Webbsyte Chat *nix/Windows / News: Recent posts

wchat *nix is going to be stalled for a while, until I get a new project started and a test version released.

The new project WILL be sponsored on SourceForge.net, more details about it to come...

lattera

We are going to be releasing wchat *nix 2.3.0 this week. There is one new thing: a password hashing function to store passwords securely. Also, I've added a ping routine, so that you can check to see if users are actually responding. There is also a couple bug fixes, and better yet code.

Look out for version 2.3.0, which will be released by Friday, March 14, 2003.

lattera

Well, instead of one real password and one hint password being sent to encrypt stuff, we now send two hint passwords.

This is nice, because no one can use those "keys" to decrypt. Not even half-way decrypt.

I have been working on getting the encryption better. Did it finally. We know use two encryption passwords (both random). We send one encryption password, and one password hint to a client upon connect. Therefore, we aren't sending all of the encryption keys, only one REAL encryption key.

We still use XOR, but that's going to be changing (version 3.0.0).

This new method makes it so that eavesdroppers can half-decrypt the message. The message is encrypted twice, so once they decrypt once, they will get another encrypted form of the message.... read more

Well, there is a new version out, 1.3.4. The client and the server programs are going to lie to you, and say they are version 1.3.3, but it's a lie.

New stuff:
Server:
Nothing

Client:
ability to specify hostnames, not just IPs.

Changed stuff:
Server:
Nothing

Client:
Connection info

Well, I have been working on many bug fixes and additions. One GREAT addition is random encryption passwords. These passwords are generated during server startup, and are sent to each client that is connecting.

I stayed up the WHOLE night getting random passwords and the encryption algo to work together (I actually had to change just ONE thing in the source).

If you don't want random passwords, then edit "./include/crypto/functs.h" and set RANDKEY to 0.... read more

We are at the point we wished to be for version 1.0.0. Version 1.0.0 will be released in a couple days, so that the programmers can have a bit of a break (just me, lattera, lol).

New features:
user lists

Changed features:
quitting (client-side)

---
Features for version 1.1.0
Multiple chat rooms
whois
More to come

Some stuff was not changed in the first release of wchat *nix (version 0.1.0), so we have decided to release another version (0.1.1).
- - -
The changes include:
more commands (client-side) (help, version, clear)
better handling of other messages (client-side)
IP address checking, instead of the IP being "127.0.0.1" (client side)
- - -
Next version changes (not finalized):
Daemon-able, log-able (server)
Encryption/Decryption (client/server)
More commands (client)
User database (server)

Wchat *nix has been completely redone many, many times to reflect new programming techniques. We are currently in the process of:

Creating a daemon-able/log-able server
Creating a new encrypted client (XOR/mod 255 encryption)
Creating our own functions for use with user input/output
New protocols for client/server communication
---
We will be releasing a new version some time this week, we are finalizing our functions and commenting our code (so that other developers can know why we did what we did).... read more

Wchat Windows 0.9.0 has been released today. I have fixed countless bugs, added features, and added a basic user listing area.

This new version is stable to my knowledge, if you encounter a bug, please read the "Readme" file.

This setup includes BOTH the program files AND the source code. You have the availability to chose one or the other.

We decided to COMPLETELY redo wchat *nix. Instead of using the TCP protocol, we are now using ICMP. Details of the specifics of operation will be in the docs section within the next week or two.

Our new *nix version (wchat 0.3.0 *nix) is now WAY more safer. It will include XOR encryption (not yet, as we are getting framework done), ICMP random sequence number (doesn't make it more secure, just more confusing), and our own ICMP type (33 and 32 (read the docs for more info)).... read more

Well, we finaly made some progress. We added XOR encryption (you can set the password in the client/server options).

We got some IRC-like commands in. /me, /clear, and /nick work.

Webbsyte Chat MDI 0.4.2 has been released. This is the one without the virus (win95.CIH).

I have cleaned my whole computer (including the BIOS) from the win95.CIH virus.

This version includes bug fixes with encryption.

The setup includes both the sources and the program files. I will be using the same type of setup each time, just replacing files when there is a new release to come.

I know you guys are probably a bit cautious downloading now that I have gotten a virus. Don't be. I've removed it totally. I'm sorry that happened. I had no clue until my friend told me.

DO NOT DOWNLOAD "Wchat MDI 0.4.0" AS IT MAY HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH THE CHERNOBOL VIRUS. I HAVE BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THIS AND I HAVE REMOVED THE VIRUS FROM MY SYSTEM.

I will upload a new version tonight with the new fix. It also includes some bug fixes and code added too.

Regaurding my system, it was infected with the Chernobol 1003a virus. I was alerted today that my computer was infected. I purchased a virus scanner, installed it, and cleaned my system. Any further releases should now NOT have a virus in it.... read more

I see that people are probably getting confused. People are downloading the first version of Webbsyte Chat. The older version (Webbsyte Chat 1 and higher) have been discontinued, due to the fact that MDI (Multiple Document Interface) is more popular nowadays.

I urge you to download the MDI version as it is more advanced (yet just as simple to use) than the first version. The first version wasn't even all to great. We were experimenting with creating our own protocols back in the pre-MDI days.... read more

Webbsyte Chat Windows 0.5 was released a little bit too early. Currently, 0.4.0 is the newest release. 0.4.0 now has:

Encryption/decryption
File Transfer ONLY for TEXT files.
A new server interface
User listing for the server (client not implemented, yet)
Configuration for the client and the server.

Development will be stalled for the next week. Shawn will be going on a family trip to Yellow Stone.

After that, the development should be going back to active.

Webbsyte Chat Windows MDI will be out tonight.

There are a couple bugs to work out.

If you find any, ANY, email swebb417@softhome.net

We are starting to make a MS-DOS version of wchat. It'll be based on C using the UNIX code ported to winsock.

There will be one file. When you start up the program, it will ask you whether you want to be either a client or a server, you can choose.

The default port for the first DOS version will be 8001, that way the UNIX version can still use ports 7001-8000. (This is just for new protocols and releases (for the developers sake)).... read more

Sorry for not updating you guys on the development on wchat. My computer is unstable and I'm never sure when it will break next. I do believe I have it in a stable mode right now, hopefully.

Anyway, development will be going back up soon. Our full attention will not be to this project, however. Our developers are working mostly on WebbOS. Due to that fact, the development may be a little slow.

The Windows version is going to be completely rebuilt. We will be having an MDI (Multiple Document Interface) for it soon. I will upload the framework for it soon (within the next month or two).

The Webbsyte Chat *nix package will be updated with new, rhobust code.

We replaced gets() with fgets().

The flaw with the echo command still exists, we still have no clue how to fix this.

For the Webbsyte Chat *nix package, the ftp upload didn't work correctly. Use the next one below.

There is a flaw that exists in Webbsyte Chat *nix that makes it so that the person using the server program cannot talk to the client.

The command is as follows (if you want to try it out): "echo 'whatever' | ./server"

The multi-user part of Webbsyte Chat Windows is available today. You can download the source and the compiled setup.

Download it from http://www.sf.net/projects/wchat

The Webbsyte Developer team will be out of town during June 6th to June 30th. During this time we will not be able to develop any applications.