FMChat text

What's FMChat

I tried to make it as simple as possible, but without loosing anything from the standard functionality expected for a chat system.

I used java for realizing this system (except for the server, which is written in C, but this has no relevance for the chat users), so anyone with a java enabled browser can use it, without having to make any download or configuration.

FMChat Features:

The most simple and inexpensive way for real-time communication all around the world.
Ready to use: if you want to chat using this system, all you need to do is to point to this URL with your java-enabled browser. You don't have to download or configure anything on your computer
Chat groups: Anyone can create new groups, join to existing groups or leave them. A message can be sent to a particular person or to an entire group
The chat window will raise automatically in front when a new message is received.
NOTE: this doesn't work on any browser / operating system / hardware platform combinations, but I can't do anything to change this because the problem is about how the browser and his interaction with the host system is realized. According to the java specification this must work, but practically:
-when the chat windows is minimized, on very few browser / OS / platform combinations it will be restored on receiving a new message
-when the chat window is covered by another windows, it will not always raise to front when a new message is received
-on Windows 95 with IE4.0 and active desktop enabled, the chat window will be always raised when covered by another windows and a new message is received
It only uses the standard HTTP port (80) for communication, so it can't be affected by all kind of filters used in firewalls or another barriers introduced for security reasons
The chat server maintain a detailed log file

Test FMChat right now:

You can test the applet by starting it two times on your own computer (Press the "start FMChat" button two times and chat between the two windows)

There are many browser / operating system / hardware platform combinations. I wasn't able to test on all of them. If you encounter any problem, please e-mail me.

Use FMChat:

You can use this chat system on this site. Bookmark this URL, come here and connect yourself any time you want. You may arrange with your chat partner(s) to connect at a certain time or you can connect yourself and listen for messages from anyone.

On Windows 95 with Internet Explorer 4.0 and Active Desktop enabled, you may start your browser, start FMChat, connect yourself and then even if you close your browser the FMChat window will remain active. After this you may launch any other applications whose windows are covering the FMChat window and do whatever you have to do, you can even forget about FMChat, but when someone on the internet send to you a message the FMChat window will be automatically brought in front of all windows on your desktop, showing to you the message you've just received.

Under normal circumstances, your use of FMChat is free of any charge, but if the traffic generated by you became significant you might be asked to pay for this. In such a case you may prefer to buy the FMChat system for installing it on your own site.

Buy FMChat:

By buying FMChat and installing it on your own site, you'll have the following benefits:

a good integration with another services offered on your site
possibility to customize the page from where the applet is started and the content of the help file
the chat users will see better response times (definitely, the bandwidth and response time of this site aren't the state of the art...)
possibility to examine the log file generated by the chat server

If you're interested in buying it, follow the steps below:

Step1::	Read FMChat license. If you don't fully agree with the contents of the license, then don't take any step further and go away
Step2:	Download the trial version of FMChat. You need the client component and one of the two versions (Unix and Windows) of the server component. Please send me an e-mail to tell me the URL where you intend to install FMChat. I also need your e-mail address for keeping in touch with the people interested by FMChat.
	Step2a		Download FMChatC.zip (size: 12591 bytes), which contains the client component:.
	Step2b		Download one of the two available versions of the server component. Although only one version is needed for the system to work, you can download both versions if you want to test the system both on Unix and Windows
			Windows: FMChatSW.zip (size: 856122 bytes)	Unix FMChatSU.zip (size: 11688 bytes)
Step3:	Install both the client and the server component of the FMChat system on your site. You have installation instructions included in the zip files. If however you encounter problems, feel free to e-mail me for support and troubleshooting. Or, instead of e-mail we can use the chat system residing on this site.
Step4:	Test the system. You have no more that 30 days for testing, after which you either buy it or stop using it. The trial version has the following limitations: - one can only connect using a name starting with "test" - the About... message tell that this is a trial version and can't be used for more than 30 days
Step5:	If you're not satisfied with the product, please send me an e-mail to tell me what determined you to abandon using FMChat, because this way you'll help me a lot in improving FMChat. Then remove all the copies of all the files composing the product and finish here..
Step6:	If you're satisfied with FMChat, please send US$65.00 in my following account:
		-account owner: Florin Marusteri -account number: 475121628440 -bank name: BANCA COMERCIALA ROMANA, Sucursala jud. Dolj -bank address: str. A.I.Cuza, nr. 1, 1100 Craiova, ROMANIA
Step7:	Send me an e-mail to let me know that you made the payment. You must also mention in your e-mail message the following: -Which version of the server component have you decided to buy. -The URL where FMChat will reside. This URL isn't hard-coded in the program, I only need to know it in order to keep track of my installed products. You may change the FMChat URL if you want, as long as you don't use it simultaneously in more than one place. If you make such a change, please let me know. -Your company name, as you want it to appear in the About... box of the product: `This product is licensed to Your Company Name`
Step8:	You'll receive by e-mail the full version of FMChat (without the above mentioned limitations of the trial version).