Java is Dead

Oct 24, 2013 | News

I’m going to start off this post with an excerpt from an email I received from the developer of the Java chat software Chat27 & Chat2me utilises. This was after I emailed him, querying the increasing amount of popups and error messages the java chat app was giving us – you might have noticed

Hello JC,

Yes Oracle is killing the Java applets.
There was not many applets running on the web, so they don’t care.
 
As 2014, unsigned applets will be blocked. You will be able to purchase a certificate every year, but that’s too much money for me.
 
Webchats are now in javascript with a dedicated proxy, And for my own webchat, I am considering QwebIRC.
Well there you have it from the horse’s mouth. Java is dead.

How does this impact you, the chatter?

The thing is, Chat27 doesn’t actually RUN any of its own chat rooms. As explained here, we link to servers owned by many private individuals. That’s what makes Chat27 so special – you don’t have to go dig around for each chat room, they’re all right here!
With Java, we can install the software that connects you to the chat room, right on our own server. No mess. No fuss. Without Java, we will require the owners of the chat rooms and/or servers to install new software on their OWN servers… and not everybody has the expertise for that kind of thing.
So as of 2014, only chat rooms/servers that have the required software installed on their side will be listed on Chat27, essentially halving our already dwindling list of chat rooms.
Chat rooms that will be removed are indicated by a  in the chat room list, and chat rooms that are safe have a green  next to it. We’ll update the indicators as things change, there are still a few months before 2014 after all :).

Chatters: Please tell your chat room owners about this development!!

IMPORTANT: Chat Room/Server Owners:

[UPDATE: 2013/11/27]


The simplest way to make sure you chat rooms stays listed by 1 January 2014:  Install the LightIRC Policy on your irc server so we can connect to you via LightIRC,  or move to Atrum or NewdawnIRC .

When you’ve done either of these, please email jc@chatsouthafrica.co.za so that we can be sure to update your room on our website.

* We’ll add to this list as it grows.

 


Chat room/server owners on the Atrum network are sorted. Atrum uses CGIIRC for non-Java connections.

NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT: As of January 2014, all chat rooms that aren’t on Atrum, or don’t use a non-Java method for connection via Chat27 will have to be removed. Java just won’t connect any more. I definitely suggest CGIIRC or QwebIRC as it is fast and user friendly (for the end user). I (JC, Chat27 owner) will be able to provide VERY limited support in regards to the installation of the CGIIRC, as I’m a graphic designer, not a programmer or server administrator. I have no idea how these programs work. Also have a look at LightIRC! We will not accept any Mibbit chat rooms/links.

Unfortunately some chat rooms have relied heavily on chat27 for their traffic. For those not on Atrum or ZAIRC, the options are to install QwebIRC on your server network, or to move your room to Atrum or ZAIRC. This sounds very harsh, and normally I’d do anything possible to make the transfer as painless as possible, but in this case there just isn’t much I can do. Once/if you manage to get the software installed, email me, and we’ll take it from there.

The future of IRC

I won’t lie to you. Chat27 started off as an exclusively Java chat site. The fact that Java won’t work any more worries me, as IRC in general is already dying a slow death, and this Java issue further impedes possibilities for growth. With facebook, dating sites, twitter, whatsapp and a million other ways for people to connect, is there still room for the classic chat format? Let me know in the comments below.

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