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POWhat instant messaging system would you use, to extend a website with a secure 1:1 chat with their customer services representative?
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copied!<p>I need to implement a chat system for a website, so that customers of the can talk to their customer services representatives one-on-one online over the website.</p> <p>So what I need is a system which does:</p> <ul> <li>Shows a list of representatives in the browser, with status indicating if they're online or not</li> <li>Allows the user to open a chat with a representative; probably the user is presented with a new screen or pop-up where they can chat.</li> <li>The website is HTTP but the chat needs to be HTTPS therefore I guess having an overlay on the exitsing screen, to do the chat, e.g. like Facebook does it, isn't really plausible</li> <li>The manager needs some application or website where they can log on, and chat to their customers.</li> <li>Obviously I would prefer an open-source solution if possible.</li> <li>We are using Java for most things but it doesn't really matter, I wouldn't mind installing a system in another technology if necessary.</li> </ul> <p>What I've considered so far is:</p> <ul> <li>Using Jabber/XMPP, communicating over HTTPS using an AJAX client; there are plenty out there, I'm not sure which is best, perhaps <a href="http://blog.jwchat.org/" rel="nofollow">JWChat</a> (<a href="http://ostatic.com/files/images/jwchat_image_3.jpg" rel="nofollow">screenshot</a>). This would have the advantage that a bank manager could use a desktop client (e.g. Windows client) if they preferred, that might have nicer UI if they're using it all day.</li> <li>"irc" is also an open protocol, there are no doubt many client implementations available; however I assume there's no way to comply with the security requirement that HTTPS (or perhaps some other secure protocol) is used.</li> <li>I do a lot of GWT programming and in the book "GWT Applications" there is a simple instant messaging client implementation (<a href="http://messenger.gwtapps.com/" rel="nofollow">demo</a>). Perhaps I could just roll my own in a similar style?</li> </ul> <p>My questions:</p> <ul> <li>What approaches have I not considered?</li> <li>What approach would you take? e.g. software which you've used which worked for you?</li> <li>If you were to e.g. use Jabber/XMPP (without further information, I'm sort of leaning to that solution..) which AJAX client would you consider?</li> </ul>

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