If there was a fully-functional cross-platform secure IM, would you use it? What would it be?

KevinMU1 · Feb 12, 2003

OK, so looking at my sig gives away my motives here. But several people have told me that if a 'nix port existed for my BitWise client, that they would use it in a heartbeat. Does anyone have any thoughts on cross-platform IM? What would you want from cross-platform IM?

Or does it already exist? If so, what is it? The closest thing I can think of is Jabber, but I know that not everyone likes it either.

Note: if you don't use linux, I'm not really interested in what you think of BitWise, in fact, I don't really care what anyone thinks about BitWise. But for those of you who a) want a cross-platform client and b) have some thoughts as to what you would want it to be, let's hear it.

Colt45 · Feb 12, 2003

I'm too 1337 for bitwise.

KevinMU1 · Feb 12, 2003

Edit: Useful comments only, please.

Oh wait, look where I am... ATOT. What am I thinking. *smacks forehead*

Walleye · Feb 12, 2003

i justy use msn.

Deeko · Feb 12, 2003

I wouldn't use it. lol...you post more about that client than I used to post about my girl troubles!

zCypher · Feb 12, 2003

I'd use it if it was useful to me - if people I knew used it. But the people I know won't use it because they love their MSN smileys and crap too much. Cross-platform sounds awesome though, you should definitely go for it.

KevinMU1 · Feb 12, 2003

MSN isn't cross-platform...

Deeko--does that I mean I obsess more ofter my software... eh, that's ok, I'll get over it.

zCypher, thanks for the input. Thanks for letting me know your interest.

Is anyone else clamoring for a good cross-platform IM solution?

ThisIsMatt · Feb 12, 2003

Umm, aim? lol

nord1899 · Feb 12, 2003

I found that people don't really care about the client, they just use whatever their friends use.

KevinMU1 · Feb 12, 2003

Yes, but there is no consistent AIM client across multiple platforms. Clients exist that connect to AIM, but they all look & feel different. Think unified.

notfred · Feb 12, 2003

I would like to see it become open source, or at least open protocol. I want a chat application that I know won't be absorbed into some giant corporation and filled with ads and bloat. If there was a good open chat protocol, then clients could be written by anyone, regardless of who ran the servers, and ads and bloat could be ignored. I haven't tried jabber yet, but it's closest to what I'd want from a philosophical viewpoint.

minendo · Feb 12, 2003

Originally posted by: Deeko
I wouldn't use it. lol...you post more about that client than I used to post about my girl troubles!

Actually that is a close race. Perhaps a poll is in order.

n0cmonkey · Feb 12, 2003

Originally posted by: notfred
I would like to see it become open source, or at least open protocol. I want a chat application that I know won't be absorbed into some giant corporation and filled with ads and bloat. If there was a good open chat protocol, then clients could be written by anyone, regardless of who ran the servers, and ads and bloat could be ignored. I haven't tried jabber yet, but it's closest to what I'd want from a philosophical viewpoint.

jabber is what you want. Ive used it (a previous company had an internal jabber server setup).

What I would want:
Atleast Open Source, preferably Free software (GPL and BSD-like licenses respectively)
*NOT* a linux program (dont code for one OS even if you only release clients for one (linux emulation rocks)
Good encryption (which means US developers cannot distribute it)
Strong authentication (kerberos? key exchange ala OpenSSH?)
Command line client available

Things I dont care about (not that these are bad things):
Smily pics (they are cute, but unnecessary)
File transfer (I dont like "direct connect" features)

KevinMU1 · Feb 12, 2003

Not a linux program? Emulation rocks? I have to say that confuses me a bit. If you can code cross-platform in Python or something else, why not?

US developers can distribute higher encryption if they control who they give it to. And how hard is it to find an offshore server, anyway?

Command line is a neat idea.

Lack of file transfers would absolutely kill a client's chance at real-world success I think.

pulse8 · Feb 12, 2003

The only reason I'd ever switch IM clients is if suddenly everyone I knew switched at the same time.

QTPie · Feb 12, 2003

Originally posted by: nord1899
I found that people don't really care about the client, they just use whatever their friends use.

That's so true.

n0cmonkey · Feb 12, 2003

Originally posted by: KevinMU1
Not a linux program? Emulation rocks? I have to say that confuses me a bit. If you can code cross-platform in Python or something else, why not?

Python is a scripting language isnt it? That would be fine I guess, if you happen to avoidd the linuxisms. There are a few (closed source) applications out there that will not run on BSDs. But, using Linux emulation (which rocks ), I can run them. Thats how I get my DC clients to run generally.

US developers can distribute higher encryption if they control who they give it to. And how hard is it to find an offshore server, anyway?

These are some of the most archaic and idiotic laws on the books in the US. One of the reasons Canada sounds like a neat place to go...

Command line is a neat idea.

Its about all I use for AIM and IRC. I like being able to SSH into my system from work or a friend's or whatever and use AIM without the IDS systems or firewalls at work interfering

If you want links to CL AIM clients, pm me and Ill give you one or two.

Lack of file transfers would absolutely kill a client's chance at real-world success I think.

I did say those things are features I dont care about. Just an opinion, based on my usage. Nothing more, nothing less. And hell, if I could code, I wouldnt be telling you what I want, Id be writing it myself

KevinMU1 · Feb 13, 2003

What program do you use for linux emulation?

This is why we started write this program... we didn't like the existing ones. It's a good reason to program--to make programs you really want to use.

manly · Feb 13, 2003

Originally posted by: KevinMU1

US developers can distribute higher encryption if they control who they give it to. And how hard is it to find an offshore server, anyway?

I don't think it's that simple. If you're uploading your crypto product to an offshore server, then that's export. Projects like GnuPG specifically exclude U.S. based developers (I believe), to stay clear of onerous U.S. crypto export regulations (which have been relaxed).

FWIW, Yahoo! Messenger, while far from cross platform to the extent of Mozilla, has a native client for all the major client operating systems out there. I haven't used them all, but the Linux client is substantially similar to the Windows client. It's a bit buggier and releases trail the Windows client. And they have a Java applet client that works on any platform with thin client Java applet support.

n0cmonkey · Feb 13, 2003

Originally posted by: KevinMU1
What program do you use for linux emulation?

This is why we started write this program... we didn't like the existing ones. It's a good reason to program--to make programs you really want to use.

The BSDs (Free, Open, and Net) built Linux emulation into the kernel. I cant begin to explain it, but it basically installs Linux libraries and whatnot in a partition and chroots much of the process to that area, I believe, and emulates Linux system calls at the kernel level.

May not be emulation. Its called Linux compatibility mode or something.

n0cmonkey · Feb 13, 2003

Originally posted by: manly

Originally posted by: KevinMU1

US developers can distribute higher encryption if they control who they give it to. And how hard is it to find an offshore server, anyway?

Click to expand...

I don't think it's that simple. If you're uploading your crypto product to an offshore server, then that's export. Projects like GnuPG specifically exclude U.S. based developers (I believe), to stay clear of onerous U.S. crypto export regulations (which have been relaxed).

This is one of the reasons the OpenBSD project is based on Canada. Because the US export laws suck, and because of privacy fearing freaks, this problem will not be solved.

dabuddha · Feb 13, 2003

Originally posted by: Deeko
I wouldn't use it. lol...you post more about that client than I used to post about my girl troubles!

i dunno bout that

as for the client, i'd seriously give it a shot if you could do that.

KevinMU1 · Feb 13, 2003

Thanks for the note about the Yahoo client. I still know people who don't like Yahoo just because it's Yahoo, though.

Give the US time, in 4 years or so it'll come around. No I don't know that, I'm just poking fun at my own government and thier lag behind the times.

dabuddha, thanks for the note... that is helpful feedback. We're seriously beginning to think about it.

KevinMU1 · Feb 14, 2003

my one gratuitous bump

If there was a fully-functional cross-platform secure IM, would you use it? What would it be?

Senior member

Lifer

Senior member

Banned

Lifer

Diamond Member

Senior member

Banned

Platinum Member

Senior member

Lifer

Elite Member

Elite Member

Senior member

Lifer

Golden Member

Elite Member

Senior member

Lifer

Elite Member

Elite Member

Lifer

Senior member

Senior member