Encrypted P2P Chat in Firefox
I’ve felt for a while now that the instant messaging and web browser worlds are on a path of convergence. Yahoo is pushing their Messenger Plug-ins. Microsoft has a host of add-ins. Skype has a number of community-style extras.
But does adding web browser-like features to an instant messaging client really make sense? In our view, if there is going to be a universal communication client, then it makes much more sense to extend the browser itself. This is, after all, where we spend most of our time interacting with the online world. You can share content in your instant messenger but you really want to view it in the browser.
We started down this road quite a while ago with what TechCrunch called our “simple, persistent buddy list”. By adding identity and real-time presence information to the browser, we’ve created a kind of next-generation email with no spam, no file attachment limits and the immediacy of instant messaging (but without its disruptive nature).
The addition of instant messaging capabilities to AllPeers is significant because real-time communication is a important complement to sharing files and webpages. P2P means there’s no need to configure a server and all communication is encrypted to ensure privacy. It sits nicely alongside AllPeers drag-n-share functionality and gives a hint, I think, of the enormous potential that stems from adding identity and presence to Firefox. The next step is to integrate chat more tightly with drag-n-share to create a single coherent communication environment. Stay tuned.
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Hey this new feature is great. It would be nice if you could add something like Miranda, to use more IM protocols (like msn, icq, and aim) just 4 chatting…
Comment by Christoph — 12/22/2006 @ 2:20 pm
We have a number of enhancements planned for our chat and that is one of them.
Comment by Matt — 12/22/2006 @ 3:20 pm
Having just written about Allpeers chat [http://p2pnet.net/story/10820], I’ve just installed Allpeers. But none of the toggles work and I don’t see an icon for the chat function.
I KNOW this has to be stupidity on my part (nothing new
I assume that since I needed to re-start FF, I don’t need to also re-boot my computer. But maybe I’m wrong. heh
Cheers! And thanks …
Jon
Comment by Jon Newton — 12/22/2006 @ 6:46 pm
Just right-click on a contact and choose “Chat with…”. The user has to be online. Admittedly this could be more prominent in the UI, and this is planned.
Comment by Matt — 12/22/2006 @ 6:54 pm
This needs a little more than an exchange here. Please email me, Matt. Cheers! And thanks …
Comment by Jon Newton — 12/22/2006 @ 7:01 pm
Thank you for this feature! Please add the ability to delete the chat log. Its an important privacy feature that is currently missing. Thank you!
Comment by Leo H — 12/30/2006 @ 9:18 pm
thank you nice sharing
Comment by cep program — 5/14/2008 @ 9:20 pm