Hello!

Several days ago I've seen one video at YouTube about ICQ revival project
called KICQ. Some enthusiasts use their servers for connection by OSCAR protocol. So, if you have an old gadget which doesn't support New ICQ by Mail.ru, you can register new UIN at their server (195.66.114.37:5190) and log
in using old clients like ICQ 2003, QIP 2005 etc.

After watching that video I decided to try it out. I installed ICQ 2003b on my WinXP virtual machine as it described at manual (http://narodweb.ru/kicq.html) and registration was easy. Later I installed old Kopete from KDE3 on my Raspberry Pi 2 and successfully logged in.

Yes, it's alive. There are not so much users, but they are online.

OK, I must add that there were some problems to make it work with Pidgin and new Kopete (they are not compatible with old server IServerd which is used in KICQ), but it was an interesting experience for me.

If you are interested in that post, I can send some links about that project.

Best wishes,
Andrew From Orel

---
■ Synchronet ■ Bluenote Music Source BBS -- bluenote.synchro.net:23 - OKC, OK

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Andrew From Orel to All on Wed Jun 23 2021 01:13 pm

> Hello!
>
> Several days ago I've seen one video at YouTube about ICQ revival project
> called KICQ. Some enthusiasts use their servers for connection by OSCAR
> protocol. So, if you have an old gadget which doesn't support New ICQ by
> Mail.ru, you can register new UIN at their server (195.66.114.37:5190) and l
> in using old clients like ICQ 2003, QIP 2005 etc.
>
> After watching that video I decided to try it out. I installed ICQ 2003b on
> WinXP virtual machine as it described at manual (http://narodweb.ru/kicq.htm
> and registration was easy. Later I installed old Kopete from KDE3 on my
> Raspberry Pi 2 and successfully logged in.
>
> Yes, it's alive. There are not so much users, but they are online.
>
> OK, I must add that there were some problems to make it work with Pidgin and
> new Kopete (they are not compatible with old server IServerd which is used i
> KICQ), but it was an interesting experience for me.
>
> If you are interested in that post, I can send some links about that project
>
> Best wishes,
> Andrew From Orel
>

I know it is a Duckduckgo or Gigablast away, but for the sake of keeping the
relevant content here, why is ICQ interesting (in your opinion) and what does
it offer to users?

I mean, if you want to get users you need a reason to get them on board...
--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken

---
■ Synchronet ■ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Andrew From Orel to All on Wed Jun 23 2021 01:13 pm

> Yes, it's alive. There are not so much users, but they are online.
>
> OK, I must add that there were some problems to make it work with Pidgin and
> new Kopete (they are not compatible with old server IServerd which is used
> in KICQ), but it was an interesting experience for me.
>
> If you are interested in that post, I can send some links about that
> project.
>

nobody uses instant msging anymore.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Arelor to Andrew From Orel on Thu Jun 24 2021 05:10 am

>
> I know it is a Duckduckgo or Gigablast away, but for the sake of keeping the
> relevant content here, why is ICQ interesting (in your opinion) and what
> does it offer to users?
>
> I mean, if you want to get users you need a reason to get them on board...
> --

it's owned by mail.ru since around 2010.
it's mostly russians.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

-=> Arelor wrote to Andrew From Orel <=-

Ar> Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
Ar> By: Andrew From Orel to All on Wed Jun 23 2021 01:13 pm

> Several days ago I've seen one video at YouTube about ICQ revival project
> called KICQ. Some enthusiasts use their servers for connection by OSCAR
> protocol. So, if you have an old gadget which doesn't support New ICQ by
> Mail.ru, you can register new UIN at their server (195.66.114.37:5190) and l
> in using old clients like ICQ 2003, QIP 2005 etc.

If it's using OSCAR, I wonder if it's also using TOC with it. If so an old AIM
client might work as well since they developed TOC/OSCAR.

> After watching that video I decided to try it out. I installed ICQ 2003b on
> WinXP virtual machine as it described at manual (http://narodweb.ru/kicq.htm
> and registration was easy. Later I installed old Kopete from KDE3 on my
> Raspberry Pi 2 and successfully logged in.
That was one of my all-time favorite KDE apps, still is. I never found the IRC
client part of it that useful but the Jabber/XMPP I still use on occasion.

> OK, I must add that there were some problems to make it work with Pidgin and
> new Kopete (they are not compatible with old server IServerd which is used i
> KICQ), but it was an interesting experience for me.

Have you tried the older Kopete found on TrinityDesktop?

Ar> I know it is a Duckduckgo or Gigablast away, but for the sake of
Ar> keeping the relevant content here, why is ICQ interesting (in your
Ar> opinion) and what does it offer to users?

Ar> I mean, if you want to get users you need a reason to get them on
Ar> board... --

In today's world it depends really on any client apps for mobile devices.
SMS is SMTP based "texting". There's push services such as SNAP that the
GenZ folks seem to enjoy. Xabber and other XMPP/Jabber clients bring IM
to the mobile devices similar to SNAP but without the full functionality
the users want which in today's world seems to be video streaming with each
other.

Also each "region" seems to have their favorite apps. ICQ was always a fan
favorite of those in Russia and that area. I'm sure they'll enjoy this
rewrite.

.... Beauty is only a light switch away
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Brian Rogers to Arelor on Thu Jun 24 2021 11:58 am

> SMS is SMTP based "texting".

You sure about that? Why SMTP does have a "message" feature (that nobody seems to use/support, 'cept Synchronet's mail server) - I can find no evidence that SMS is "SMTP based".
--
digital man

Synchronet "Real Fact" #24:
1584 Synchronet BBS Software registrations were sold between 1992 and 1996.
Norco, CA WX: 62.6°F, 83.0% humidity, 0 mph ESE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
---
■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Hey DM;

-=> Digital Man wrote to Brian Rogers <=-

DM> You sure about that? Why SMTP does have a "message" feature (that
DM> nobody seems to use/support, 'cept Synchronet's mail server) - I can
DM> find no evidence that SMS is "SMTP based". --

You can use SMTP from *any* mail server to a smartphone's "text" messaging
app if you know the proper information, and your limited in the amount of
text you may send. While it may not be a direct SMTP system, it is somewhat
SMTP/text based. The same applies to many different apps including the
Winlink system used by hams.

.... Books: "Home Maintenance"....by Duane Pipe
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Andrew From Orel to All on Wed Jun 23 2021 01:13 pm

> Several days ago I've seen one video at YouTube about ICQ revival project
> called KICQ. Some enthusiasts use their servers for connection by OSCAR
> protocol. So, if you have an old gadget which doesn't support New ICQ by
> Mail.ru, you can register new UIN at their server (195.66.114.37:5190) and
> log
> in using old clients like ICQ 2003, QIP 2005 etc.

ICQ was the first chat client I ever used on the internet so I'll always have a
soft spot for it. Back in 1998/99, I only had 2 friends on it whom I knew in
real life and my cousin. My cousin stays around 300 miles away from me so it
was the only way we really kept in touch. We were really close but we'd only
see each other once or twice per year during family get-togethers. I think we
moved onto MSN as soon as that was released.

---
■ Synchronet ■ BBS for Amstrad computer users including CPC, PPC and PCW!

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Brian Rogers to Arelor on Thu Jun 24 2021 11:58 am

>> Later I installed old Kopete from KDE3 on my Raspberry Pi 2
>> and successfully logged in.
> Have you tried the older Kopete found on TrinityDesktop?

Yes. When I said "Kopete from KDE3" I meant "kopete-trinity" from the Trinity Project repository.

> Also each "region" seems to have their favorite apps. ICQ was always a fan
> favorite of those in Russia and that area. I'm sure they'll enjoy this
> rewrite.

Also it was the first instant messaging app I've ever used.

---
■ Synchronet ■ Bluenote Music Source BBS -- bluenote.synchro.net:23 - OKC, OK

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Arelor to Andrew From Orel on Thu Jun 24 2021 05:10 am

> I know it is a Duckduckgo or Gigablast away, but for the sake of keeping the
> relevant content here, why is ICQ interesting (in your opinion) and what
> does it offer to users?
>
> I mean, if you want to get users you need a reason to get them on board...

OSCAR protocol had good part of open documentation. And there were enough tries of reverse engineering of some closed features used in old ICQ. So, now we have open-source implementation of server-side application (for example, KICQ is currently using IServerd as their server - http://iserverd.khstu.ru/install.html) and client-side applications (as mentioned above, I use 'kopete-trinity').

Also, there are bunch of ICQ/QIP clients adapted for feature-phones with Java (Nokia, Sony Ericsson etc.) which are not compatible with New Mail.ru ICQ. And that project can make them useful again.

---
■ Synchronet ■ Bluenote Music Source BBS -- bluenote.synchro.net:23 - OKC, OK

Hello Andrew;

-=> Andrew From Orel wrote to Brian Rogers <=-

AFO> Yes. When I said "Kopete from KDE3" I meant "kopete-trinity" from the
AFO> Trinity Project repository.

Ahh ok. I was always a KDE3 fanatic. When they came out with KDE4 it took me
a while to adjust but I actually enjoyed that a lot more. Was never a Gnome
fan. I've used it for a few years and tried to force myself to like it but
just no go.

AFO> Also it was the first instant messaging app I've ever used.

AIM was most likely mine since I had an AOL account for kicks since the early
90s. My ICQ number (which I can NOT remember) was one of the shorter ones, that
I do recall. Years ago when I had a 30+ server IRC network, we were helping
develop a system called FXServ which provided an IRC<>ICQ gateway along with
IRC<>YIM Gateway. We already were a contributor to the AIMServ system so
for us it made sense. Back then it was mainly used by the old WebTV people
who couldn't use any IM service.

.... He's dead, Jim! Uhh.you can stop firing now, Jim... Jim?
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
� Synchronet � SBBS - Carnage! Hartford, Ct bbs.n1uro.com:2300

-=> Andrew From Orel wrote to Arelor <=-

AFO> OSCAR protocol had good part of open documentation. And there were
AFO> enough tries of reverse engineering of some closed features used in old
AFO> ICQ.

Back in 2006, I worked at a company that used AIM as a corporate standard
for IM. We had an OSCAR proxy (I forget who made it) that would work as a
server if AIM's servers were unavailable.

It worked surprisingly well, we had a call center across town and an
outsourced call center in New Mexico and kept in touch.

.... Consider different fading systems
--- MultiMail/DOS v0.52
� Synchronet � realitycheckBBS -- http://realitycheckBBS.org

On 6/25/2021 7:03 AM, Brian Rogers wrote:
>
> You can use SMTP from *any* mail server to a smartphone's "text" messaging
> app if you know the proper information, and your limited in the amount of
> text you may send. While it may not be a direct SMTP system, it is somewhat
> SMTP/text based. The same applies to many different apps including the
> Winlink system used by hams.

While many cell phone providers do have an SMTP to SMS gateway for their
customers, they are emphatically not related, and it isn't a general
thing. Also, not all providers have an SMTP to SMS gateway setup.

They are in fact different technologies, and while you *CAN* forward
from one to another, they are not the same, and not linked.
--
Michael J. Ryan - tracker1@roughneckbbs.com
---
� Synchronet � Roughneck BBS - roughneckbbs.com

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Andrew From Orel to All on Wed Jun 23 2021 01:13 pm

AF> Several days ago I've seen one video at YouTube about ICQ revival project
AF> called KICQ. Some enthusiasts use their servers for connection by OSCAR
AF> protocol. So, if you have an old gadget which doesn't support New ICQ by
AF> Mail.ru, you can register new UIN at their server (195.66.114.37:5190) and
AF> log in using old clients like ICQ 2003, QIP 2005 etc.

AF> After watching that video I decided to try it out. I installed ICQ 2003b
AF> on my WinXP virtual machine as it described at manual
AF> (http://narodweb.ru/kicq.html) and registration was easy. Later I
AF> installed old Kopete from KDE3 on my Raspberry Pi 2 and successfully
AF> logged in.

I miss the old ICQ as it was in its heyday. One feature I think they removed in newer versions was the user profile and random user search feature. I had contacts around the world on there I used to chat with.

Nightfox

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: MRO to Andrew From Orel on Thu Jun 24 2021 08:25 am

MR> nobody uses instant msging anymore.

I wonder why that is. It seems to me there isn't a totally suitable replacement for internet messengers. Sure, you can text people on your phone, but you need their phone number (which people might not be willing to share all the time), and if you want to message people in other countries that way, your carrier might charge extra fees for international texting (or you might not be able to text internationally at all). There are apps like WhatsApp, that let you text people around the world for free, but you'd still be sharing your phone number (which you might not want to do).

One thing that was unique to ICQ years ago was its user profile and random user search feature. Years ago, I found people to talk to all over the world that way, and I thought that was pretty cool.

Nightfox

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Nightfox to MRO on Wed Jul 07 2021 08:54 am

> MR> nobody uses instant msging anymore.
>
> I wonder why that is.

I'm somebody and I still use instant messaging - mainly Facebook's, to communicate with family members. That and iMessage. <shrug>
--
digital man

This Is Spinal Tap quote #24:
David St. Hubbins: You're a haughty one, saucy Jack.
Norco, CA WX: 82.7°F, 46.0% humidity, 11 mph E wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
---
■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Nightfox to MRO on Wed Jul 07 2021 08:54 am

> Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
> By: MRO to Andrew From Orel on Thu Jun 24 2021 08:25 am
>
> MR> nobody uses instant msging anymore.
>
> I wonder why that is. It seems to me there isn't a totally suitable
> replacement for internet messengers. Sure, you can text people on your
> phone, but you need their phone number (which people might not be willing to
> share all the time), and if you want to message people in other countries
> that way, your carrier might charge extra fees for international texting (or
> you might not be able to text internationally at all). There are apps like
> WhatsApp, that let you text people around the world for free, but you'd
> still be sharing your phone number (which you might not want to do).
>
> One thing that was unique to ICQ years ago was its user profile and random
> user search feature. Years ago, I found people to talk to all over the
> world that way, and I thought that was pretty cool.
>

maybe because people dont want to be instantly available, or they like to communicate like they do via snapchat and instagram and facebook.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Jul 07 2021 06:11 pm

> Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
> By: Nightfox to MRO on Wed Jul 07 2021 08:54 am
>
> > MR> nobody uses instant msging anymore.
>
> > I wonder why that is.
>
> I'm somebody and I still use instant messaging - mainly Facebook's, to
> communicate with family members. That and iMessage. <shrug>
> --
> digital man
>

it's not like aim or yahoo msger or msn, though. it's an additional feature on a social media site.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: MRO to Digital Man on Wed Jul 07 2021 10:07 pm

> > I'm somebody and I still use instant messaging - mainly Facebook's, to
> > communicate with family members. That and iMessage. <shrug>

> it's not like aim or yahoo msger or msn, though. it's an additional feature
> on a social media site.

On my phone (or tablet) anyway, Facebook Messager is its own separate app (separate from the Facebook app). Still, I can only message Facebook members with it, but its similar to MSN or AIM in that regard. I don't see it as being different much at all.
--
digital man

Synchronet "Real Fact" #45:
Synchronet External "Plain Old Telephone System" support was introduced in 2007.
Norco, CA WX: 70.9°F, 70.0% humidity, 0 mph E wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
---
■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Digital Man to MRO on Wed Jul 07 2021 09:18 pm

> Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
> By: MRO to Digital Man on Wed Jul 07 2021 10:07 pm
>
> > > I'm somebody and I still use instant messaging - mainly Facebook's, to
> > > communicate with family members. That and iMessage. <shrug>
>
> > it's not like aim or yahoo msger or msn, though. it's an additional
> > feature on a social media site.
>
> On my phone (or tablet) anyway, Facebook Messager is its own separate app
> (separate from the Facebook app). Still, I can only message Facebook members
> with it, but its similar to MSN or AIM in that regard. I don't see it as
> being different much at all.
> --

yeah i know they needlessly made it into a seperate bloated app. it just seems different to me, probably in the way we used it. i dont think of fb msger the same way as yahoo msger, aim, etc. i dont have fb msger loaded on my desktop computer and i dont use it to communicate with people when there's other methods out there.

i think fb msger is just another way for fb to spy on us, i dont think it should be someone's go to app for online communication.
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Jul 07 2021 06:11 pm

> MR>> nobody uses instant msging anymore.

>> I wonder why that is.

DM> I'm somebody and I still use instant messaging - mainly Facebook's, to
DM> communicate with family members. That and iMessage. <shrug> --

I do too; I use Facebook's messenger to keep in touch with some family & friends. I think the nice thing about apps like that is they're available for both PC and mobile devices.

Nightfox

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: MRO to Nightfox on Wed Jul 07 2021 10:05 pm

> MR>> nobody uses instant msging anymore.

>> I wonder why that is. It seems to me there isn't a totally suitable

MR> maybe because people dont want to be instantly available, or they like to
MR> communicate like they do via snapchat and instagram and facebook.

You don't have to always be available to chat with those. I'd always sign out of the messengers when I wasn't available, and the messengers typically show your online/offline status.

Nightfox

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Digital Man to MRO on Wed Jul 07 2021 09:18 pm

DM> On my phone (or tablet) anyway, Facebook Messager is its own separate app
DM> (separate from the Facebook app). Still, I can only message Facebook
DM> members with it, but its similar to MSN or AIM in that regard. I don't see
DM> it as being different much at all. --

I thought I had read a while ago that Facebook's Messenger app had become a more general messenger app and you could use it to message your phone contacts. I seem to remember it asking me for permission one time to access my phone contacts.

Originally I wondered why Facebook decided to make their messenger a separate app. It used to be that their mobile app allowed messaging other Facebook users directly from the app, but now it forces you to use their separate Messenger app. For that reason, I generally have been in the habit of using Facebook's web site (rather than their dedicated app) even on my smartphone.

Nightfox

---
■ Synchronet ■ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Thu Jul 08 2021 01:53 pm

> I thought I had read a while ago that Facebook's Messenger app had become a
> more general messenger app and you could use it to message your phone
> contacts. I seem to remember it asking me for permission one time to access
> my phone contacts.

to get your info and read your msgs

> Originally I wondered why Facebook decided to make their messenger a
> separate app. It used to be that their mobile app allowed messaging other
> Facebook users directly from the app, but now it forces you to use their
> separate Messenger app. For that reason, I generally have been in the habit
> of using Facebook's web site (rather than their dedicated app) even on my
> smartphone.
>

to get your info and read your msgs
---
■ Synchronet ■ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: KICQ as an "Old New ICQ"
By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Jul 07 2021 06:11 pm

> MR>> nobody uses instant msging anymore.

>> I wonder why that is.

DM> I'm somebody and I still use instant messaging - mainly Facebook's, to
DM> communicate with family members. That and iMessage. <shrug> --

Yep, I use messenger and Skype for the most part.

Discord and Slack, while not technically instant messengers, also get heavily used.

It's nice being a "nobody".

DaiTengu

.... Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.

---
■ Synchronet ■ War Ensemble BBS - The sport is war, total war - warensemble.com