Irc Java Applet - Easy Access to IRC Support

X-Wes

I've been considering the idea of setting up a web page with an IRC client Java applet. Instead of guiding users through the rather involved process of downloading a client program and using slash-commands to get onto #astahost, a member could simply direct them to a link to click to open this applet. This applet would then automatically connect the user to #astahost on DALnet.

I've begun testing a Java IRC applet called PJIRC. This applet seems to be supported both on Internet Explorer and normal browsers. (The distinction here is that Internet Explorer will use .cab cabinet files instead of standard .jar Java archive files.) More importantly, here are some of the features that sound intriguing:

1. No setup required by user
   
2. Limited to DALnet
   
3. Limited to the Xisto Network channels
   
4. Can be banned by hostmask
   

I'm currently playing around with PJIRC to see whether it's worthwhile. Try the applet out on my webspace here: http://support.wmoy.astahost.com/.

Even if there is ultimately not enough of a demand for this type of thing to be necessary, I'd love to keep this applet up just to make it easier for the general Astahost population to find our channels should they need it. As such, please leave a message below if you can think of anything that should be changed, fixed, or modified right off the bat. Thanks in advance!

I don't mean to double-post, but editing has been disabled...so here goes.

An update: Nakulgupta has been able to give the site a quick run in Internet Explorer. I would assume that he might use Microsoft VM. In any case, he couldn't get the applet to run. If anyone else has a similar problem, or any other problem, I'm definately open to fixes. Meanwhile, I will go and check some of my HTML syntax there, to make sure I didn't make an obvious mistake

Thu Apr 21, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG

Thanks for pointing this out X-Wes. I've been thinking about implementing it for a while. I'd have gone for this other applet (unfortunately shareware) called JIRC - I used to use earlier - but this one seems better & free too Am trying it out in firefox and IE and if all goes well - we have it

Thu Apr 21, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

vizskywalker

Thu Apr 21, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

X-Wes

QUOTE (microscopic)

but this one seems better & free too

[post="29719"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Exactly my reason for using it ^_~ I've seen JIRC, but I tend to shy away from shareware where I can get away with using a free alternative.

QUOTE (vizskywalker)

In IE, the applet ran but could not connect citing "Unable to connect : java.security.AccessControlException : access denied (java.net.SocketPermission irc.dal.net resolve)".  Question, what would be the difference between the IRC channel online and a regular chat program?

[post="29812"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Alright, let's try to tackle this by parts.

--- Long, boring details follow

According to the PJIRC website, the problem with IE can arise under one of two conditions. In one case, the security certificate with which PJIRC is signed is rejected by the user. This means that the user was presented with a dialog box and the user clicked "No". However, since this problem seems to be affecting both of you IE people, I'll assume that you replied "Yes" to any dialogs that appeared. (Correct me on this if I'm making a bad assumption... though I can't imagine why anyone would reject the certificate.)

The other possibility is that I am referring to the Internet Explorer packages in the wrong way. There are packages in .jar format for most browsers running Java. These .jar files come in two varieties described as "signed" and "unsigned". Since we don't have access to dal.net, we use the signed packages to tell the users' browsers that this is safe. However, the .cab files that IE uses contain both the signed and unsigned files. I will be looking into how to force Microsoft VM to use the files in signed mode.

--- End long, boring details

vizskywalker, the differences between using a Java applet to chat on IRC and using a program such as mIRC are rather minimal. The idea is the same: user runs a piece of software, the software connects to the IRC server and channel desired, and the software provides a user-interface for the user. The Java applet is downloaded to the user's computer when the user visits the web page, and this Java applet is run off of the user's computer (inside the browser).

The only major difference between using the Java applet (other than a really different user interface) is that there is no installation needed. You still fetch a program, run the program, and let the program connect your computer to the IRC network. It's just that the program is written in Java.

Well time to see if I can't fix that little IE snafu that has cropped up. Wish me luck!

Fri Apr 22, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

vizskywalker

Fri Apr 22, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

jipman

Fri Apr 22, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG

Fri Apr 22, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

X-Wes

QUOTE (vizskywalker)

Okay, first of all, I didn't install the certificate, I'm going to do another test today where I do (I don't remember why I didn't, but I had a reason).  Second of all, just to make sure, if I am using mIRC and someone uses this Java IRC applet, we will see each other, correct?  And also, if applets can't run network things except on the host system, is there a java application that runs in the background and relays the request for data thorugh ports? (Did that make any sense?)

[post="29915"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Well that explains a fair bit =P Without the certificate, the Java applet is not allowed to connect to other servers (namely Dal.net). Agreeing to the certificate is, unfortunately, a must.

No, there is no application that relays the "stuff". A signed certificate, however, can grant permission for the applet to access other servers and such. The applet itself is just an application that could do all these things, but is limited due to security restrictions. A certificate allows the applet to do such restricted things.

QUOTE (microscopic)

I'm going to get a certificate from Thawte and sign this applet digitally - so the warning will turn up as green and wouldn't scare anyone off.

[post="29920"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

First off, thanks for clarifying the reasoning behind the IRC applet, m^e. You've managed to state my original intention in more precise detail than I thought was even possible ;

Indeed, your idea sounds good--and as with all good ideas, it has been proposed by others as well. A small group of people on the PJIRC forums have suggested a method by which the applet could be signed. The process seems rather involved, so I have been procrastinating in applying it. If you do manage to beat me to the punch, m^e (or anyone else), I hope you'll find their forum topic useful. A link to this topic follows:

http://forum.pjirc.com/viewtopic.php?t=723

If I do manage to get this signage working, I'll be sure to post what I have done. Please feel free to do the same

Sat Apr 23, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

X-Wes

Sat Apr 30, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

vizskywalker

Mon May 2, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG

viz - I keep getting the same error too - it happens with everyone who's behind a proxy. Many of us in fact ARE behind proxies - unknowningly.. mostly becoz of the local ISP's.. For me I can connect if I use the browser on my dial-up server - but NOT from any other system on my LAN which connect through a proxy rerouted through the dial-up server

The problem goes away if you're using Win2k/XP's default Internet Connection Sharing option...

You should understand that this client behaves exactly like mIRC - when you accept the certificate this gets downloaded into your browser cache and runs as an embedded application from there. Whereas mIRC has the options of specifying a proxy, this applet still DOES NOT. So it tries connecting/resolving the IP of dalnet directly and doesnt get any response, resulting in the connection timeout.... Maybe if I've free time, I can look into it.. I'm fairly good with Java myself..

Mon May 2, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

nakulgupta

Fri May 6, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

insanity10117

Fri May 6, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

X-Wes

Fri May 20, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

yungblood

Sat Jun 11, 2005    Reply    New Discussion   

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