Local server capable of supporting ICQ clients

[Robb]

I'm trying to find a server I can install and run on our lan that will allow us to use a more
current version of ICQ. We are currently using ICQ Groupware Client and Server but it is beginning
to flake out more and more with each windows OS. Development for this version of ICQ stopped back in
the 90's.

I have tried many many many different IM solutions. All the ones I've tried fall way short of even
what this ancient version of ICQ offers. The biggest being "Don't automatically pop up a message on
the recipient's computer!" To digress, this one amazes me. I can't see why you would ever want
messages sent to you to just open up on your screen without your approval, much less that being the
default, and in most cases, the ONLY option. You may be away from your computer, the message may
contain sensitive information, etc. Yet the only other IM solution I've found that at least gives
you the option to disable this is Miranda and in my opinion Miranda's user interface and
functionality falls way short of even the 1990's groupware version of ICQ.

And from a business standpoint using a public/private outside server (such as ICQ's servers) are not
plausible. Aside from the security, spam, proxy, firewall, and configuration issues involved with an
outside server, the last thing we would want is to give our employees the ability to chat with all
their friends and relatives in the entire world on company time.

So, does anyone know of a solution that will allow us to run current (or at least newer) versions of
ICQ on a closed lan? (or something better that I somehow just haven't stumbled across yet?)

Thanks,
Robb

[Maksym Kozub]

Robb wrote:

R> I'm trying to find a server I can install and run on our lan that will allow us to use a more
R> current version of ICQ.

R> ...Yet the only other IM solution I've found that at least gives
R> you the option to disable this is Miranda and in my opinion
R> Miranda's user interface and functionality falls way short of even
R> the 1990's groupware version of ICQ.

Everybody has his or her own preferences with regard to interfaces.
However, I would not agree with you about Miranda's functionality.
It's just designed diferently, i.e. in a modular way. With its
plugins, Miranda enables you to do a lot of things which any native
ICQ client won't.

Anyway, my question is not about that. Which sort of _server_ you
considered when considering Miranda? It is only a client for sveral IM
protocols, and if my understanding is correct, you are unhappy with
both client _and_ server...

Regards,
Maksym

[Robb]

Post by Maksym Kozub
R> I'm trying to find a server I can install and run on our lan that will allow us to use a more
R> current version of ICQ.
R> ...Yet the only other IM solution I've found that at least gives
R> you the option to disable this is Miranda and in my opinion
R> Miranda's user interface and functionality falls way short of even
R> the 1990's groupware version of ICQ.
Everybody has his or her own preferences with regard to interfaces.
However, I would not agree with you about Miranda's functionality.
It's just designed diferently, i.e. in a modular way. With its
plugins, Miranda enables you to do a lot of things which any native
ICQ client won't.
Anyway, my question is not about that. Which sort of _server_ you
considered when considering Miranda? It is only a client for sveral IM
protocols, and if my understanding is correct, you are unhappy with
both client _and_ server...
Regards,
Maksym

I don't see a problem with a server unless it has issues (crashing, sluggish speed, etc) Other than
that it would be invisible, no? The server I tried with Miranda was a jabber server I believe. I
tried it with the Wildfire server, which I had originally tried along with the Spark client (I think
it was called Spark)

What I am looking for in a client
1. a search that presents the user a list of all users on the server to aid in building a contact
list.
2. iconic notification next to anyone in the contact list who has sent an unread message
(messages that pop up on client machines automatically are a deal breaker for sure)
3. history per contact
4. ability to send messages whether recipient is online or not.
5. ability to send files
Whiteboarding would be awesome but we don't have that now so it wouldn't be a dealbreaker to not
have it.

I had heard about the modularity of Miranda but I was unable to do anything with it. Maybe it was
just the particular module I tried adding. After installing miranda client I tried adding the module
to add emoticons. I downloaded the module and found no instructions at all on what to do with it. It
appeared to be source code that a programmer would use to rebuild a client? (guessing here) I
eventually gave up trying to figure it out and went back to the internet (and ultimately here) to
continue searching.

Robb