Willing to make instant message hack, but first..

I think the instant message hack won't be very difficult, and a very cool feature!

I was thinking of an hidden frame which refreshes every x seconds and which checks if a user has any messages waiting...

BUT a few questions before I begin:

- Which fields should a table for this feature have? I was thinking of: ID, fromUserID, toUserID, timestamp, subject and message
- Should I limit the amount of messages in a table? Or just save 'em all? If the first option: How? -> Every time one is added, the oldes wil get out? (FIFO) or let the user click a button which will delete the message (not very good I think, what if the user doesn't..)

Tell me what you think!

hmm...

I came up with an idea; This could very well be integrated with the private-message hack...Then you'll only have to make the hidden frame which checks if it has any messages waiting, if so -> popup a window with the message in it...

I'm just brainstorming, maybe someone has some ideas too about this?

The main problem with this is server strain. I've been working on an instant message service for our site, and so far every incarnation has consumed a great deal of server resources when a dozen or so users is simulated to be using the service.

However, my new version will is going to be using a different port than the server and will be java based, so it'll be no use to anyone who doesn't have control of server that hosts their site.

If you're going to integrate it into the PM, then it isn't an instant message system. It's just the PM that refreshes X amount of seconds and if a new message is found, a pop-up appears. So its just PM with an added feature.

For whatever it is worth, there's a little gadget out called "Internet Rendezvous" that is kind of a "background IM" for whatever webpage you happen to be on at the moment. (Get it at http://www.getir.com )

IR follows you as you surf around, showing you who else at the current site has IR running and providing a means to either publicly chat with them as a group or send private IM's to an individual. You can also add them to your "buddy list".

I.e. if you and I happened to be reading this page at the same time, and we both had the IR app running, it would let both of us know that we are here and let us strike up a live conversation about the topic (or whatever).

This struck me as a really kool gizmo that could be a source of inspiration for some of you more advanced hackers. Maybe you could somehow adapt the idea of it to VB. (I have no connection to the company that produces IR.)