IMClient & Server

I'm a web developer by trade, but I really don't care about the look of this page, hence the kinda outdated funky look of it all. Despite this, it conforms to standards.

This is the download page for a multi-user Java-based IM client and server. You start the client from command line on any machine you want, then start the clients on any other machines that can talk to it and point them to it, and bam, IM service out of the box.

The files on here are Jar files compiled in Java 1.5, so as to still work on my 32-bit Intel Mac, and my computer at work.

Server - V1.1

• Download Server.jar
• To run, go to command line, cd to the download directory, and type
  java -jar Server.jar
• The default port is 1057. To run on a different port, simply add that as a CLI parameter.
  java -jar Server.jar 1234
• If running this through a firewall, make sure the ports are open
• If behind a router, make sure the port is forwarded appropriately

Client - V2.0 rc1

• Download Client.jar
• To run, go to command line, cd to the download directory, and type
  java -jar Client.jar server.location Username
• The default port is 1057. To run on a different port, simply add that as a CLI parameter.
  java -jar Client.jar server.location Username 1234
• Replace server.location with the URL or IP address of the server to connect to, or localhost if the client and server are on the same machine.
• Since this is updated most often of the two (notice version numbers) it is the most likely to have problems. If you find any, and you know me, let me know.

Notes

• This is not open source, but it is freeware. If you reverse engineer it, I wouldn't care, but it would probably be a waste of your time to bother.
• If you like it, and you see me, you can pay me back via a cup of tea, a beer, whatever, if you so choose. I'm looking at you, Matthew C. You know who you are.
• There is some error checking, but most of it is server-side. If the server loses connection to a client, likely that client will never know it was lost.
• After a window is closed, or the server shuts down, no information is stored anywhere by either client or server. The only evidence of its use would be third-party storage (copying & pasting, packet logging, etc.), and the jar files themselves.
  • A side-effect of this is that there is no passwords, or ways of making sure somebody doesn't simply use another's username.
  • There are no plans to change this. It was a design decision when I started.
• All information is passed in plaintext. No encryption. Always assume somebody is reading over your shoulder.