Pichat Features

Overview:

1.     Main chat features
2.1.  Features list, user interface
2.2.  Features list, functionality
2.3.  Features list, services

1. Main chat features

Pichat is a software to communicate and exchange information. Its primary goals are comfort, simplicity, privacy, stability and free information exchange. Here is a summary of the main features:

Peer-to-peer chat (P2P) - everyone can run an own chat server
Smileys, graphics and colors - use smileys to express emotions, to laugh and swear
Configurable sound effects - get notified when something happens, wake up a user
Contact list for friends - stay in contact with your friends and co-workers
Builtin webchat - no software to install, works right out-of-the-box
Builtin web server - share files with friends and host your web site
Plugin support - extend the chat with additional features
Multiple chatrooms - chatrooms with moderators or secret codes
Multi language support - users can talk in their own language
Multi platform support - runs on Linux, BSD and Windows
Highly customisable - easily integrated and adjusted to your web design
No crapware bundled - 100% free of unwanted software and advertising

What can you do with the chat? Pichat fits well as private chat for friends, as a community chat system and for business support. There are regular updates with more features.

For a quick demo please visit one of our webchats...

http://eu.pichat.net/chat (Pichat Europe)
http://us.pichat.net:8008/chat (Pichat USA)

2.1. Features list, user interface

tabs for multiple chat windows
smileys, graphics, colors, text formatting and links
configurable sound effects
contact list for friends
automatic idle away (if you don't say anything)
automatic lag detection (server ping time)
do not disturb mode (no more sound effects)
sticky window mode (chat window stays on top)
multiple color schemes with optional color scheme packs
multiple languages with optional language packs
English/German/Swedish language included per default
nickname highlight with optional blinking notification
nickname completion in chat input
input history with recent typed-in text lines
chatrooms and users display in chat window
optional time stamp in chat window
optional text filtering in chat window
aliases for common chat commands
status dialog with chat activity and user number
options dialog for basic chat settings
experimental 3D visualisation in OpenGL

2.2. Features list, functionality

peer-to-peer-chat (P2P)
conference rooms and moderated chatrooms
registered users with reserved nicknames
visitors with restricted access
private messages between users (can be disabled for certain users)
chat admins with ability to ban and remove users
compressed chat data transfer
activity and traffic statistics
chat status available as web page and RSS feed
chat server logfile with optional hourly status
message of the day (shown when someone enters the chat)
low CPU and memory consumption with hundreds of users
automatic detection of chats in local network (LAN)
automatic chat server reconnect and nickname regain
automatic safeguard on user names with too many failed login attempts
automatic download of software updates
configurable chat actions to invoke external programs
multi platform support for Linux, BSD and Windows
builtin web server, no additional software required
web server with persistent connections (HTTP 1.1)
web server with on the fly compression (for uncompressed media types)
web server with combined logfile format (including referer and user agent)
web server with basic authentication (for password protected files)
web server with partial file transfer and directory browsing
web server with GET/HEAD/POST/OPTIONS/TRACE methods
builtin webchat with graphics, colors, text formatting and links
webchat in pure HTML/XHTML, no PHP/Flash/Java required
webchat is covering wide range of web browsers including text browsers
webchat makes use of modern web browsers with CSS, DOM and JavaScript
webchat is highly customisable via templates (web page parser included)
text chat for simple chat clients, available in RAW/ANSI/XML format
text chat for telnet with interactive login and colors
HTTP proxy support for users behind a firewall (e.g. at office)
plugin support for additional chat features
internal software consistency checks with status display of software components
internal event log and more debug information for trouble shooting
builtin crash report with register/stack dump for source code traceability

2.3. Features list, services

demo chat server in Europe and the USA
web site with screenshots, documentation, plugins, examples and tools
software development kit (SDK) for developers
technical support, installation help and consulting

For further information and feedback please contact me.
See also: User Handbook, Chat Configuration, Developer Documentation