select if you want to send a private message to a specific individual.  At this point, I would could send a private message to the channel ‘#macintosh’, but ONLY IF the ‘Link’ is button is lit and sunken inwards.  The button to the left is set for a private message while the one on the right will go directly to the channel.  For you B&W users, it's a little tough to tell from these pictures.. look for the button to be sunk or not.

                          

When it is highlighted as it is above.left, whatever text I type into the text window and send will be sent to Primary only.  It will not be seen by anyone else.  You will know it has been sent as a private message by the way it will appear on your channel window.

Above represents what it would look like to me on my screen if I sent a private message to Cornum.  Cornum's name is surrounded by asteriks and has the color (where applicable) that was set in the color options channel.  Private messages that you receive will appear in a similar fashion.  They will appear with asteriks around the individuals name but will not have the arrow pointing to their name.  You may use the ‘Tab’ key as a shortcut instead of clicking on the ‘Link’ button.

(WARNING:  As hard as you try, you’re bound to accidentally send a message intended for someone to the channel, or for that matter to the wrong person.  Many people have accidentally called so-and-so a complete idiot publicly when they intended to send it privately.  While it’s humorous, you might feel like a complete idiot.  Make sure you know who you’re sending the message to and if the Link light is indeed set for private message.  Trust me on this..)

In many cases, you might want to send a private message to someone who is not on the channel.  You can have private conversations in channels or across channels, furthermore, you need not be on any channels to hold conversations.  If, say for instance, I want to speak to someone off the channel and I want to place that persons name in the Link list, I can do so by clicking and holding the mouse button down on area beneath the Link light.

  
after you do so, you will be presented with the menu below.

 

In this example, I have Igor and Primary already listed, and may select either name to insert it to replace whatever is currently there, or I may select ‘Specify New User...’ to enter a new person.  If you type in a new individual, they will now be in the Link area and ready to sent private messages to.  This pop-up menu can store the names of individuals you frequently talk to.  Homer automatically clears the list of people each time you quit unless you select ‘Save Current Messaging List’ from the ‘Messages’ menu, then it will save the list of names from session to session.  (Recall that you can use the key shortcuts of Command-Right Arrow & Command-Left Arrow to cycle through the names on this list.)

 

If you send a message (as above) and receive the message that the person is away, it means that individual has set his client in away mode.  This more or less tells others that you're not there.. or whatever you want to tell them.  To set your away message, you will click on the 'Time To Get A Life' button which is discussed completely in the 'User List Buttons' Chapter.

In this latest version, you can now send underlined text.  To do so, place a 'control-v ' character around both side of the text you want underlined.  For example:

The words 'send' and 'friggin' should be underlined, because I have pressed control'v at each point.

I don't recall if I mentioned how to send a bell or a beep... but in any case, it's a 'Control-g'.  Note that you WON'T hear control-Gs that you send, only ones that you receive.  And you'll only hear a maximum of three beeps, regardless of the number of beeps someone sends in a line.  It's a little Homer courtesy against some of the dorks out there in the big scary world of IRC.