1bitlbee(8) System Manager's Manual bitlbee(8)
2
6 BitlBee - IRC gateway to IM chat networks
7
9 bitlbee [-I] [-c configuration file] [-d configuration directory]
10 bitlbee -D [-i address] [-p port number] [-n] [-v] [-c configuration
12 file] [-d configuration directory]
13 bitlbee -h
15
17 BitlBee is an IRC daemon that can talk to instant messaging networks
18 and acts as a gateway. Users can connect to the server with any normal
19 IRC client and see their 'buddy list' in &bitlbee. BitlBee's protocol
20 support is based on the gaim protocol plugins. BitlBee currently sup‐
21 ports Oscar (aim and icq), MSN, Jabber and Yahoo.
22 bitlbee should be called by inetd(8). (Or bitlbeed, if you can't run
24 and/or configure inetd.) There is an experimental daemon mode too, in
25 which BitlBee will serve all clients in one process (and does not
26 require inetd), but this mode is still experimental. There are still
27 some bugs left in BitlBee, and if they cause a crash, that would termi‐
28 nate the BitlBee connection for all clients.
29
31 -I Run in inetd(8) mode. This is the default setting, you usually
32 don't have to specify this option.
33 -D Run in daemon mode. In this mode, BitlBee forks to the back‐
35 ground and waits for new connections. All clients will be served
36 from one process. This is still experimental. See the note
37 above for more information.
38 -F Run in ForkDaemon mode. This is similar to ordinary daemon mode,
40 but every client gets its own process. Easier to set up than
41 inetd mode, but without the possible stability issues.
42 -i address
44 Only useful when running in daemon mode, to specify the network
45 interface (identified by IP address) to which the daemon should
46 attach. Use this if you don't want BitlBee to listen on every
47 interface (which is the default behaviour).
48 -p port number
50 Only useful when running in daemon mode, to specify the port
51 number on which BitlBee should listen for connections. 6667 is
52 the default value.
53 -n Only useful when running in daemon mode. This option prevents
55 BitlBee from forking into the background.
56 -v Be more verbose. This only works together with the -n flag.
58 -c path to other configuration file
60 Use a different configuration file.
61 -d path to user settings directory
63 BitlBee normally saves every user's settings in /var/lib/bitl‐
64 bee/. If you want the settings to be stored somewhere else (for
65 example, if you don't have write permissions in the default
66 location), use this option.
67 -h Show help information.
69
71 To get a complete list of commands, please use the help commands com‐
72 mand in the &bitlbee channel.
73
75 ircd(8), inetd(8), inetd.conf(5), gaim(1).
76 http://www.bitlbee.org/
78 For more information on using BitlBee, once connected, you should use
80 the on-line help system.
81
83 Of course there are bugs. If you find some, please report them at
84 http://bugs.bitlbee.org/.
85
87 This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
88 under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
89 Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your
90 option) any later version.
91 This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
93 WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MER‐
94 CHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
95 Public License for more details.
96 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
98 with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
99 59 Temple PLace, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
100
102 Wilmer van der Gaast <wilmer@gaast.net>
103 Jelmer Vernooij <jelmer@vernstok.nl>
104 Maurits Dijkstra <mauritsd@xs4all.nl>
105 07 March 2004 bitlbee(8)