LameMessenger Frequently Asked Questions

General

Q: What is LameMessenger? Just how lame is it?

A: LameMessenger is an open, protocol-agnostic Instant Message client. The aim (forgive the pun) is to send Instant Messages.. It's only lame if you need it to be.

Q: I don't know... my way is pretty weird. Are you sure you meant my way?

A: LameMessenger is very highly customizeable. Unless your way includes spinning or blinking somehow, I'm pretty sure we can help you.

Jabber

Q: How does LameMessenger differ from Jabber?

A: Jabber is a protocol, and not a client. LameMessenger specifically addresses problems encountered in clients and not protocols.

Q: You say it's "protocol-agnostic"... why duplicate the work already done in Jabber Transports, in LameMessenger? You could just write a Jabber client.

A: Jabber transports are entirely server-side communication, and LM protocol-independance is entirely client-side. This is not necessarily duplication. It simply means that you could either hook an AIM screen name to your contact entry, and have LM connect to AIM directly, or hook contact@aim.jabber.org to your contact entry, and connect through jabber.org's aim transport. This has an added bonus that if either the jabber transport or the LM functionality breaks, you can still use the other method to connect.

Q:Why not alter an open-source Jabber client, and add this multi-client functionality?

A:Many Jabber clients have been examined in detail for just this possibility, but for stability reasons we chose to rebuild the client completely.

OSCAR (AOL and ICQ)

Q:How are you going to keep up with AOL's constant modifications to the OSCAR protocol?

A:Most likely, we're not. If AOL really wants to block all unofficial clients, they do have that power. After all, none of us really feel like displaying AOL ad banners, and that would technically constitute a threat to AOL's revenue. We'll try our best, even if it means offering a function to read through the (seperately downloaded) AIM executable and send it back at requests... but no guarantees.

Q:My god... then you expect me to download a new version every time AOL messes with their protocol??

A:AOL users have to do just that. And jabber servers still have to update their transports. Time permitting, there will probably be a TOC option for those who can't afford for AOL functionality to break.

Great! Where can I get it?

LameMessenger is currently in the Design phase. If you really want to see it just this instant, you can help me get this thing off the ground in our SourceForge space.

Test of CVS web interface: CVS web interface for LameMessenger