Pandemic - C#/Mono IM Client

[klange]

Main Site
Preview release - June 8th, 2008

Pandemic is work-in-progress instant messaging client and server. About a year and half ago I wrote up a protocol in Python, as well as a Windows client in .NET. I'd been neglecting to truly port it to Linux for a while now, but finally took the initiative.

Short term plans for the client and server include more IRC-like features for chat rooms, server-side friend list storage, and a new, direct file transfer system. Long term plans include streaming video.






I'm still working on a few key features before a true release, but a preview will be available over the weekend so you can check it out. The first true release (0.0.1) will come next weekend, after I implement an updated network interface (so you can use multiple accounts on different servers). The next release will take advantage of some server updates.

Finally, all code is under GPL v3, including the server (which I need to clean and make a package for, it's rather sketchy right now and is over a year old, so it needs some updating). I'll get a PPA up as soon as I learn the basics of Deb packaging, but until then I'll be releasing source packages in tarbells, as well as (for the lazy), compiled binaries.

e: Interfacing with purple or Telepathy to support other protocols is a future goal, but it's more long term (even more than video support), and it'll probably stick to the basics of the other protocols (like Pidgin does). Hopefully I'll have the time to do it myself, if not, I encourage anyone who wants to try to do it once the client is ready.

(I know, I already posted this in the Programming forum. I figure with my plans for a preview release this weekend it would be a good idea to post here.)

[hanzomon4]

WOw, this app is gorgeous

[Retrospekt]

Definitely can't wait for the Alpha release.

[Le-Froid]

It looks amazing! Will be sure to check it out

[Polygon]

what protocols does it support?

does it follow your GTK theme or is it just gonna be black?

why not use libpurple or telepathy like you said and then work from there?

what features distinguishes this program from others like pidgin?

[klange]

what protocols does it support?
Right now, just mine, but when I integrate with Telepathy, it'll support quite a few.

does it follow your GTK theme or is it just gonna be black?
lol, that is my GTK theme. Want some pics with Clearlooks?

why not use libpurple or telepathy like you said and then work from there?
Because I want to get the client working properly first, I've never used either of them and don't know the ins and outs of using them.

what features distinguishes this program from others like pidgin?
At the moment, probably just the Gecko widget (which you can do some pretty amazing style things with). In the future, under my own protocol, video streaming and a few other things.

The thing with using my own protocol is that anything you want me to add, I can try and add.

e: Here's Clearlooks. Isn't there a version of Clearlooks with RGBA support? I should probably get that...

[Polygon]

i was just wondering if it followed your gtk theme or not, since i couldent seen the rest of your desktop since you just posted the screenshots of the program.

but looking good. I read on wikipedia that telepathy can also support libpurple so hopefully this will be a good form of competition for pidgin. They need it.

[klange]

Still got some things to clear up, but it should be ready for the preview tomorrow or Sunday.

[klange]

And as promised, I think I have everything working.

0.0.0-pre is ready.

Official Site (needs a lot of work, but has links to both the first release (probably buggy as hell), the README, and the registration tool.

Screenshot from my other machine, which happens to also be the machine running the only major Pandemic server.

You can read the full article on the release from my site, as well as post comments if you register on the site.


For those too lazy to read the README:
The source package is fairly simple to install. You need mono-gcms and libgecko2.0-cil, and then it's the standard routine:

./configure && make && sudo make install

Run it with "pandemic".
It should install to /usr/local/share/panmono, so you're going to want to go there and edit the file "friends" and add some names when the time comes. This is just a temporary solution to the lack of extra dialogs and to bridge the gap between now and when I add the new friends list stuff to the server.

[FFighter]

Congrats, great work.

Do you plan on releasing the source? I'd very interested in it!