🚀 go-pugleaf

1.) What is XBoard?

XBoard is graphical chessboard that can serve as a user interface for
GNU Chess (a well known and freely distributable chess program), for the
ICS (Internet Chess Server; an IRC like service where people meet to play
chess), or for electronic mail correspondence chess. (The latter not yet
included in the Amiga port, as this requires use of a perl script.)
Additionally it may load and safe games in PGN (Portable game notation)
format.

XBoard was written for the X11 window system, thus available for almost any
Unix machine. A port to Windows/NT (WinBoard) exists since XBoard 3.0.
XBoard 3.2.pl0 (the latest version) is now available for the Amiga as a
first beta release.


2.) Requirements

- An Amiga (obviously :-), running OS 2.04 or later, 2Mb RAM or more
- MUI 2.0 or later
- Workbench or another screen with no less than 640x400 pixels (adjustable
  with the MUI-Prefs); this restriction is just, because I don't have
  bitmaps with less than 40x40 pixels per square. If someone gives me
  bitmaps with 20x20 or 20x25, they will work with any Hires mode.

If you would like to use the ICS, you need an Internet connection via
either
- a telnet-like program or
- a terminal program reading from stdin and writing to stdout


3.) How to get it

The one and only way to get the current release is ftp to
linus.zdv.uni-tuebingen.de, directory incoming/Amiga. You should find
two archives `xboard-3.2.pl0betaxbin.lha' and `xboard-3.2.pl0betaxsrc.lha',
where `x' is the number of the latest beta release.

Please drop me a mail with your email address, so that I can tell
you about future bug fixes. (I really expect some of them, as I
even don't have Enforcer on my A1200.) My address is:

    wiedmann@zdv.uni-tuebingen.de

A preliminary version of GNU chess without opening book is included, this
will soon be available in a separate release as soon as I find the time to
do a full port including a curses based version of GNU chess.


4.) Installation

Easy, just unpack the archive (everything will be in one subdirectory
xboard-3.2.pl0) and edit the preferences file

    xboard-3.2.pl0/lib/xboard.prefs

with your favorite text editor. Things you might wish to change are

- the colors; this is done by changing the pen numbers "whitePiecePen",
  "blackPiecePen", "lightSquarePen", "darkSquarePen". Default is to
  use MUI's shinepen, shadowpen, halfshinepen and halfshadowpen,
  respectively, thus you might as well do this with the MUI prefs.

- The memory requirements of GNU chess (more memory improves its
  strength) and the path to the GNU chess program.

- The default time settings of GNU chess: Variables movesPerSession
  and timeControl.

- The name of your favourite ICS host and its port number

- The name of your telnet program; this *must* read from stdin and
  write to stdout. You might well use a telnet fake, for example a
  terminal program using stdin/stdout.

- The name of a script to execute from telnet to login into the
  ICS host. Any line of this script will be fed as input to the
  telnet program before control is left to you. A typical .ircrc
  might look like this (Just the words on the left side, of course.):

			<-- Empty line, see below
	JochenW 	<-- Login name
	MyPassword	<-- Password for registered users
	who		<-- First command to execute

  Note, that it might be needed to hit return first or enter an empty
  line into .ircrc, because of a problem with AmiTCP/IP's telnet.
  (I don't know, if it is my fault or telnet's, if anyone using
  AS225 reports the same problem I'll go track it down. For now I
  assume it is telnet's problem.)

- The window specifications of the text window to be opened for
  ICS, when running from the workbench. This is probably better
  be done as an icon tooltype, as this allows to use the shell
  window when running from CLI. (I think its a matter of taste,
  what you prefer.)

  Note, that for the same problem with telnet it might be needed
  to hit return in the ICS window, if XBoard finishs, because the
  ICS window won't be closed otherwise.

Using the MUI prefs you can adjust the chessboards size. (Note, that
this automatically increases or decreases its size with the window.)


5.) How to start

A set of icons is provided that allow to start the program from
the Workbench. From CLI type

    xboard [options]

to play against GNU chess,

    xboard ics [icshost <hostname>] [icsport <portnumber>] [options]

or

    xboard ncp [options]

for just entering XBoard. This may, for example, be used as a PGN file
editor.

For a number of possible options see the prefs file. Note, that any
option may be defined by either CLI, Icon tooltype or a line in the
prefs file. (The former override the prefs file which in turn overrides
the programs builtin defaults.)


6.) What you might help

- Test it
- Create a better icon than mine (I am definitely no gfx wizard.)
- Create other or better bitmaps; especially 20x20 and 25x25 (per chess
  square) bitmaps would highly be appreciated, as this would allow to
  run the program on a usual highres screen.
- Convert the cmail script (which is written in perl) to ARexx.
- Enjoy :-)


7.) Distribution

XBoard is

    Copyright 1991 by Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts
	(Original version)
    Copyright 1992-94 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
	(Enhancements since version 2.0)
    Copyright 1995 Jochen Wiedmann
	(Amiga version)

Thus it is somewhat difficult to say what's allowed or not, but you may,
in general use, copy, modify and distribute this software and its
documentation for any purpose and without fee. Please see the files
COPYRIGHT and COPYING included with the distribution for details.

-- 
Jochen Wiedmann			E-Mail: jochen.wiedmann@zdv.uni-tuebingen.de