[cronel]

Kmc is a mud client for the K Desktop Environment that aims to be easy to use but powerful. Features so far include:

+ Mud and character profiles
+ Autologin, reconnection.
+ Good integration with KDE
+ Scripting, via an embedded Perl interpreter. User-defined commands, triggers, timers, etc.
+ Logging with and without color.
+ Input history with tab expansion.
+ Full ANSI support.
+ Good customization of appearance
+ Mud toolbar.
+ Split and full screen mode.
+ Numpad walking, via a Perl script.
+ Repeat command, multiline

If you are interested I invite you to download the latest version from:

http://kmc.sourceforge.net

If you try it out, please leave your opinions at the boards. The program is distributed under the GPL license.

--cronel

[Samson]

At a glance, looks good.

2 standard questions I've asked of late for various clients:

1. Does your ANSI support include blinking text, preferably in a form that can be toggled for those who don't like it?

2. Terminal ID - does your client identify itself to a request for your terminal ID? Your settings screen seems to hint that it might. Several places like to keep track of this for statistical purposes.

[cronel]

Originally Posted by 1. Does your ANSI support include blinking text, preferably in a form that can be toggled for those who don't like it?

My client does not render blinking. However, blinking text is recognized and, by default, translated and rendered as bold. You can change this translation if you want, to make it plain, underlined, etc.

Originally Posted by 2. Terminal ID - does your client identify itself to a request for your terminal ID? Your settings screen seems to hint that it might. Several places like to keep track of this for statistical purposes.

Yes, it identifies itself and as you saw, you can change the ID string.

I'm interested, why is blinking important? Or you mean it's important that you can turn it off .. ?  

[Samson]

Because blinking text does have its uses and I for one just fail to see why there's such a huge problem with offering support for it. I tend to view any ANSI implementation which doesn't support it as incomplete. The toggle option would be for those folks who just can't stand it at all and would give them a way to disable it.

Any other support such as italic, underlining, and strikeover would be nice, but I generally view those as "bonus" level material. Although the more complete the support, the better.

[Ogma]

Perhaps if a number of clients fail your (rather trivial) test for completeness, there are technical reasons for it? Have you ever tried to implement blinking text under KDE/QT or Gnome/GTK+?

[cronel]

Originally Posted by I for one just fail to see why there's such a huge problem with offering support for it

Blinking in text mode is trivial because it's just a bit in the video buffer. But graphic modes (to my knowledge) have no such feature, so it must be done in software.

So it is simply too much trouble to implement for such little gain, especially when there are other options to make the text stand out available in video modes.

It will stay this way for the foreseeable future, since I have other priorities, sorry. However, I'm open to enlightenment, if you want to elaborate on the importance of this.

[Orion Elder]

Just thought I'd let you know, I have added this client to the MUD Clients list at MUD Planet.

[Ogma]

Cute little blurb about KMC on mudplanet, Orion Elder. One would think the fact that it allows you to do scripts in perl might be a more important detail to put in there rather than it doesn't support blinking text. Then again, I suppose that goes against your agenda WRT kmuddy.

[cronel]

Thank you for adding me, but your entry is factually incorrect. It does have support for the blinking attribute; it just does not make it blink. Please change that. Thank you.

[Orion Elder]

Originally Posted by Cute little blurb about KMC on mudplanet, Orion Elder. One would think the fact that it allows you to do scripts in perl might be a more important detail to put in there rather than it doesn't support blinking text. Then again, I suppose that goes against your agenda WRT kmuddy.

It's MUD Planet, not mudplanet. Furthermore, I am not slighting ANY client by listing them. I am, in fact, giving them more publicity by listing them. I listed a feature that I know many people care about (on one side or the other... most people I know DISLIKE blinking text), hence I made not that it does note support blinking text.

Edit:
But, I'll add that it supports Perl scripts... but, to me, that is simply not a big deal.

Originally Posted by Thank you for adding me, but your entry is factually incorrect. It does have support for the blinking attribute; it just does not make it blink. Please change that. Thank you.

... If the text doesn't blink, then it doesn't have blinking text support. It may handle the exception, but that doesn't mean it has blinking text support. Only that it handles the call for it.

Those are two very different situations... but, as per your request I have noted that it handles the call.

[Samson]

I wasn't attempting to start a war over blinking text support. I agree with Orion in that if you handle the call, but it does NOT blink , then you don't support it. Period. I didn't need to see a fight break out over a simple question.

If he has an agenda with Kmuddy, you can count me as onboard with it then. I for one would still opt to use it at this point, mainly because the developer has been extremely patient and willing to deal with all sorts of off the wall questions about things. He's also been more than willing to accomadate my so-called "little gain" features such as blinking text and taskbar notification when you're not focused on the window.

In the end, it was a simple question. It's now been answered, and I'm fine with that. Developer's choice. If it's not planned to be supported, so be it. I at least know ahead of time, and I'll continue to use a client which does support it, no matter how unpopular the whole idea may be, for whatever reason.

[cronel]

Originally Posted by as per your request I have noted that it handles the call.

Good enough for me, thank you.

I didn't mean to split hairs, but merely wanted to avoid giving the impression that the client doesn't understand basic ANSI escapes. It understands them fine and shows blink as bold. Now, wether that is called "blinking support" or not, or to assess the vital importance of this feature, I leave up to you and other users.

[Ogma]

Personally, I find KMC to be a very powerful and stable mud client. The flexibility and extensibility of the perl scripting engine is better than I've seen in any other client.

I've also found Cronel to be quite responsive to suggestions and questions and have suggested several features that will probably be in the next release.

Also, the KMC project is OOS. If you want blinking text to actually blink instead of being translated to another the seven other options, write it and submit a patch!

[Samson]

Good, I'm glad you find KMC useful for you and that it does what you'd like. I'm even glad that Cronel listens to suggestions and is willing to implement them.

Once again, I'm not looking for a fight. You seem intent on trying to start one. Coudln't say why, but hey. That's how it's coming across. If that wasn't your intention, I apologize now.

Like many people, I'm a user. Not a programmer. I'm lucky to have been able to do what I've done with AFKMud. Writing and editing client code isn't something I'm interested in. So I'll simply use what I can find that supports the options I want. KMC doesn't do this for me, can't understand why you won't just accept this.

Seems to be the standard *nix response. "Don't like it, compile it and subit a patch!" Not all of us have time, are proficient with C++, or are willing to engage in such an effort. Count me among the first 2. For if I had the time, and was proficient with C++, I'd be willing to do so. So for now I have to settle on those who have done this for me already.

[DariusCardren]

Silly Question, dos it work w/ the version of KDE suplied w/ RH 8.0? Becuase Kmud dosen't (www.kmud.de).

[Samson]

Kmud's main probelm is that it was intended for KDE2, and RH 8 runs KDE3. I too had problems getting it to do much of anything aside from launch a busted program

Clicking the download link on the KMC page, it lists as being for KDE3, so you should have no problems getting RH8 to like it.

[cronel]

Originally Posted by does it work w/ the version of KDE suplied w/ RH 8.0?

Yes, it works in KDE 3 as Samson mentioned; mind the warning in the download page, though.

For more questions I suggest using the Sourceforge Kmc forums.