ChatZilla

Last updated
ChatZilla
Developer(s) James Ross, Robert Ginda, Samuel Sieb, Gijs Kruitbosch
Final release 0.9.93 (November 8, 2016;7 years ago (2016-11-08) [1] ) [±]
Repository
Written in JavaScript, XUL
Platform Mozilla Firefox
Available in9 languages
List of languages
Catalan, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
Type IRC client
License MPL-2.0 [2]
Website chatzilla.hacksrus.com

ChatZilla is an IRC client that is part of SeaMonkey. It was previously an extension for Mozilla-based browsers such as Firefox, introduced in 2000. It is cross-platform open source software which has been noted for its consistent appearance across platforms, CSS appearance customization and scripting.

Contents

Early history

On April 20, 1999, it was reported that Mozilla, at the time the open-source arm of AOL's Netscape Communications division, had announced the commencement of "an instant messaging and chat project with the stated goal of supporting a wide variety of chat protocols, including "the venerable Internet Relay Chat". Other companies were also developing chat systems. "'We recognize that there's a lot of interest in the instant messaging space,' said AOL spokesperson Catherine Corre, referring to the Mozilla project. 'This is a recognition of the interest in that area.'" [3] At the time, the new chat client proposal was reported as being "competition" to AOL's own AOL Instant Messenger chat client, and on April 21, 1999, the announcement was rescinded "pending further review by Netscape." [4] [5] Independently, programmer Robert Ginda developed an IRC client and submitted it to the Mozilla project, which as of September 1999 planned to introduce it with the planned release of Mozilla browser. [6] Named "ChatZilla", the client was available in development form in May 2000 for the Netscape 6.01 browser, and Mozilla 0.8. [7] [8] [9] [10]

Features

ChatZilla runs on any platform on which SeaMonkey can run, including OS X, Linux, and Microsoft Windows, and provides a "consistent user interface across the board." [11] It can also be used as a standalone app using XULRunner. [12] [13]

It contains most general features of IRC clients, including connecting to multiple servers at once, maintaining a built-in list of standard networks, searching and sorting of available channels, chat logging, Direct Client-to-Client ("DCC") chat and file transfers, and user customization of the interface. [10] [14] ChatZilla includes automatic completion of nicknames with the Tab key, and appends a comma if the nickname is the first word on a line. [15] It also provides completion of /commands with the Tab key, and a "quick double-Tab" presents a list of available commands based on what's been typed so far. [16] The text entry window can be "single line", in which the Enter key sends the composed text, or "multiline" in which allows composing larger text sections with line breaks, and the Ctrl-Enter key combo sends the text block. [17] JavaScript is used for running scripts [18] and messages are styled with CSS, [19] which can be controlled by the user: by selecting from the View menu, dragging a link to a .css file to the message window, or with the /motif command. [20] DCC is supported which allows users to transfer files and chat directly between one another. [21] The sender of each message is shown to the left of the text as a link—clicking the link opens a private chat window to that user. [16]

ChatZilla is included with SeaMonkey [22] [23] and was available for download to other Mozilla-based browsers such as Firefox as an extension. [24] It could also be run in a tab in Firefox. [25]

Plugins

ChatZilla offers many plugins, which extend the functionality in the user-experience of the add-on. [26]

Some of these plugins include:

WebExtension

The introduction of Firefox Quantum (version 57) has dropped the support of legacy add-ons that utilized XUL and XPCOM, and so has stopped ChatZilla from working inside Firefox thereafeter. [27] Work has begun to move the code to a WebExtension. [28]

Reception

Reviews of ChatZilla have varied from enthusiastic, in the case of users familiar with IRC, to unimpressed, for reviewers more accustomed to other chat client user interfaces. A 2003 review in Computers for Doctors of Mozilla 1.0, referred to IRC client applications as "not very user-friendly, and the same goes for ChatZilla. You won't find any pop-up icons, or happy little noises telling you somebody wants to chat." [29] In 2004, Jennifer Golbeck, writing in IRC Hacks, pointed out its cross-platform consistency, and found it "quick and easy to start using", [11] and has "great support for changing the appearance of chat windows with motifs...(CSS files)." [17]

In a 2008 overview of extensions for Firefox in Linux Journal, Dan Sawyer described ChatZilla as an "oldie-but-goodie", "venerable", "with all the trimmings", "handsomely organizes chat channels, logs, has an extensive built-in list of available channels, supports DCC chats and file transfers, and has its own plugin and theming architecture." The application "implements all the standards very well, and for those who prefer to keep desktop clutter to a minimum but still enjoy fighting with random strangers on IRC, ChatZilla is a must-have." [30]

Forks

Ambassador

Ambassador is a fork of ChatZilla compatible with Pale Moon, Basilisk, and Interlink Mail & News. [31]

See also

Related Research Articles

Netscape Communications Corporation was an American independent computer services company with headquarters in Mountain View, California, and then Dulles, Virginia. Its Netscape web browser was once dominant but lost to Internet Explorer and other competitors in the so-called first browser war, with its market share falling from more than 90 percent in the mid-1990s to less than one percent in 2006. An early Netscape employee, Brendan Eich, created the JavaScript programming language, the most widely used language for client-side scripting of web pages. A founding engineer of Netscape, Lou Montulli, created HTTP cookies. The company also developed SSL which was used for securing online communications before its successor TLS took over.

Gecko is a browser engine developed by Mozilla. It is used in the Firefox browser, the Thunderbird email client, and many other projects.

XUL, which stands for XML User Interface Language, is a user interface markup language developed by Mozilla. XUL is an XML dialect for writing graphical user interfaces, enabling developers to write user interface elements in a manner similar to web pages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mozilla Thunderbird</span> Free and open-source email client by Mozilla

Mozilla Thunderbird is free and open-source email client software which also functions as a full personal information manager with a calendar and contactbook, as well as an RSS feed reader, chat client (IRC/XMPP/Matrix), and news client. Available cross-platform, it is operated by the Mozilla Foundation's subsidiary MZLA Technologies Corporation. Thunderbird is an independent, community-driven project that is managed and overseen by the Thunderbird Council, which is elected by the Thunderbird Community. The project strategy was originally modeled after that of Mozilla's Firefox Web browser and is an interface built on top of that Web browser.

This is a comparison of both historical and current web browsers based on developer, engine, platform(s), releases, license, and cost.

Mozilla Firefox has features which distinguish it from other web browsers, such as Google Chrome, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SeaMonkey</span> Internet suite

SeaMonkey is a free and open-source Internet suite. It is the continuation of the former Mozilla Application Suite, based on the same source code, which itself grew out of Netscape Communicator and formed the base of Netscape 6 and Netscape 7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netscape 7</span> Discontinued internet suite

Netscape 7 is a discontinued Internet suite developed by Netscape Communications Corporation, and was the seventh major release of the Netscape series of browsers. It is the successor of Netscape 6, and was developed in-house by AOL. It was released on August 29, 2002 and is based on Mozilla Application Suite 1.0.

The history of the Mozilla Application Suite began with the release of the source code of the Netscape suite as an open source project. Going through years of hard work, Mozilla 1.0 was eventually released on June 5, 2002. Its backend code base, most notably the Gecko layout engine, has become the foundation of a number of applications based on Mozilla, including the Mozilla Foundation's flagship product Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird. While the suite is no longer a formal Mozilla product, its development and maintenance is continued as the SeaMonkey community project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mozilla Application Suite</span> Discontinued Internet suite

The Mozilla Application Suite is a discontinued cross-platform integrated Internet suite. Its development was initiated by Netscape Communications Corporation, before their acquisition by AOL. It was based on the source code of Netscape Communicator. The development was spearheaded by the Mozilla Organization from 1998 to 2003, and by the Mozilla Foundation from 2003 to 2006.

The Mozilla application framework is a collection of cross-platform software components that make up the Mozilla applications. It was originally known as XPFE, an abbreviation of cross-platform front end. It was also known as XPToolkit. To avoid confusion, it is now referred to as the Mozilla application framework.

The following tables compare general and technical information between a number of notable IRC client programs which have been discussed in independent, reliable prior published sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flock (web browser)</span> Discontinued web browser integrating social networking and Web 2.0 features

Flock is a discontinued web browser that specialized in providing social networking and Web 2.0 facilities built into its user interface. Earlier versions of Flock used the Gecko HTML rendering engine by Mozilla. Version 2.6.2, released on January 27, 2011, was the last version based on Mozilla Firefox. Starting with version 3, Flock was based on Chromium and so used the WebKit rendering engine. Flock was available as a free download, and supported Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and, at one time, Linux as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debian–Mozilla trademark dispute</span> Mozilla-derived software for Debian like Iceweasel, Iceowl, etc.

In 2006, a branding issue developed when Mike Connor, representing the Mozilla Corporation, requested that the Debian Project comply with Mozilla standards for use of the Thunderbird trademark when redistributing the Thunderbird software. At issue were modifications not approved by the Mozilla Foundation, when the name for the software remained the same.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netscape (web browser)</span> Family of web browsers

The Netscape web browser is the general name for a series of web browsers formerly produced by Netscape Communications Corporation, which eventually became a subsidiary of AOL. The original browser was once the dominant browser in terms of usage share, but as a result of the first browser war, it lost virtually all of its share to Internet Explorer due to Microsoft's anti-competitive bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netscape Navigator 9</span> Last version of the classic web browser, essentially rebranded Firefox

Netscape Navigator 9 is a discontinued web browser that was produced by the Netscape Communications division of parent AOL, first announced on January 23, 2007. It was the ninth major release of the Netscape line of browsers. After AOL outsourced the development of Netscape Browser 8 to Mercurial Communications in 2004, Netscape Navigator 9 marked the first Netscape browser to be produced in-house since the Netscape 7 suite. It also saw the return of the classic Navigator name, which was previously used during Netscape's heyday between versions 1.0 and 4.08 in the 1990s. Netscape Navigator 9 is based on Mozilla Firefox 2.0.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Instantbird</span> Cross-platform instant messaging client

Instantbird is a discontinued cross-platform instant messaging client based on Mozilla's XULRunner and the open-source library libpurple used in Pidgin. Instantbird is free software available under the GNU General Public License. Over 250 add-ons allow user customization of, and addition of, features. On October 18, 2017, Florian Quèze announced that "... we are stopping development of Instantbird as a standalone product."

Firefox was created by Dave Hyatt and Blake Ross as an experimental branch of the Mozilla browser, first released as Firefox 1.0 on November 9, 2004. Starting with version 5.0, a rapid release cycle was put into effect, resulting in a new major version release every six weeks. This was gradually accelerated further in late 2019, so that new major releases occur on four-week cycles starting in 2020.

Mozilla is a free software community founded in 1998 by members of Netscape. The Mozilla community uses, develops, publishes and supports Mozilla products, thereby promoting exclusively free software and open standards, with only minor exceptions. The community is supported institutionally by the non-profit Mozilla Foundation and its tax-paying subsidiary, the Mozilla Corporation.

References

  1. ↑ "ChatZilla :: Versions :: Add-ons for Firefox" . Retrieved 2016-11-11.
  2. ↑ Mozilla Project Licensing Archived 2014-09-04 at the Wayback Machine Mozilla.org
  3. ↑ Festa, Paul (April 20, 1999). "Mozilla develops chat/messaging software". CNET News.
  4. ↑ "Instant Messaging and Chat in Mozilla". Mozilla.org. April 21, 2008.
  5. ↑ Festa, Paul (April 21, 1999). "Mozilla yanks chat proposal". CNET News.
  6. ↑ Festa, Paul (September 9, 1999). "Mozilla's messenger may compete with AIM, others". CNET News.
  7. ↑ "IRC in Mozilla, aka ChatZilla". mozilla.org. Mozilla Organization. May 18, 2000. Archived from the original on 2000-08-15. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
  8. ↑ Festa, Paul (May 15, 2000). "AOL instant messaging efforts may be at cross purposes". CNET News. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
  9. ↑ "Revision history". hacksrus.com. 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-03-25. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
  10. 1 2 "ChatZilla! Official website". hacksrus.com. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
  11. 1 2 Golbeck, Jennifer (2004). "Hack #4, IRC with Chatzilla". In Mutton, Paul (ed.). IRC Hacks:100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools. O'Reilly Media. p. 16. ISBN   978-0-596-00687-7.
  12. ↑ Reyes, Mel (2005). Hacking Firefox: more than 150 hacks, mods, and customizations.. John Wiley & Sons, p. 317. ISBN   978-0-7645-9650-6.
  13. ↑ "ChatZilla on XULRunner". RDMSoft.com. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
  14. ↑ Fedora Documentation Project (2009). Fedora 12 User Guide. Fultus Corporation. p. 71. ISBN   978-1-59682-180-4.
  15. ↑ Jolly, Steve (2004). "Hack 17: Automatic Completion of Nicknamese". In Mutton, Paul (ed.). IRC Hacks:100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools. O'Reilly Media. p. 64. ISBN   978-0-596-00687-7.
  16. 1 2 Golbeck, p. 18.
  17. 1 2 Golbeck, p. 19.
  18. ↑ "ChatZilla FAQ - How do I write scripts?". hacksrus.com. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
  19. ↑ "ChatZilla FAQ - How do I make my own motif to change the appearance of the message area?". chatzilla.hacksrus.com. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
  20. ↑ Golbeck, p. 20.
  21. ↑ "ChatZilla FAQ - How do I use DCC for file transfer and chat?". chatzilla.hacksrus.com. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
  22. ↑ Alderman, Nathan (February 29, 2008). "Review: SeaMonkey 1.1.8 for the Mac". Computer World.
  23. ↑ "SeaMonkey: Features" . Retrieved 2009-09-10.
  24. ↑ "ChatZilla – Add-ons for Firefox". 22 May 2018. Archived from the original on 22 May 2018.
  25. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions - ChatZilla". hacksrus.com.
  26. ↑ Marshall, Rob. "ChatZilla Plugins" . Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  27. ↑ "Home". ChatZilla. 2017-11-15. Archived from the original on 2020-03-15.
  28. ↑ "1322442 Convert ChatZilla to a WebExtension". Bugzilla.
  29. ↑ Thacker, Naveen, ed. (2003). Computers for Doctors. India: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers. ISBN   978-81-8061-176-6. Archived from the original on 2016-12-21.
  30. ↑ Sawyer, Dan (May 1, 2008). "Must-Have Firefox Extensions". Linux Journal: The Monthly Magazine of the Linux Community (170). LinuxJournal.com. ISSN   1075-3583.
  31. ↑ "Pale Moon - Add-ons - Ambassador". addons.palemoon.org.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.