Popper

Introduction

Popper is a very simple, easy-to-use and functional network messager. It works using the Samba suite of programs, and is thus compatible with Microsoft Windows's messaging. This is good for two reasons; one, it is already a bit supported on Linux in different environments (all using Samba), and two it is fully supported on Windows and (as far as I know) fairly hard to turn off.

FAQ

• It sends messages fine, but I can't receive any!
  Problem with the packaging; upgrading to latest version should fix.

Prior work

While Popper is written more-or-less completely from scratch, I got some of the ideas from a Samba client already for KDE, namely KPopup. Unfortunately KPopup's front-end annoyed me quite a lot; And in a program powered by Samba as it is, the front-end is all that matters. I then decided to code my own front end exactly how I'd like it. And I did. And this is the result.

Screenshots

(Taken from version 0.93)
The system tray icon:
Sending a message:

Configuring:

Using it

It lives completely in the System Tray. There is no "main window". This, IMHO, is a Good Thing as a popup messager needs no main window. It's whole purpose is to popup when a message is received and provide a editor window when a message is to be send. Use the right mouse button to get the menu, from which you may compose a new message, change some of the settings, exit the program, read about it, or turn it into "quiet mode". Quiet mode simply grays out the icon on the system tray and refrains from showing messages until quiet mode is cancelled. There are several handy shortcuts to actions such as a double-click will give a new message, a single middle-click will toggle quiet mode, and a simple single left-click will read any supressed messages.

Licence

This software is Free. It is available for distibution under the GNU General Public Licence. This also means that the software comes with no guarantees to work. Neither I nor anyone else will be liable for any damages caused in using (or misusing) it. Essentialy, as with all software nowadays, use at your own risk. (That's not to say it won't work of course ;)

Downloads

• Popper: Latest version of Popper (1.0).
• Popper: Pre-compiled Debian package of 1.0pre2, contributed by Aurelien Jarno

Mailing Lists

• Main: Main Popper mailing list for discussion and help.

Links

• Samba homepage: The site to get Samba from.
• Simple Utility Classes homepage: Another of my small projects; Sanity help for serious C++ coders.
• MyMiggy homepage: Another KDE app. This time a front end for the Amiga emulator UAE.
• UniCron homepage: This is a very extensible and really quite intelligent scheduler. It isn't quite finished yet but as far as it goes, it works pretty well.
• Gav Wood: My web page.

Contact

You can contact me, Gav Wood, at gav.a.kde...org.