ICQ and EQ

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

<nospamtome@myorange.dk> wrote:
> I forgot - how do i access ICQ ingame please ?

You hit alt-tab and click on the ICQ icon in your systray.

Archived from groups: alt.games.everquest (More info?)

In article <1124131969.599509.234610@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
xiphos@rahul.net says...
> Faned wrote:
> > <nospamtome@myorange.dk> wrote:
> > > I forgot - how do i access ICQ ingame please ?
> >
> > You hit alt-tab and click on the ICQ icon in your systray.
>
> I'm kind of partial to the "Cheap old second computer with small, cheap
> monitor next to the bigger gaming system" method, myself.
>
> Old Pentiums (I or II), Macs (680x0 or PowerPC, as long as it has
> ethernet), or other older systems (old Sun or SGI workstations work
> well) are great for this purpose. The whole setup shouldn't cost over
> $50, $200 if you decide to go with a small, space-efficient flat-panel
> display. This also provides a convenient way to look stuff up on the
> web while playing.

I'm partial to an inexpensive KVM setup myself if you don't actually
need to see the 2nd screeen on all the time. You can optionally run the
keyboard and mouse through the kvm and have just one set, or run 2 sets
and just have the monitor on the switch.

It removes quite a bit of desk clutter. And instead of alt-tab, to
swithc you just push a button/ turn a knob/ or use the kvm hotkey if
applicable or whatever.

FWIW KVM costs about the same as or less than a 2nd monitor... although
so many people have 15" crts collecting dust that you probably have
access to a free one.

I'm partial to the Dr.Bott USB KVMs myself because they are PURE
switches. A lot of the more elaborate KVMs feature Keyboard/Mouse
emulation and other tricks... I don't care for these... as the emulated
keyboard often lacks full feature support of the attached device. (e.g.
Logitech Wireless keyboards often don't work with these enhanced KVMs.)

My own setup is 3 PCs... PC1 is my main box. PC2 is my 2nd box. PC3 is
KVMed with my 2nd box. I run voice software, and surf the web etc on the
3rd box. I have 2 monitors... my 1st always displays eq, my 2nd is
either showing PC2 or PC3. It works a treat. And I don't have room, or
desire to have 3 keyboards and mice and monitors. If I didn't 2 box EQ,
I'd probably KVM all 3 units.

While you can get PS2 KVM switchs I don't like them, as they tend to be
flaky, and can lock up the computer. (Especially at the entry level
price point.) Many PCs don't like having PS2 devices attached while the
unit is on. ... which is why many kvms have those aforementioned
emulated keyboards and mice... to shield the PC from knowing the
keyboard was actually removed.

USB is more plug and play, and it takes maybe 1 second after a switch
for my keyboard and mouse to start operating. One caveat with a usb
switch... they usually only switch one port. So you need a USB keyboard
with USB ports in it to plug the mouse into...Nearly all recent Mac OS
keyboards all have usb ports, as do several MS and Logitech ones, and
even some generics.) Failing that you can use a USB hub device.

cheers