walkah: jabber

Picking through my email and RSS on a Sunday afternoon, I noticed that jabber.org has finally relaunched using Drupal! I think this is exciting, as it brings together two of my favourite technologies.

I've been peripherally involved in the XSF/jabber.org Drupal initiatives for a few years now. While I wasn't as closely involved in this site launch as I'd hoped to be (due to time constraints), they've definitely got my support and I hope to help this initiative continue to grow!

Congrats Peter and team!

Every year about this time the Drupal community posts predictions for the year ahead. I started a list of things I think will happen, but quickly realized it was really just a personal battle plan. Here's what I plan to blow up (apologies in advance):

• Full OpenID 2.0 support in Drupal. I've been loosely working with Rowan Kerr on this over in Bryght's dev repository. I'd like, ultimately, to see this in core for Drupal 6 and plan to help make sure that Drupal an important tool in the "Identity 2.0" world.
• Increased work on Jabber integration for Drupal as well as helping to grow the ties between the Drupal and Jabber communities. Boris and I have been lending Peter a hand with the xmpp.net site, Boris is on the JSF - things have started. I'd like to help that grow this year.
• Get revamped file handling code in core. Darrell has done some great work with fileapi so far. But, aside from sharing ideas, etc. I've not been as involved on this push as I'd wanted. Let's aim for Drupal 6.
• Abstracted XML parsing / generation. I've mumbled about an 'xml.inc' for a while for core. Code is gold. Time to get this done.
• Help organize and grow the Toronto user group. We're already discussing DrupalCampToronto 2.0...

There's of course a million other issues, bug fixes, smaller features, speaking engagements, training sessions, etc i've got planned for 2007, but that's a pretty good list for now. All in a day's work for drupal-world-domination.com. Go team :)

just picked this up via Om:

Through Ajax, the folks at meebo were able to create a virtual application-like experience within a single web browsing window. meebo integrates a user’s accounts from AIM, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, and ICQ into a single buddy list that is automatically populated upon signing into the meebo web site. Sort of like Trillian/Adium, but in a browser window.

meebo, eh? well, hey guys... how about some jabber support? i'd love to see an elegant, in-browser jabber client right about... now. so, folks - how about it?

UPDATE: I just noticed over on the meebo blog that they're using GAIM (libgaim, I presume) to connect to the IM networks:

We use Apache and Linux (CentOS) on the servers, and connect to the networks through Gaim

not only is my request possible, sounds like it's in the works :)

WOW! so, it's true! there have been various rumblings around the web, but I just in fact was able to log on to talk.google.com using my gmail account info via adium.

what am i talking about? well, for those of you who don't know, the jabber project has been around for several years offering an *open* protocol for instant messaging (amongst other things). i've followed the project for quite a few years now - pretty sure that it was something special. not to take anything away from apple - who's ichat av supports jabber natively as of tiger - but i have a feeling that google's adoption may well be the biggest thing to happen for "consumer jabber". the best part (from my early stance) is that it's actually open, "true" jabber, i can connect with my standard drupal client - no vendor lock-in (although we can presume that google will distribute their own client, no?)

it's all coming at a pretty interesting time since i've been doing a fair bit of tinkering with jabber again lately (yes, it involved drupal and yes, boris i will release it real soon now). what's more, while in Portland (for OSCON) i actually got to meet two of the "big names" from the jabber foundation (namely peter saint-andre and dave "dizzyd" smith) who were interested in drupal albeit for other reasons, hopefully more on that later.

looks like these "open standards", "free software" folks might be on to something...

UPDATE: and the google talk site is now live. very cool