Tips on How To Use the VP Program-De Mer

Virtual Places

Tips on How To Use the VP Program

Hi There, Thanks for coming along and visiting the Lobby, in which this Virtual Places Program section makes up just a small part of this "Intersection" Site. I have been using the VP programme for around 2 years now and that makes me relatively new to it all, and I am no Tech Expert, far from it, but since I have got this site and I know a little html, well why not give some of what I know away. Also I have done my fair share of research on Vp and I know the Excite Communities scene,...so if you know a lot if this stuff already...well Iam sorry.

WHAT IS VP?.... its a chat program you install on your computer which allows you to communicate in Real Time with everyone else using that program at the same time as you and who are using the same server. It is interactive and visual, allows transfer of files and invidual messaging and locating, it is also a web browser and will take you anywhere on the WORLD WIDE WEB providing you know the URL (web address e.g http://www.etc.etc) this allows you to tour with others to websites that you have a common interest in, and you are capable of making a chatroom out of any World Wide Web Page.

a points to remember when reading the following are:

I am no expert in programming language or network communications technology so I will never enter into that area of subject here in this discourse. Secondly i wanna keep this as simple as possible so i won't be going into real "techno" stuff and using unintelligable jargon (lol, even if i could).

It is recommended you read tips on how to use the Vp Program before you DOWNLOAD and INSTALL it on your system.

Excite Vp Download

Virtual Places

Excite Help

Excite Communities

*(SERVER: is the place (physical) where all our connections meet when we use the VP prog via the internet)

Starting

To begin, there are two types of chat in relation to the servers listed below (there are many other forms of chat other than what Vp provides). Java chat where you communicate in real time, this allows dialogue only interaction between people connected on the server. You don't need to download anything for this if you have Microsoft Interenet Explorer or Netscape Web Browsers that are Java enabled (presuming most people use Windows as their Operating System these days those who don't, wouldn't need any tuition in programme/system running anyways). To Java enable goto Settings then Control Panel on the Start menu of your Desktop then goto the Internet Icon click and look at tab on far right Advanced , when you have clicked on it you will notice a whole stack of items listed with ticked or empty boxes next to them, scroll down to JAVA section, tick all 3 boxes and Apply and Ok, if the boxes were ticked try unticking them applying and then returning back, tick them all again and apply, if it doesnt work after that you may need to goto excite or zdnet and see if they have a feedback page or bulletin board that explains fixes for regular problems.

The most enjoying and entertaining ( and can i say addictive, time consuming, ever changing, "the eternal carnival" as one fellow VP 'er once exclaimed) type of chat is the Virtual Places © 1993-1997, Ubique Ltd, especially on the talk.excite.com SERVER.

To get the program you need to download it from one of the links supplied below each program from each site is the same and has the same MENU BAR, but differ slightly in these aspects:

*the icons under the menu bar the "icon menu" differ, and cater for the slightly different setup from each community. The one you download is the program format you will have no matter what server you connect..

Menu Bar

*the avatars and gestures that you get when you start differ slightly , there are some give and take features that if you weigh them up offer no advantage, to any one of the downloaded programs. Naturally excite being so popular, is the recommended download and since your in their the most, go with the program that is designed for what is on that Server and related Websites you use most.

*to have more than one VP programme from different Companies on your PC, each one will have to have a different name and requires good PC management, you can still only run one at a time and trying to run more than that is very confusing and tends to delete your favourite URL's that you have saved, plus your gestures pallete goes "insane" .

NOTE: if you have Vp patches, they need to be reinstalled in the C:programfiles/Vplaces Directory..... If you overwrite the VP program with another by installing it in same directory C:programfiles/Vplaces, you will need to reinstall your patches, too. If you give different names to your programs (if you have both), or you Install these Vp programs in another Directory (folder) you will need to install the patches into each directory of each program you have, also.

Download the Program

Server Name = talk.excite.com

From Excite

Note: You only need to download one of these or both if you like. By far, the EXCITE server is the most popular. You can only connect with one server at a time and only you can only chat with the people who are connected on that server. There is a third SERVER being developed by Ubique Ltd which is part of the Lotus Development Corporation and looks more aimed at corporate clients.

DOWNLOADING

Easy procedure, you've probably done this a 1000 times just make sure you remember where you saved it! or write down the path as you save it.

INSTALLING

Well, do i need to tell you how to install, ok ok, double click on the icon thats on your desktop or in what ever part of you C: drive you have downloaded it to, it will be called Vp2ex2 or 3, something something, something. Then just follow the directions. Much recommended you leave the install in the default directory C: progamfiles/vplaces and allow the icon to be set up on your desktop.

RUNNING (Executing)

Now you have the Program Installed on your system and its time to run the program and connect to the Internet. HOLD ON Just before you do that though, here a couple of tips to save time and confusion later. So don't rush in just yet.

TIPS

1. The place where the VP progran resides on your computer should be C:program files/vplaces this is good to know as eventually you will have maybe 100's of gestures and even more avatars and add ons. So its best to get organised now.

2.Get familiar with theC:program files/vplaces Directory. The place where all the add on files reside in is program files/vplaces/exts below is a pic of my directory set up as viewed from Windows Explorer on my PC, I have set up different folders for my needs. There are patches installed on the right in the main vplaces folder we will talk about them later. the Vpbuild makes gestures and we will talk about that later too.

3. Gestures and Avatars these are the visual and audio interactions that enhance the real time chat of Vp. You are supplied with some basic ones when you start but once you enter the "Eternal Carnival" you'll want more and more of both (well most do anyway).

*An avatar looks like this and there are millions of them, its an industry!

or * ......or when you first start in Vp *

* the avatars Virtual Places give you to begin with can have 4 emotions that change facial expression when in a room.

this is how those using JAVA in your room appear they get the term "mug" from most of those who wear avatars but they are people like you and me and i say ......"the tasks above are as the flasks below, saith the emerald canticle of Hermes.....solarsystemised, seriolcosmically, in a more and more almightily expanding universe under one" *grin*

You can customize avatars, have images of yourself displayed, really you have anything on them, the rules to avatars are they have to be a .GIF or .BMP image saved at a size 48 x 64 pixels in 256 colors.and placed into the C:/programfiles/vplaces/exts/gallery or a folder you have made for example C:/programfiles/vplaces/exts/avatars. I have found the shareware version of Paintshop Pro the easiest and best to use in making them, and there is Chilly's Avatar Stealer which you can get in the Download section here, which is best of all, especially when combined with any paint program or when you wanna steal that sensational "av" your just gotta have.

*A gesture is a combination of a visual image or animation combined with audio most of the time and is accompanied by a dialogue entry into the main chat room the gesture is played by executing the .vpa file which is stored in C:/program files/vplaces/exts/gestures. A gesture appears on a "palette" just beside the message box for the entry of your all type written messages to the chat room. This is the icon . Clicking it, opens up the palette then clicking on one of those micro images, will make it depress. It is now ready to send to the room, with any dialogue you want to add to the comment.

Pallete and Micro 20 x 20 images

You can only view your palette when in a room and only use your gestures in a room (unless you have the patch for individual messages called IM's). The only people who can see or hear your gesture, are those chatters present with the exact same gesture. So this takes us to the realm of file sending and receiving while in Vp and is covered later on, just suffice to say this can be a dangerous affair so be sensible and know the person your about to recieve a file from.

4. Get to know the program menu Bar and what all the associated branches can do for you after 2 years i am still learning stuff so there is no point giving a tutorial on it, though i will touch on a few things later. The menu bar is the same as any you have used with, at work or at home so the secret to any program is "practice" and "explore".

Menu Bar

ON YOU WAY

Ok Ok you can get going and the thing to remember is, to enjoy yourself as you explore the World Wide Web and the chat rooms whole using the Vplaces Program. As you get more familiar or if you are already, there are some more tips on what you might encounter positive and negative in Vp, and what extras and add ons are available and also i will provide some. Clicking the icon on your desktop or going to your Start Menu then to Programs the VPlaces, click away and your off.

Tips for the More Experienced VP User

There are plenty of things over the years that i have learnt about the program and its functions that have made my movement around the web and chat interaction more enhanced or less time consuming, and there is probably four million tips i still dont know. Here are some.

Logging In

You have probably seen as you log in, the links below that denote add and remove nickname. You may not have used this function, but for each LOGIN PASSWORD you have, you can have up to five NICKNAMES when you use these tools they add or delete the nicknames you have for that PASSWORD. The next time you log in after adding new nicknames you will be given the option of selecting 1-5 of the log ons you have attached that nickname.

Browse the World Wide Web

Any URL (web address e.g www.geocities.com/athens/oracle/8096 ) that you know can be entered in the address line of the Vp browser and press enter and your there, sometimes it is seems a little slower than your normal browser but most of the time is as efficient as your MSIE or Netscape browser. Whats more you can take friends to that site on a tour or Message them individually and ask them to Locate you and come to the site your at, making any page on the web a chat room. As many webpages are interactive there are many entertaining possibilities.

The Tools Menu

The tools menu offers the most variations of button and tool items on the Menu Bar, here some functions:

The Community Server - this where you can connect to any of the servers that are mentioned above for most of us that means the talk.excite.com server but you can switch between each server through here. You have to register yourself on all servers even though this one Vp program covers all of them and you You can communicate only with those people using Vplaces program on THAT SERVER, when switching between server's you will need to log into the new community server that you are entering (remember you can only be on one server at a time) with a nickname and password. All the avatars, gesture, favourites and patches are universal and work on any community server.

Preferences - these are straightforward and are there for each individuals purpose and needs, the only thing i would suggest here is to have the top item Enter The Room Automatically etc. "unticked". that way you don't just go straight into a room when you go to it via either chat room picker, locate, favourites or quick directory options, you can now "land" in observe and you can see if the room is to your liking and prevents you exposing yourself to a hostile or harassing (hehe) environment. The other thing of note in preferences is your dirctory settings, in which, if you have more than one Vp programme installed or more than one gesture folder, you can change which will load for you when you execute vp or click on your palette or change the path to any vplaces function. It is all done here, and you do it by changing your directory paths to your target folder that has either the avatars or .vpa gesture files. Start Audio/Video ....hey can you tell me how this works. Quick Directory will give you every room on the World Wide Web that has a person using Vplaces on your selected server sitting in it either in the room or in the observe. This is great tool and not only for surfing but it alows you to save web pages you haven't yet visited, by clicking make this a favourite place, then you can come back to it later or extract it from the C:/program files/vplaces/vplces.txt file and cut and paste it to your other web browsers. This tool will introduce you to every site on the web imaginable (and some not) including the "net underworld" and the "red light district".

Switching Between SERVERS

In the Tools drop down menu is also the Community Server menu from here you can swith servers in doing this you are virtually logging out of the community you are in and about to LOG ON to another Community and will need a registration and nickname creation to enter if you haven't already. The two most popular servers are the excite and other community servers, and switching servers is handy when major net traffic makes your present community "lag" or "freeze".

Where are my Favourites Stored?

Your favourites get stored in a file called vplaces.txt it is located in C:/program files/vplaces/vplces.txt They are stored in text form so go up to edit and word wrap so its easier to read. Your favourites can get deleted sometimes so it is always wise to copy the .txt file and put it another folder just in case the one in the vplaces diretcory gets wiped. They can get wiped when you re-install Vplaces or every now then if your running another application or your CD player, two Vp's programs can start up if you have double clicked it more than once. This can wipe your faves too, though it depends which one you click off, anyway if you go into vp with 2 progs running it is very confusing and awry things happen, and more than likely your faves will get wiped.

Private Rooms

Are great way to get some privacy if you have someone special to talk to, or maybe someone is giving you a hard time or your about to eat dinner and dont want to log out. It is also a way to cover you surfin habits, for anyone who is looking you up on locate, haven't got a clue where you are or what web page your veiwing. If you have HOTMAIL or an Email pop mail server, view it in a private room and make sure you log out, in Vp these client services on the web can be viewed by whoever is in the room with you and yes...including observe, so don't compromise your privacy...go private to view these things. Making sure you log out ensures if by some stroke of luck someone found the URL to your email service they are locked out once you leave.

* Note: this has now been addressed by most email companies and excite.

Games

These are real fun and can be quite a fulfilling and time consuming part of Vp, they can be downloaded from this site or from the excite link in the Links section and are very professionaly done with graphics and audio as well as being very playable. Games available to play are Yahtzee, Chess, Backgammon, Checkers and Battleship.

Nature of the Beast

The nature of "Information Technology" is an EVER changing environment, what is today may not be tomorrow or it might shift to an unexpected direction. If you look at the hardware and games software markets, they are constantly gaining in quality and quantity and breakthroughs happen daily. For the internet and network communications, this is even more so, it is larger and more and far more encompassing. It has more minds working on it, and after all in this corporate world today, the network system is the vehicle for the the whole "Business World " to be managed. This growth of organisational networks and intranets with the information revolution is gradually intergrating the "Internet" the hugest information source there is, so you can see that "WEB" is a great description for its evolving nature. You can also see why hacking doesn't mean just blowing away someone's hard drive or their isp connection or "whatever"... (which isn't hacking anyway) The "new world" of computers and the web has developed a certain pioneering spirit which is the purpose is of the the true computer "magi". Thus exploring and "exploiting" the growing nature of network sytems and the web and also the programmer's errors that get encountered in cyberspace and on purchased software progs. Funnily enough this sytems gains integrity, by firstly having the error or "hole" investigated and attacked, but then thru counter measures, the affected entity eventually is forced to tightening and intergrating their whole system, some hackers are like marlin fisherman and once thay have made their catch return the fish to the sea (self improvement, Maybe?). This is not condoning the behaviour of malicious people but with any system you will have people who will try to get around it, but anyway more on that later in tips on chatting. The point to be made is, remain flexible. Be aware that changes take place and that this evolution in technolgy is happening right now and right in front of you and you may need to re-adjust your habits and expectations every now and then. Probably, more than anything, tolerance and patience is required in using this medium.

VP is suppose to be fun, its like a Television if the show isn't doing it for you turn it off or switch channels. Don't suffer Vp if its not fun for you and remember we got a long for 100,000 or so years without computers and still had fun. Have a break from it, if you need one and reality can be quite exhilrerating sometimes. In saying that, those who have gone into Vp will testify to its continious enjoyment, person to person communication, and the amazing sense of humour that most of the inhabitants of this orb seem to have and use. Laughter is the one common language amongst all denizens of Vp (and planet oith) irrespective of nationality, creed or appearance.......LOL is the word.....which means "laugh out loud".....you'll see this as the most typed letters in Vp.....

There is more information about Vp at the links below, thanks for visiting.