With more and more individuals creating personal home pages, there is an increased interest in installing a chat server online so that interested parties can feel free to correspond with each other. This handy application allows users to do just that, with a maximum of ease and usability. With Conquer Chat, users can customize the appearance of their chat window, along with giving chatters the...

Converse.js is a JavaScript-based client for Jabber (XMPP) chat servers. It can be run in any modern browser. End-users can use the public conversjs.org site to connect to their chat service without the need to install dedicated chat software (e.g., from a machine in a computer lab). Converse.js site can connect to any Jabber server that can be reached from the internet, including both public...

Mattermost is an open source, real-time, self-hosted chat, and collaboration system. It is frequently described as an alternative to Slack that can be run on one's own infrastructure. Similar to Slack, users access a Mattermost server either from a browser, a dedicated desktop chat client, or one of several mobile applications. Mattermost channels support embedded images and files. Channels are...

The latest version of the Odigo instant messaging (IM) software promises users the ability to communicate with both versions of AOL's popular IM services, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and ICQ, for the first time. These two services do not work with each other and previous attempts by third parties, such as MSN, to communicate with AIM were blocked by AOL. In addition to instant-messaging with...

Communication is key these days as people are using all different types of outlets. Instant Messaging is a great cheap way to communicate over all distances, however not everyone can easily express their ideas by pounding on the keyboard. If this is you then you may like PalTalk. PalTalk offers the ability to use audio and video instead of a keyboard, or you can drop back to the keyboard for old...

Sometimes website owners just want a simple way to chat with their users. Something that just works without needing a lot of complicated setup. Pure Chat is a service designed to scratch that particular itch. Sites running on WordPress, Shopify, or Weebly can use the service by installing the Pure Chat plugin. For other sites, it can be integrated into an existing site simply by pasting in a bit...

Released by Cerulean Studios, Trillian 0.73 is an instant messaging tool that serves as a one-stop portal for all chat traffic. This handy tool imports chat specifics (such as passwords, buddy lists, and client preferences) into a single interface and allows users to simultaneously connect with five Internet chat engines: Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, ICQ, mIRC, and AIM. An updated version from...

Zulip is a real-time chat service (similar to Slack, Twist, or Gitter) that incorporates a threading model similar to email. It claims to allow users to "catch up on important conversations while ignoring irrelevant ones." More than 90 integrations with popular services are available, including GitHub, Jira, Strip, Zendesk, and more. As with other services in this space, it supports drag-and-drop...