Setting up OTR on Gentoo

Setting up OTR with Pidgin on Gentoo is a fairly simply process requiring only four steps.

1. Install libotr and pidgin-otr
2. Enable the OTR plugin in Pidgin
3. Set options [optional]
4. Begin a conversation

Note: Following this process will cause Pidgin, if you have not already done so, to become installed.

1) Install libotr and gaim-otr

Simply emerge the plugin; Portage will take care of all dependencies automatically:

emerge pidgin-otr

2) Enable the OTR plugin in Pidgin

Start Pidgin. Select Tools --> Plugins. Locate the plugin titled "Off-the-Record Messaging". Click on the check box to enable it.

3) Set options

[Note: This step is optional. OTR will function fine without any configuration, but setting options may make OTR more useful to you.]

Ensure the plugin window is open and "Off-the-Record Messaging" is selected, then click "Configure Plugin".

Generating a key

If you wish to generate a key now, select the desired account from the "Key for account" list, and click "Generate". If Pidgin seems to freeze up for a while during this process, it doesn't have enough random data (/dev/random is empty). To fix this, try moving your mouse around wildly, or mashing the keyboard in a text document.

Default OTR settings

Here you can set how OTR will behave by default.

• Enable private messaging - this turns OTR on/off
• Automatically initiate private messaging - this will silently try to make every conversation private
• Require private messaging - won't allow you to talk with anyone that does not have OTR (not recommended)
• Don't log OTR conversations - any conversation you have using OTR will not be logged

Per-user settings

The settings here are the same as described in "Default OTR Settings" (above). This simply allows you to have different settings for different people.

4) Begin a conversation

Now, all you have to do is start talking to someone who has OTR. The first time you talk to them, you will receive a message about authenticating your buddy. For more information about this, please consult the OTR documentation.

That's all there is to it!

Note: Format and some parts of this guide based on those by Adam Zimmerman.