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The Zephyr Message Service for Unix Users
Zephyr, a message sending system for Unix users, can now be used at CERN. Zephyr has the advantage over commands such as write that you do not need to know where someone is working to send them a message. If your friend is logged into Zephyr then a simple
zwrite my_friend -m Hello
will put a window on their X display (or some lines on their ASCII
terminal) with your message. Zephyr can be thought of as a Unix equivalent
of CERNVM's SPM_quotTELL" or SPM_quotMESSAGE" commands. Because of this Zephyr
is likely to be used by the computer operators for sending urgent
messages---so we recommend you login to the Zephyr system even if you
don't send Zephyr messages yourself.
Zephyr runs on all supported Unix workstations at CERN and the files are available from ASIS. If your workstation is an AFS client you should already have all the necessary code and directories installed. Full details of how to install and use Zephyr are in the ``Zephyr at CERN'' manual, CN/DCI/165, available from the UCO---or on the Web as http://consult.cern.ch/writeups/zephyr. Simple instructions on installing and using Zephyr are given below.
Besides sending messages between individual users, Zephyr also allows messages to be sent to a group of users. This could be useful to send a message to all members of a collaboration, for example. Again, details of how to use Zephyr in this way are documented in ``Zephyr at CERN''.
If you have problems using Zephyr please contact the UCO (e-mail User.Support@cern.ch, phone 4952) or send a mail to Zephyr.Support@cern.ch.