Microsoft Chat 2.0 Readme.txt File

 Last reviewed: March 6, 1998
Article ID: Q177465
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Chat version 2.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Chat version 2.0 for Windows NT 4.0

SUMMARY

This article contains a copy of the information in the Readme.txt file included with Microsoft Chat 2.0. The Readme.txt file is located in the folder in which you installed Microsoft Chat.

MORE INFORMATION

                           Microsoft Chat README
                                March 1997


                      (c) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1997
This document provides information to supplement the Microsoft Chat Web page. The Frequently Asked Questions section on the Web contains more up-to- date information. You can access this Web page by clicking the Help menu, clicking Microsoft On The Web, and then clicking Frequently Asked Questions.

How to Use This Document

To view Readme.txt on screen in Notepad, maximize the Notepad window.

To print Readme.txt, open it in Notepad or another word processor, and then use the Print command on the File menu.

CONTENTS

  1. Supported Configurations/Platforms
2. Connecting to Other IRC Chat Rooms 3. Frequently Asked Questions 4. Product Support Within the United States and Canada 
   Microsoft Technical Support
   Microsoft Technical Support Information Services
   Microsoft Technical Support Standard
   Microsoft Technical Support Priority
   Text Telephone
5. Product Support Worldwide 
   Microsoft TechNet, Technical Information Network

1. Supported Configurations/Platforms

Microsoft Chat currently runs under Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0. Microsoft Chat requires the following minimum configuration:

- A 486 processor - 8 MB of RAM - 256-color video - A 9600-baud modem

2. Connecting to Other IRC Chat Rooms

If you want to connect to an IRC chat server that you already know about, expand the Connect dialog box, and then type the server address and channel name--for example, you might type the following: 

     Comicsrv1.Microsoft.com, #Comic_Chat.
Microsoft Chat servers currently support the following channels: 

     comicsrv1.microsoft.com, #Comic_Chat
     comicsrv1.microsoft.com, #Comic_Help
     comicsrv1.microsoft.com, #Newbies
     comicsrv1.microsoft.com, #Pet_Chat
     comicsrv1.microsoft.com, #Sports_Chat

     comicsrv2.microsoft.com, #Family_Chat
     comicsrv2.microsoft.com, #Internet_Chat
     comicsrv2.microsoft.com, #Politics_Chat
     comicsrv2.microsoft.com, #Singles_Chat

3. Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Will you be updating Microsoft Chat?

A. We will update our Web site frequently. To view the updates, click 

   the Help menu, click Microsoft On The Web, and then click Free Stuff.
Q. How do I connect to other IRC chat rooms or channels?

A. If you want to connect to an IRC chat room or channel that you 

   already know about, carry out the following steps:

   1. If you are running with Internet Explorer 3.0, click the File
      menu, and then click New Window.

      Otherwise, you can just click New Connection.

   2. In the Connect dialog box, type the following information:

      - In the Server box, type the IRC server name.
        The default entry is ComicSrv1.Microsoft.com.

        Replace this with the IRC server you want to connect to.

      - In the Chat room box, type the chat room name, preceded by a
        number sign (#).
        The default channel name is #Comic_Chat.
Q. How can I tell which version of Microsoft Chat I am running?

A. If you are running Microsoft Chat outside of Internet Explorer, click 

   the Help menu, and then click About Microsoft Chat. The version number
   is listed at the top of the box. From within Internet Explorer, you can
   click the Help menu, click Microsoft Chat Help, and then click About
   Microsoft Chat.
Q. Why can't I get access to any Microsoft Chat or IRC chat rooms?

A. If you are accessing the Internet from your corporate network, you 

   will be able to download the Microsoft Chat program; however, most
   corporate proxy servers limit access to chat rooms. If you have any
   questions, please contact your system administrator or use a dial-up
   analog or ISDN line to access the Internet.
Q. Can I create my own comic characters?

A. At this time you can use only the characters supplied with Microsoft 

   Chat. To open a Web page that contains additional characters you can
   download, click the Help menu, click Microsoft On The Web, and then
   click Free Stuff. We are working on a character-creation kit that will
   be available from the Free Stuff Web page in the second half of 1997.
Q. Can I create my own backgrounds?

A. Microsoft Chat supplies a limited number of backgrounds, but more will 

   be added soon. Backgrounds are bitmap files, which you can create with
   any graphics package.
Q. How does the emotion wheel (lower right corner) work?

A. The emotion wheel enables you to manually change your character's 

   emotions. The center of the emotion wheel is neutral emotion. Where
   there are multiple levels of emotion, the intensity of the emotion
   increases as the control moves away from the center.

   To see a tooltip describing each emotion, rest your mouse pointer over
   one of the eight faces around the perimeter of the emotion wheel. To
   change your character's emotions, drag the control (the dark dot in
   the center of the emotion wheel) from the center of the emotion wheel.
Q. How can I tell characters apart when there are duplicate characters?

A. Move your mouse pointer over the character and then pause. A tooltip 

   appears that displays the user name and character.
Q. How do I print?

A. On the File menu, click Print, click Properties, and then click 

   Graphics. Change the resolution to 150 or 300 bps. This will speed
   up printing and still provide high quality.
Q. How big is Microsoft Chat to download?

A. The program with its existing artwork is currently 1 MB compressed.

Q. How much space does Microsoft Chat take up?

A. The Microsoft Chat program with its existing artwork is currently 4 MB. 

   Forthcoming artwork and character updates will increase this size.
Q. Can I uninstall Microsoft Chat?

A. Yes. To uninstall Microsoft Chat, carry out the following steps: 

   1. In Control Panel, double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
   2. Click Microsoft Chat, and then follow the instructions on your
      screen.
Q. Why does it say my ID is in use when I go to another chat room?

A. Nicknames (IDs) must be unique. Your connection will be refused if: 

   - You are already connected to a chat room on the server.
   - You recently disconnected and the server has not refreshed.
   - Someone else is using your nickname.

   To connect, you can either choose a new nickname or make sure that
   all Microsoft Chat clients have been closed and then wait a minute
   and reopen Microsoft Chat.
Q. How do I get more panels across the screen?

A. There are a few things you can try: 

   - Increase your screen resolution. To do this, in Control Panel,
     double-click the Display icon, and then click the Settings tab.
   - Maximize the window.
   - Move the vertical splitter to the right to make the member list
     thinner.

   Once you have done this, click the View menu, and then choose the
   largest number of panels you can. Depending on your screen resolution
   and monitor size, you can select from one to four frames.
Q. What is the difference between Microsoft Chat and IRC chat?

A. Microsoft Chat is a graphical chat client that can be used like any 

   text chat client on the IRC channel. Not everyone inside the channel
   (chat room) needs to be using Microsoft Chat for this to work. Text
   chat users will automatically be assigned a character, so the entire
   chat is graphically represented to the Microsoft Chat client user.

   NOTE: When you use Microsoft Chat on an IRC channel where most of
         the other users are using IRC text clients, it is a good idea
         to begin by clicking the Options menu and then selecting the
         Don't Send Microsoft Chat Specific Information check box. This
         will prevent special comics messages from being sent to the other
         chat clients. After you log off Microsoft Chat, the client will
         reset. The next time you log on, the check box is not selected.
Q. Why do I get an "HTTP 1.0 / 404 Object Not Found" error from the 
   chat room Web page?
A. The names of the room files and the names of the channels on the server 
   were changed. Your browser or Internet service provider may be caching
   the Web pages, and you are seeing the old page which links to files that
   no longer exist. To work around this problem, try refreshing the Web
   page or clearing the local cache if your browser caches the file.
Q. How do I connect to comicsrv1.microsoft.com if I am using AOL as my 
   Internet service provider?
A. If you are using AOL to connect to the Internet, you will need to 
   specify port number 7000 for the following comicsrv servers:

   - comicsrv1.microsoft.com
   - comicsrv2.microsoft.com
   - comicsrv3.microsoft.com

   To do this, in the Connect dialog box enter the server name followed by
   the port number--for example, comicsrv1.microsoft.com:7000. If this does
   not work, check the Frequently Asked Questions Web page for the latest
   information about this issue. You can view this Web page by clicking the
   Help menu, clicking Microsoft On The Web, and then clicking Frequently
   Asked Questions.
Q. I click the hot links--such as http:, mailto:--in text mode, but nothing 
   happens. Why does this work in comics mode but not in text mode?
A. The hot links in text mode are dependent on the rich edit functions in 
   Windows. Initially, the rich edit functions did not support the hot-link
   capability, but Windows NT and later versions of Windows 95 added this
   capability to rich edit. If you cannot use the hot links in text mode,
   you can always change to comics mode and use the hot links from there.
Q. I have Comic Chat 1.0 on my computer, and after installing Microsoft 
   Chat 2.0, I see a shortcut to Comic Chat 1.0. Is it safe to delete the
   shortcut to Comic Chat 1.0?
A. If you installed Microsoft Chat 2.0 over Comic Chat 1.0, you might see 
   Comic Chat 1.0 icons (as well as Microsoft Chat 2.0 icons) on the Start
   menu. You can safely delete the Comic Chat 1.0 icons; this will not
   affect the usability of Microsoft Chat 2.0. For more information, see
   the Microsoft Knowledge Base.
Q. I have a previous version of Comic Chat on my computer. Should I 
   uninstall Comic Chat before installing Microsoft Chat?
A. We recommend that you uninstall any previous version of Comic Chat 
   before installing Microsoft Chat 2.0. However if you did not uninstall
   Comic Chat before installing Microsoft Chat, you should not experience
   any problems with Microsoft Chat.

4.Product Support Within the United States and Canada

Microsoft Technical Support

In the event you have a technical question regarding Microsoft Chat version 2.0, please refer to the support offerings below. Microsoft's support offerings range from no-cost and low-cost online information services (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to annual support plans.

Microsoft support services are subject to Microsoft's then-current prices, terms, and conditions, which are subject to change without notice.

Information Services Microsoft Technical Support Information Services provides you with easy access to the latest technical and support information for Microsoft products. You can access a variety of low and no cost Information Services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Internet services and The Microsoft Network (MSN): Access the Microsoft Frequently Asked Questions, Software Library, Knowledge Base, customer-to- customer newsgroups, and other technical information on the Internet and MSN.

* On the World Wide Web and MSN, go to http://www.microsoft.com/support/ * For FTP access, go to ftp://ftp.microsoft.com

Microsoft TechNet: CD-ROM-based Microsoft TechNet is the front-line resource for fast complete answers to technical questions on Microsoft desktop and systems products. For more information or to subscribe to Microsoft TechNet, call (800) 344-2121.

Microsoft Developer Network Library (MSDN): CD-ROM-based MSDN is the comprehensive source of programming information and toolkits for those who write applications for the Microsoft Windows, Windows 95, and Windows NT operating systems, or use Microsoft products for development purposes. For more information or to subscribe, call (800) 759-5474.

Microsoft Download Service (MSDL): Direct modem access to a variety of technical information is available on MSDL by dialing (206) 936-6735. The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Connect information: 1200, 2400, 9600, or 14400 baud, no parity, 8 data bits, and 1 stop bit.

Microsoft FastTips: This automated service provides quick answers to your common technical questions via an automated toll-free telephone number, fax, or mail. To access FastTips or to receive a map and catalog, call the following FastTips numbers: 

Desktop applications:        (800) 936-4100
Development products:        (800) 936-4300
Desktop Systems products:    (800) 936-4200
Business Systems:            (800) 936-4400

Microsoft Technical Support Standard

In the United States and Canada, no-charge support for Internet Explorer is available for customers who have purchased a Microsoft package that includes this product. This support may be used for the version that was included in the package as well as any upgrades. Support is provided for 90 days after you make your first call to a Microsoft Support Engineer.

-In the United States, call (206) 635-7123 between 6:00 A.M and 6:00 P.M. Pacific time. -In Canada, call (905) 568-3503 between 8:00 A.M and 8:00 P.M. Eastern time. Both of these services are available Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Note: If your Microsoft product was pre-installed or distributed with your PC or provided by an Internet Service Provider, the PC manufacturer or the an Internet Service Provider is responsible for providing your product support. Microsoft's fee-based Priority Support our Information Services are available regardless of how you obtained Internet Explorer.

Microsoft Technical Support Priority

Microsoft Technical Support offers priority telephone access to Microsoft support engineers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, excluding holidays, in the U.S. In Canada, the hours are from 6:00 A.M to midnight, 7 days a week, excluding holidays.

* In the United States, call (900) 555-2000; $35 (U.S.) per incident. 

  Charges appear on your telephone bill. Not available in Canada.
* In the United States, call (800) 936-5700, at $35 (U.S.) per incident; in 
  Canada, call (800) 668-7975, at $50 (CDN) per incident. These services
  are billed to your VISA, MasterCard, or American Express card.
For more information about Priority support offerings, including annual contracts, call Microsoft Support Sales and Information at (800) 936-3500.

Text Telephone

Microsoft text telephone (TT/TDD) services are available for the deaf or hard-of-hearing. In the United States, using a TT/TDD modem, dial (206) 635- 4948. In Canada, using a TT/TDD modem, dial (905) 568-9641.

5. Product Support Worldwide

The following list contains Microsoft subsidiary offices and the countries/regions they serve. If there is no Microsoft office in your country/region, please contact the establishment from which you purchased your Microsoft product. This list provides only basic technical support phone and fax numbers; other services such as BBS and sales numbers may be available. For additional subsidiary information, check the Product Support Services Worldwide section in online Help.

When you call, you should be at your computer and have the appropriate product documentation at hand. Please follow the guidelines listed above under "Standard Support." 

Area                    Telephone Numbers


Argentina               Microsoft de Argentina S.A.
                        Technical Support: (54) (1) 314-0560

Australia               Microsoft Pty. Ltd.
                        Technical Support: (61) (02) 870-2131

Austria                 Microsoft Ges.m.b.H.
                        Standard Support: Installation and Handling
                        Windows: 0660-6510
                        General information about the Microsoft
                        support in Central Europe:
                        Fax: 0049/2622/167006

Belgium                 Microsoft NV
                        Technical Support:
                        +32-2-513 32 74 (Dutch-speaking)
                        +32-2-502 34 32 (English-speaking)
                        +32-2-513 22 68 (French-speaking)
Bolivia See Argentina 

Brazil                  Microsoft Informatica Ltda.
                        Technical Support: (55) (11) 871-0090

Canada                  Microsoft Canada Inc.
                        Microsoft Support Network:
                        Standard Technical Support Phone:
                        1 (905) 568-3503
                        Priority Support Information:
                        1 (800) 668-7975
                        Text Telephone (TT/TDD):
                        1 (905) 568-9641

Caribbean               Microsoft Caribbean, Inc.
                        Technical Support: (214) 714-9100

Chile                   Microsoft Chile S.A.
                        Personal Operating Systems
                        Phone: 56-2-330-6222

Colombia                Microsoft Colombia
                        Technical Support: (571) 618 2255

Czech Republic          Microsoft s.r.o.
                        Technical Support Phone: (+42) (2) 2451 0554
                        or 53 52 56 (Windows 95 only)

Denmark                 Microsoft Denmark AS
                        Technical Support: (45) (44) 89 01 11

Dubai                   Microsoft Middle East
                        Phone: (971) 4 513 888

Ecuador                 Corporation Microsoft del Ecuador S.A.
                        Technical Support: (593) (2) 463-094
England See United Kingdom 

Finland                 Microsoft OY
                        Product Support: (358) (90) 525 502 500
                        For Technical Support, please contact your
                        local dealer.

France                  Microsoft France
                        Technical Support: (33) (1) 69-86-10-20
French Polynesia See France 

Germany                 Microsoft GmbH
                        Standard Support: Installation and Handling
                        Windows: 089-3176-1110
                        Windows 95: 089-3176-1115
                        General information about the Microsoft
                        support in Central Europe:
                        Fax: 02622/167006

Greece                  Microsoft
                        Phone: (30)(1) 6806-775

Hong Kong               Microsoft Hong Kong Ltd.
                        Technical Support: (852) 2804-4222

Hungary                 Microsoft Hungary
                        Phone: (+36) (1) 267 4636
Iceland See Denmark 

India                   Microsoft India
                        Phone: (01) (91) 646 0694, 646 0767, 646 0813

Indonesia               Indonesia - Jakarta
                        Technical Support:
                        Phone: (6221) 572-1060
                        Fax: (6221) 573-2077
Ireland See United Kingdom 

Israel                  Microsoft Israel Ltd.
                        Phone: 972-3-613-0833

Italy                   Microsoft SpA
                        Technical Support: (39) (2) 7039-8351

Japan                   Microsoft Company Ltd.
                        Technical Support: (81)(424) 41-8700
                        Support Sales:  0120-37-0196

Korea                   Microsoft CH
                        Technical Support: (82)(2) 563-0054

Latin America           Microsoft Latin American Headquarters
                        Technical Support: (214) 714-9100
Liechtenstein See Switzerland (German-speaking) 

Luxembourg              Microsoft NV
                        Technical Support:
                        +32-2-513 32 74 (Dutch-speaking)
                        +32+2-502 34 32 (English-speaking)
                        +32+2-513 22 68 (French-speaking)

Malaysia                Microsoft (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
                       (60-3) 793-9595

Mexico                  Microsoft Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
                        Technical Support:
                        Operating Systems: (52) (5) 325-0912

Netherlands             Microsoft BV
                        Technical Support:
                        023-5677877 (Dutch-speaking)
                        023-5677853 (English-speaking)

New Zealand             Microsoft New Zealand Ltd.
                        Technical Support:
                        Phone: 64 (9) 357-5575
Northern Ireland See United Kingdom 

Norway                  Microsoft Norway AS
                        Technical Support: (47) (22) 02 25 50
Papua New Guinea See Australia

Paraguay See Argentina

Peru See Latin America 

Phillippines            Phone: (632) 811-0062
                        Technical Support:
                        Phone: (632) 892-2295/2495

Poland                  Microsoft Sp.z o.o.
                        Technical Support: (+48) (2) 6216793,
                        (+48) (71) 441357

Portugal                Microsoft, Lda.
                        Technical Support: (351) 1 4409280, 81, 82, or 83

Taiwan Region       Microsoft Taiwan Corp.
                        Technical Support: (886) (2) 508-9501
Republic of Ireland See United Kingdom 

Russia                  Microsoft A/O
                        Fax: (+7) (502) 224 50 45
Scotland See United Kingdom 

Singapore               Microsoft Singapore Pte Ltd.
                        Technical Support:
                        Phone: (65) 337-9946

Slovenia/Slovenija      Microsoft d.o.o
                        Technical Support: +386 61 123 23 54,
                        +386 64 331 020

Slovak Republic         Microsoft Slovakia s.r.o.
                        Technical Support: (+42) (7) 312083

South Africa            Microsoft South Africa
                        Technical Support
                        (Toll Free): 0 802 11 11 04
                        (Toll): (2) 11 445 0100

Spain                   Microsoft Iberica SRL
                        Technical Support: (34) (1) 807-9960

Sweden                  Microsoft AB
                        Product Support: (46) (0) 8-752 09 29
                        Information about Technical Support:
                            (46) (0) 8 752 09 29

Switzerland             Microsoft AG
                        Phone: 01-839 61 11
                        Technical Support (French-speaking):
                        022-738 96 88
                        General information about the Microsoft
                        support in Central Europe:
                        Fax: 0049-2622-167006

Thailand                Microsoft Thailand Ltd.
                        Technical Support:
                        Phone: (662) 632-0360, 61, 62, 63

Turkey                  Microsoft Turkey
                        (90) 212 2585998

United Kingdom          Microsoft Ltd. Product Support Services
                        Telephone Support:
                        Personal Operating Systems:
                        (01734) 271000
                        Advanced Systems Support:
                        (01734) 270007
                        Microsoft Ltd.
                        Phone: (01734) 271007

Uruguay                 Technical Support: (598) (2) 77-4934

Venezuela               Corporation MS 90 de Venezuela S.A.
                        Technical Support: (582) 265-4337
Wales See United Kingdom

Microsoft TechNet, Technical Information Network

Microsoft TechNet is the front-line resource for fast, complete answers to technical questions on Microsoft systems and desktop products. Information available on TechNet ranges from crucial data on client-server and workgroup computing, systems platforms, and database products, to the latest on support for Microsoft Windows- and Macintosh-based applications. As a TechNet user you receive:

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      solutions, key Microsoft conference session notes, and other valuable
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* A dedicated Microsoft TechNet forum on CompuServe (GO TECHNET) * WinCIM, a Windows-based application for accessing CompuServe * A 20 percent discount on Microsoft Press books

For more information about Microsoft TechNet, in the United States and Canada, call (800) 344-2121, between 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. Central time, Monday through Friday. Outside the U.S. and Canada, contact your Microsoft Subsidiary, or call (303) 684-0914.

Additional query words: 2.00
Keywords : mschatnt mschatw95
Version : WINDOWS:2.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbreadme

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: March 6, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.