COMMUNICATE WITH THE TALK CLIENT/SERVER PROGRAM

Linux allows multiple users on the same machine at the same time. These users may be local, remote, or both. The talk client/server program makes communication between multiple users on the same machine very easy, even on the same network.

The client program is talk. There are two server programs: in.talkd and in.ntalkd. The first is for local system communications, and the second is for remote system communications.

In order for talk to work, the in.talkd server must be installed and running, either via inetd or xinetd. This allows users on the same system to chat. For talking across a network, both systems must have in.ntalkd installed.

To talk with a user on the local system, simply execute talk [username]. If that username is logged in, he or she will receive notification on his or her terminal that you wish to chat and will likewise have to type talk [your_username] to initiate a conversation with you.

The same holds true for network conversations, except you must append the hostname of the remote system where the user you wish to chat with is located; for example, type talk [username@someother.host.com] to talk to a user on the system someother.host.com. The user will be notified that you wish to chat with him or her and will have to execute talk in kind. Talk will then tell him or her the username and machine name to include on the command line to establish the conversation.