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PyGCS

                  Jeff Blaine (jblaine@kickflop.net)
                  with significant code contributions from
                  Justin Sheehy

Introduction
Supported Platforms
Stability
Installation
Client Programs
Support
Pointers
Copyright

Introduction

Welcome to PyGCS (Generic Chat Server). PyGCS is designed to be a VERY stripped down MUD-like chat-server that runs in a small amount of memory. It differs from common MUDs in several

ways

PyGCS has a single "room" and no large database to keep in memory and on disk.
PyGCS has no embedded programming language

PyGCS is ideally meant to be a small multi-user real-time chat system for people who have a need to talk to more than one person at a time online. It fits somewhere in between the setup IRC uses and the MUCK/MUSH/MOO style of server.

It can be used for such things as:

A central location for system administrators and other administrative people to discuss immediate pproblems with local networks, etc
A personal place to talk with friends without loading down the machine it's run on.
A continuous backup for social type MUDs

Historical Note: PyGCS is the Next Generation of "GCS", the chat server I wrote in C around 1992. PyGCS is written entirely in Python.

Supported Platforms

PyGCS runs inside of a Python (1.5.1, 1.5.2, 1.6 and 2.0 have been tested and seem to work fine) interpreter. Let me know if you get it working under anything other than the following:

UNIX -- Should run fine under any flavor or version.
Windows 98 -- Has been minimally tested awhile ago with Python
1.5. Seems OK. I will NOT actively be able to help people get PyGCS up and running under Windows 9x/NT. If you can't figure how to get it working from reading Windows.txt in the 'docs' directory, I cannot help you. This means that PyGCS under Windows 9x/NT HAPPENS to work and that is simply an added but unsupported coincidence.

Stability

The PyGCS server that I run is very regularly up for 70+ days at a time and usually goes down because of the host being rebooted.

Installation

READ ALL OF THIS CAREFULLY please

Get and install the Python Programming Language from http://www.python.org/download/ if you don't already have it. PyGCS has been tested with Python 1.5.1, 1.5.2, 1.6, 2.0, and 2.3.4. Build Python with crypt() support (see the Python README and Modules/Setup in the Python source tree).
If you are planning to run PyGCS under a version of UNIX Edit the first line of the following files to reflect where you installed your Python interpreter in step 1:

            bin/GCS.py
            bin/CreateUser.py
            bin/DeleteUser.py

        For example, if you installed Python in /home/tom/bin, you
        would make the first line of those files read:

            #!/home/tom/bin/python

3. Copy bin/defines.py.sample to bin/defines.py and edit the

appropriate lines (pay close attention to the comments)

4. Edit the file lib/text/opening and put your email address

in the appropriate spot.

5. Read 'Admin.txt' and learn how to create users. Create

        the privileged account that you defined in step 3 and also
        an account for you to use on a daily basis.

6. OPTIONAL (but please help me out...) If you run a PyGCS

        server or if you are checking out PyGCS for the first time
        and end up deciding to use it, please email jblaine@kickflop.net
        with a simple subject of something like "I use PyGCS".  I
        am using this information for counting purposes only.  Your
        email will be discarded and I will add 1 to a counter I am
        keeping.

Client Programs

Once you get the server installed and up-and-running, you'll need a way to connect to the server. More specifically, you'll need a client program to connect to the server. This topic isn't my problem :), but basically you have two options:

Raw telnet. (Already installed on almost any OS, but it is poor for this use because it doesn't seperate the server's output lines from your input (typed) lines.)
MUD Client. (You MAY have to compile it, but it gives you the benefit of seperating input and output as well as some sort of macro language possibly, etc).

See the MUD FAQ (pointer below) for more information.

Support

If you would like to be notified of new releases, please visit the following URL to subscribe to the moderated pygcs-announce mailing list.

http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/pygcs-announce

To report bugs, send email to jblaine@shore.net with AT LEAST the following information please:

Operating system name and version
Version of Python
A summary of the problem
A detailed description of the problem with any and all possible error messages related to the issue.

Pointers

The PyGCS Homepage

http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/pygcs/

The Python Programming Language

http://www.pythonlabs.com/

The MUD FAQs

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/games/mud-faq/part1/index.html

The MUD FAQs (Master site)

http://www.c2-tech.com/~jds/mudfaqs.html

Copyright

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

Redistributions of source code WITH or WITHOUT modifications must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
Redistributions WITH modifications must not have a product or package name containing the consecutive letters 'pygcs' in any form. For the sake of this copyright agreement, the string 'pygcs' is the same as 'PyGCS' is the same as 'pYgCs', etc.
Redistributions WITHOUT modifications must maintain the original package name (pygcs) and corresponding version number.
All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software must display the following acknowledgement:

        This product includes software developed by Charles J. Blaine
        (Jeff Blaine) and contributors.

Neither the name 'Charles J. Blaine' nor the names of contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY CHARLES J. BLAINE AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL CHARLES J. BLAINE OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.