


bitlbee(8)                                             bitlbee(8)


NAME
       BitlBee - IRC gateway to IM chat networks

SYNOPSIS
       bitlbee [-I] [-c configuration file] [-d configuration directory]

       bitlbee  -D  [-i  address] [-p port number] [-n] [-v] [-c configuration
       file] [-d configuration directory]

       bitlbee -h

DESCRIPTION
       BitlBee is an IRC daemon that can talk to  instant  messaging  networks
       and  acts as a gateway. Users can connect to the server with any normal
       IRC client and see their 'buddy list' in &bitlbee.  BitlBee's  protocol
       support  is  based on the gaim protocol plugins. BitlBee currently sup-
       ports Oscar (aim and icq), MSN, Jabber and Yahoo.

       bitlbee should be called by inetd(8), or you can run  it  as  a  stand-
       alone daemon.


OPTIONS
       -I     Run  in  inetd(8) mode. This is the default setting, you usually
              don't have to specify this option.

       -D     Run in daemon mode. In this mode, BitlBee  forks  to  the  back-
              ground and waits for new connections. All clients will be served
              from one process.

       -F     Run in ForkDaemon mode. This is similar to ordinary daemon mode,
              but  every  client  gets  its own process. Easier to set up than
              inetd mode, and without the possible stability issues.

       -i address
              Only useful when running in daemon mode, to specify the  network
              interface  (identified by IP address) to which the daemon should
              attach. Use this if you don't want BitlBee to  listen  on  every
              interface (which is the default behaviour).

       -p port number
              Only  useful  when  running  in daemon mode, to specify the port
              number on which BitlBee should listen for connections.  6667  is
              the default value.

       -n     Only  useful  when  running in daemon mode. This option prevents
              BitlBee from forking into the background.

       -v     Be more verbose. This only works together with the -n flag.

       -c path to other configuration file
              Use a different configuration file.





                          07 March 2004                         1





bitlbee(8)                                             bitlbee(8)


       -d path to user settings directory
              BitlBee normally saves every user's settings  in  /var/lib/bitl-
              bee/.  If you want the settings to be stored somewhere else (for
              example, if you don't have  write  permissions  in  the  default
              location), use this option.

       -h     Show help information.

COMMANDS
       To  get  a complete list of commands, please use the help commands com-
       mand in the &bitlbee channel.

SEE ALSO
       ircd(8), inetd(8), inetd.conf(5), gaim(1).

       http://www.bitlbee.org/

       For more information on using BitlBee, once connected, you  should  use
       the on-line help system.

BUGS
       Of  course  there  are  bugs.  If  you find some, please report them at
       http://bugs.bitlbee.org/.

LICENSE
       This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
       under  the  terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
       Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at  your
       option) any later version.

       This  program  is  distributed  in the hope that it will be useful, but
       WITHOUT ANY  WARRANTY;  without  even  the  implied  warranty  of  MER-
       CHANTABILITY  or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General
       Public License for more details.

       You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
       with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
       59 Temple PLace, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA

AUTHORS
        Wilmer van der Gaast <wilmer@gaast.net>
        Jelmer Vernooij <jelmer@vernstok.nl>
        Maurits Dijkstra <mauritsd@xs4all.nl>














                          07 March 2004                         2


