buddyPhone
public beta 1.11
All rights reserved. 1998 © by Henrik Pfluger
http://webrum.uni-mannheim.de/math/pfluger

 

Getting Started

  1. What is buddyPhone
  2. System
  3. Installing
  4. Setting preferences
  5. Menu commands
  6. Calling someone
  7. Shareware Notice
  8. Contacing the author

 

1. What is buddyPhone

In a few words buddyPhone is an internet telephone. It supports Mirabilis' ICQ to connect to other people in an easy straightforward way. It features an easy user interface, high audio quality on all bandwidth lines and a sophisticated call managment system including an answering machine.

 

2. System requierments

 

3. Installing

Run the buddyphone.exe files. This will automatically unzip the installation files into a temporary directory and run the setup.
The setup will then install buddyPhone onto your system and place shortcuts in your start menu and startup folder.

To uninstall buddyPhone open the Control Panels Folder and open the Software Control Panel. Select buddyPhone and click the Remove button.

 

4. Setting preferences

The preferences are divided into the following categories:

  1. User
    Here you will have to enter your personal data. This data will appear on your phone partners buddyPhone window if you call him. The only thing you really have to supply is a nickname. But it is really more convient for your phone-partners to get more information about you then just a nickname.
    If Mirabilis' ICQ is running you may automatically transfer your ICQ user preferences by pressing the "Get from ICQ" button.
  2. General
    There are two options you can supply here. First you may choose the PC-speaker to play a ringing sound when your soundcard is occupied by an other application. This is especially useful when you i.e. play games or run multimedia applications and would therefor not hear any ringing sound.
    BuddyPhone is able to automatically send an mail or ICQ express-mail to users who you try to call but do not have buddyPhone running. To turn this feature on select the corresponding checkbox. you will have to supply your SMTP-server through which the mails will be send. you may also change the standard mail body that will be send to the user.
  3. Connection
    Choose your connection method to the internet. When calling someone buddyPhone will automatically choose the appropriate connection speed between you and your partner based on this setting. (i.e. if you supply High bandwidth but your partner only Low bandwidth then the connection will be Low bandwidth)
  4. Calls
    Choose how buddyPhone should handle incoming calls here. you may choose if buddyPhone should play a ringing sound when there is an incoming call. you may also let buddyPhone open the incoming call dialog. This gives you an easy way of accepting or denying incoming calls.
    The third options determines if buddyPhone should automatically popup the calls dialog if there is a call that did not reach through. Such a call could be one that was made while your connection was busy. A call that was not accepted by you because you were away and it could be a call that was automatically answered by your answering machine.
    In the lower part of the dialog you give the number of rings before the answering machine will turn on. you also have to supply two Windows .WAV files that will be played when the answering machine is answering a call. The first file should be the normal answering message. The second file is a "beep"-file that only should supply the beep before recording a message.
  5. Audio
    Normally you will not have to change these settings.
    You may set these options separately for all connection bandwidths. Buffer size give size of data packets that will be send to your phone-partner. The smaller these packets are the more overhead exists. Smaller packets will lead to lower latency but will also introduce gapping if set below a ceratin threshold.
    The buffer count gives the number of buffers that have to arrive at your phone before they are played. By increasing these you may lower gapping. But this will also lead to higher latency.

5. Menu commands

You access the menu by clicking with the right mouse button onto the the buddyPhone frame.

  1. Show list of calls
    This will show/hide the window which shows all those calls that did not reach you.
    Each call will include information about the user that called (nickname, first and last name, IP address of the user's computer) and some additional information why the call did not reach you.
    You may call someone back by selecting the call in the list and clicking the "Call back user" button.
    If the call contains an audio message recorded by your answering machine a small speaker will be displayed on the left side of the line. you may hear to the message by selecting the call and pressing the "Play Message" button. you may also save the message by pressing the "Save Message" button and specifiing a destination file.
  2. Mute audio
    This option toggles audio muting while connected. If turned on your partner will not hear you and you will not hear your partner.
  3. Buffered connection
    Turn this option on if you really get immense gapping during a connection. If turned on the latency will increase steadily. Turn this option off and on again to regain low latency. This option is automatically reset on every new connection.
  4. Preferences
    See for 4. for setting the preferences. This option is not available while connected. If you are changing preferences all incoming calls will be denied.
  5. Select appearance
    This will show up a dialog where you can select a custom appearance for the buddyPhone user interface. For further information on how to install an appearance or how to create your own appearance see the information on our homepage
    http://webrum.uni-mannheim.de/math/pfluger
  6. Block incoming calls
    If this option is turned on all incoming calls will be denied. Choose this option if you really do not want to be disturbed.
  7. Auto answering
    This will turn on the answering machine. See 4. for information how to further customize the answering machine.

 

6. Calling someone

You have got two options to call someone.
The first option is to call someone directly by entering his IP-address. For this option you will need your partners IP address. This option is most useful if your partner has got a fixed IP-address. Left click on the green phone-button and choose "Connect to IP..."
The second option is to use ICQ to make a call. If ICQ is running and the user you want to call is online he will be listed in the menu when you left click the green phone-button. Just select him to call.

If you partner does not own buddyPhone or has not started it a message will appear that informs you that "buddyPhone is not running". Transfer it to him and get ready to phone.

If you want to quit your connection to the other user press the red phone-button.

 

7. Shareware notice

You may evaluate the software for a period of 30 days. If You want to go on using the software you will have to register. This will also avoid the splash screen on each start.
To register send 10 US$ or 15 DM (German Mark) cash to:

Henrik Pfluger
N6 8 App 904
68161 Mannheim
Germany

Please include your full name and e-mail.
You will receive your registration ID as soon as possible by e-mail.

8. Contacting the author

If you have any questions or have encountered bugs please e-mail me at:

pfluger@rumms.uni-mannheim.de

You will have to understand that I cannot reply to all incoming e-mails.