Pichat road map

The following features are planned for Pichat v0.4.x:

• improved LAN messenger functionality with serverless messaging
• improved webchat streaming and easier customisation
• multiple chat windows for private messages
• user interface improvements and bugfixes

Here is a break-down of Pichat v0.4.x:

Planned in the future
> updated user interface to be more flexible, integrated contacts into main window
> updated user interface with multiple chat windows/tabs for private messages
> drag-and-drop support for chat windows/tabs
> improved nickname completion, better handling for similar nicknames
> improved simley bar, new button to toggle user interface
> updated protocol, data stream with multiple views suitable for multiplexing

Planned in 0.4.6
> updated SDK with new HTTP streaming interface
> updated website, more installation documentation

Planned in 0.4.5
> experimental HTTP streaming interface for dynamically generated content
> experimental text animation in chat output

Planned in 0.4.4
> updated user interface, configurable main window buttons to minimise or close application
> updated application and systray icons with alpha channel for Windows 7 and Vista
> refactored graphics handling for Windows GUI, using 32 bit bitmaps with alpha channel
> bugfix: window title search more reliable (thanks Wolf)
# make /whois work without argument?
# more logged information at application startup?

Planned in 0.4.3

• updated version numbers, limited to 3 parts from now on (major.minor.build)

> updated user interface, tabs can be moved and closed, including local chat window
> refactored connection handling, removed dependencies on local server admin, more internal restructuring

• INI file: new setting ShowStartupMyChat=1, [GUI] section
• bugfix: webcam plugin full screen preview can't be moved by mouse (thanks Niklas)

New in 0.4.2

• added Windows MSI/WiX installer to website
• updated command line arguments for custom installers

The product backlog contains a list of new features, wishes and improvements for the Pichat software. Pichat is created with the idea of agile software development in mind: First make it work, then make it better. The backlog is expected to change over time as more is learned about the chat, features may be added or removed. Items in the product backlog are always prioritised and give an indication of what features can be expected in the future.

The following is a list of desired user interface features (more important items on top):

• user interaction redesign and usability study to make GUI better (Mark)
• automatic check if friends on contact list are online/offline (Mark)
• in message window show if opponent is typing or not (Domk, JNS)
• in message window show if user is in DND mode (Domk)
• chat window with search bar, Firefox-like (Mark)
• status dialog with information from chat servers, maybe with XML-RPC (Mark)

The following is a list of desired chat functionlity (more important items on top):

• traffic encryption as default (Mark, Jamie)
• instant messaging also when other person is offline (Mark, Rickard, Domk)
• ability to send/receive files, also when other person is offline (Mark, Phantomix, Domk)
• ability to find users with common interests and get in touch (Mark)
• automatic data injection to harden against traffic activity analysis (Mark)
• automatic flood and spam protection (Joel)

• update toolchain to build 32-bit and 64-bit binaries
• software package for standard Linux distributions
• forced idle away from chat server and application logic should work better together