Update 01/19/09

Now Centericq is kown as centerim, so change in the next tutorial, centericq for centerim

Introduction

Lots of tasks can be done from the console with Linux, like reading email with Pine, browse the web with lynx, and today we see how to chat from the console.

The tool we are going to use for this is centericq, it supports:

• ICQ2000
• Yahoo
• IRC
• MSN
• Gadu-Gadu
• Jabber

Installation

Debian / Ubuntu

apt-get install centericq

Using it

At the console, enter

centericq

As soon as you enter for the first time you will see this configuration screen:

Where you can configure, the sound, color or the way your contacts are going to be arranged, among other options. After you have selected all the options you want, choose "done", to go to the next screen.

On this screen you configure your account information for all the services, supported by CenterICQ, once you have finish, select "done", and you will start login in all the services you have configured.

And will see this other screen, where you can start chatting.

If you want to access the main configuration screen again, press, F4 and then select CenterICQ config options.

With F3 you can change your status for all protocols or just for the one you choose.