IPTalk Download

Description:

About IPTalk:

IPTalk is a P2P (Peer-to-Peer) communications system for IP networks. You can use IPTalk to establish a "live" text-based chat session between two computers. Source included.

IPTalk Version 1.0 is distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). The author, Kevin H. Patterson, reserves the right to change the distribution license of future versions derived solely from his own works, if he feels like it.

What does it do?

Version 1.0 implements a simple text-based chat system, and nothing more. (This is somewhat similar to chat systems included with programs like IRC, AIM, or ICQ.) Long-term goals include audio, video, UDP messaging, and e-mail and web integration.

Why?

Sure, there are plenty of messaging apps out there. I mostly wrote this for fun, and to practice (and improve on) my C++ skills. IPTalk is somewhat unique in that it is a *true* peer-to-peer system, and doesn't rely on any kind of server to establish connections. This also makes it very hard to use for most people, though, as right now you need to know the IP address (or Hostname) of the machine you're trying to connect to.

If you're a developer, feel free to download the source code, hack it to pieces, and criticize my C++coding abilities. If you would like to make suggestions, contribute, or otherwise do something positive, please contact me via e-mail. If IPTalk turns out to be a useful communications system that would be cool. Right now, BeOS is my development platform of choice, and I will probably stay that way. (I am open to the idea of porting this system to additional platforms, though.)

How it works:

You can use IPTalk to establish a "live" text-based chat session between two computers. First, make sure IPTalk is running on both machines, and that the machines are both connected to an IP network. (You should be able to ping the remote machine and vice-versa.) Either end can initiate a connection. Simply click 'New Session', enter the IP Address or Hostname in the 'Connect to:' box, and click 'Connect.' A new 'Chat Session' window will be spawned on the remote machine automatically. IPTalk imposes no limit on the number of simultaneous connections you can have.

Bugs:

I wrote this program in less than a day. There are probably bugs. However, chat sessions seem to be stable. Anyway, the code is probably very messy, but hopefully someone will find it helpful if not entertaining. I will definitely try to improve this situation in future versions. Tell me what works for you and what doesn't.

I figured if I was going to make a proprietary communications system, I might as well make it open-source. Right now, the app binds to port 5038 on every available interface, and listens for incoming TCP connections. Outgoing connections can be made on any port, but it won't do you much good. :) Plenty of changes will need to be made to accommodate new features, so expect compatibility to break in future major versions.

The road ahead:

* Live, low-latency audio communication using vorbis audio packets, delivering FM-quality audio over normal analog modem connections, targeting bandwidths from 22kbit and up.
* Active echo cancellation using FFT de-convolution.
* Live, low-latency, full-motion video communication using a proprietary video compression scheme that I am working on. Delivering 320x240 video at 15 FPS on bandwidths from 128kbit and up.
* Remote Desktop

Synapse, anyone? :)

I may choose to implement some of these features as closed-sourced, open-API shared libraries, or put them into another project altogether. So shoot me.


Details about this version:

Version 1.0 implements a simple text-based chat system, and nothing more.

You *need* to know the IP Address (or Hostname) of the person you're gonna connect to.

Feel free to use the "Comments" link at the top-left of this page for general questions and development discussions. I will try to participate regularly. (I check my e-mail every fews days, too.)

License:

GPL

Submitted On:

27 Jul 2008

Submitted By:

Karl vom Dorff (karl)

File Date:

01 Jun 2001

File Author:

Kevin H. Patterson

File Version:

1.0

File Size:

54.36 Kb

File Type:

zip

File HomePage:

Click to visit site

Downloads:

0

Rating:

Total Votes:0