How do i use Citadel's XMPP/Jabber service with Irssi/Bitlbee?

Bitlbee is a gateway, which lets you connect with your favorite IM services from your IRC client. Here we show how to use the popular console client irssi to connect with the citadel IM service.

First a quick irssi tutorial, showing how to add a regular IRC network server, channel, and auto login. I'll use freenode as an example, and the #citadel channel. However for support, get an account on the uncensored.citadel.org system and use the "Citadel Support" room. (it's best to view support room as a mail folder)

http://uncensored.citadel.org/dotgoto?room=Citadel%20Support

irssi

log into irssi:

$ irssi
/set nick 
/set real_name 
/network add -nick  Freenode
/server add -auto -network Freenode irc.freenode.net
/channel add -auto #citadel Freenode
/network add -autosendcmd "/msg nickserv identify ;wait 2000" Freenode

You now have the freenode network, server, and the channel #citadel saved. You will be automaically logged in next time you fire up irssi. Use the same methods to add other networks, servers and channels.

More information on irssi here: http://www.irssi.org/about

bitlbee

Install bitlbee

I used my linux distros package manager. You can get the latest version from the project homepage: http://www.bitlbee.org/main.php/download.html

Connecting to bitlbee

Start the IRC client, irssi. Add the network and server to irssi:

/network add bitlbee
/server add -auto -network bitlbee localhost

Connect to local server:

/connect bitlbee              ;or "/connect localhost", you should now be in the bitlbee control channel

If you have any problems connecting to localhost, you might need to reboot your computer.

Setup/register an account password for your new bitlbee account on your machine

register
/oper

Setup autojoin with automatic identification prompt for subsequent startups:

/channel add -auto -botcmd '/say identify\; /oper' &bitlbee bitlbee
/save

When you next restart irssi, you will be prompted for your password.

Add a xmpp/jabber account

Adding a citadel account works the same as adding a facebook account: https://wiki.bitlbee.org/HowtoFacebook

account add  jabber  @uncensored.citadel.org
/oper 

To check the account has been added successfully:
account list

To delete an account: 
account (ID) del

To reset tag of account if needed (google+ and facebook accounts automatically assign tags when added)
account (ID) set                 ;to list all the setable config options
account (ID) set tag     ;to change the tag (i changed the tag jabber to citadel)

And make sure to save this now:
save

You can add further accounts; twitter, gtalk, facebook etc... 
For help with more services, see here:  https://wiki.bitlbee.org/

When you come to start up the irssi client next, you will be prompted for your bitlbee password. 
When you login you will automatically login to 'all' your xmpp/jabber accounts.

Login and chat
Use either the numeric or name ID of the account (you can see the numeric ID when you 'list' the accounts):-
account (ID) on                      ;to logout issue:    account (ID) off    ; if needed


You should now see the names of,all your account's, contacts in the bitlbee control channel.
At any time we can see the names of our contacts/buddies in the &bitlbee (control)channel:
    issue: blist


To chat with someone in the bitlbee control channel:
    issue: :            ;don't forget the colon after contact's name 


To open a seperate channel to chat with someone:
    issue: /msg        


Much easier if there are alot of people from various accounts in the bitlbee control channel.
   
   
To create a seperate channel for an account:   
    issue: /join &(ID)                         ;where ID matches the number/name in account list, include the ampersand


 Enjoy 


And that about wraps it up. I find it very easy, chatting in an xterm sometimes, with my IM friends. 
With no distracting adverts, wall posts or shared web content- it's bliss. Nobody would guess i was 
using a pre WWW text-only interface, to engage in the latest social media fad. But in the BBS days 
of text only terminals, the internet had it's heyday- some say. Social networks were born on the internet, 
with online communites of connected bulletin board systems: like citadel. 



If you yearn for those pre WWW days you might like to try the official text client to access citadel.
Many people do, especially those who grew up (and developed) the original citadel BBS system.