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SpaceChat README FILE

SpaceChat Version Beta 1.01
(C) Copyright 1998 Andreas Heger
All rights reserved.
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Thank you for your interest in SpaceChat. This file includes information on
SpaceChat features, installation and how to contact Andreas Heger.

This program is still in a very early stadium, so please forgive me if there are
many bugs or if it doesn't fit your convenience. I appreciate very much any feedback
and comments and I would be very glad if you would like to test this program with me.
You can find my e-mail address at the end of this file.

This beta version of SpaceChat may be copied and distributed freely without any
charge until the final release of SpaceChat. But of course, if this program is useful for you, already, any donations are very welcomed :) Look for the newest version on http://home.pages.de/~heger/

By using SpaceChat, you agree that the author Andreas Heger is not liable for any
damages in your system, loss of data or any other problems caused by this program.
 

SpaceChat - So, what is it?
===========================
SpaceChat is a chat program which lets you have spoken conversations over the
internet in real-time, depending on the current speed of your internet link.

Unlike other voice chat programs, SpaceChat is able to handle slow links. The voice
doesn't get cut off and remains understandable and no message gets lost. The only
thing which happens is that the delay between your speaking and the time when your
partner can hear you becomes bigger, if your link becomes slower.

In such a case, when your link becomes slow, the way of the conversation will
resemble the slower conversation between ground control and astronauts being far
away in Space. In future Mars missions, for example, the astronauts will have to
handle with a delay of about 10 minutes when they want to talk to their people on
Earth. That's why this program is called SPACEchat. Of course, I hope your internet
link won't ever be so slow. If you have a minimum bandwidth of about 1KB/s (which is
less than the speed of a 14.4K modem), you can have conversations in real-time,
without any bigger delay.


Special Features
================

* Real-time voice conversation over the internet.

* Messages remain understandable and don't get lost or get cut off if the link
  becomes slow.

* Conversations can be logged and saved for hearing them later offline again.

* Freely choose your favourite audio compression algorithm, which fits to your needs
  and bandwidth. In local area networks, you can even have conversations in CD-
  quality.

* If you are using Mirabilis ICQ (http://www.mirabilis.com/), SpaceChat installs
  itself in it. So you can use ICQ to easily make SpaceChat connections with other
  users.

* An animated user-interface and sound events show you what's happening inside of
  SpaceChat.

* Freely choose the internet TCP port number through which the link will be
  established. This can be important for users behind a firewall or users of
  providers who don't offer a full internet service (like Metronet, in Germany, for
  example).


System requirements
===================

* Pentium 75MHz or higher

* 8MB RAM

* 5MB free harddisk space

* 256 color display (65k or more recommended)

* 16bit Windows 95 compatible Soundcard

* Microphone and speakers or a headphone

* Windows 95

* Network connection based on TCP/IP (Internet or LAN access)


Installation
============

If you receive SpaceChat in a single zip-file, unzip it into a temporary directory
and run "SETUP.EXE". Follow the instructions given by the setup program.

After installing SpaceChat, please read the help file and take a look at the topic
"How to setup your system for using SpaceChat".

If you are using Mirabilis ICQ, please exit and restart it again after the SpaceChat
installation, in order to make it aware of SpaceChat. If you are installing ICQ after
SpaceChat, re-install SpaceChat so that it installs itself in ICQ, too.


Uninstallation
==============

Use the Windows 95 control panel and choose the "software" icon. Select "SpaceChat"
and click the "install/uninstall" button.


How to contact the author
=========================

Andreas Heger
Zähringerstr. 12
76131 Karlsruhe
Germany

e-mail: heger@gmx.net
WWW:    http://home.pages.de/~heger/
