[JDEV] Jabber and WDDX

[Luis Sala]

Hi I just joined the list and I'm interested in working on any Java code you
guys have out there. But first I wanted to mention that Microsoft has
published their MSN Messenger spec and it outlines not just their protocol,
but it hints at what their server architecture looks like. The draft can be
found here:
http://search.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-movva-msn-messenger-protocol-00
.txt

John Price's email made me think about the use of XML and I have similar
concerns.

> But I don't understand the use of XML for ALL your server/client
> messages.  I can understand it's use for the message itself.  It
> would facilitate changes in font, color, etc. but why use it for
> everything?  Seems like it would really increase the processing time
> to parse all that...

I agree, I would hate to have a full XML parser library reside on the
client, when a quick and dirty parser would do.

>
> Are you planning on encrypting the password on login?
>

MSN uses an MD5 Hash of the concatenation of a server-provided sessionID and
the user password.

> What about encrypted messages?  Will that be possible?
>
> What kind of data will be stored for all users?
>
> One thing I really wanted to have with my system is a way for the
> server to store most, if not all, the users configuration (client
> list at least) so that when the user decides to install another
> client on another machine, he/she does not have to remember all
> their contacts.  Or even if I go to a friend's house, and I want to
> login as me on his machine...  And why not allow two or more clients
> to run on the same machine, logged in as two users (say, if I'm at my
> friend's house, and we both want to be available for chat).
>

MSN uses a simple versioning system by which Acess Lists, Block Lists, and
Reverse Lists are stored by the server and uploaded to the client when the
versions differ.

I want to learn more about Jabber and the proposed implementation. I'll be
digging around the docs and the code and, if I have the time, I'll be
writing a Java implementation of the MSN protocol that I'll gladly submit
when I finish it.

Laters,

-- Luis