Chat Server / IRC Server?

[Paperlantern]

I'm looking for a simple chat program to use in a helpdesk setting where the IT dept would have access to a single chatroom where questions could be posed and have all IT folks see those questions and respond to them in real time. Not all of our IT dept is in the same building and geographical location.

I know IRC would fit the bill here but given that not everyone in our IT dept (some are just doc specialists or even a process analyst) is super computer savvy, I'd be open to other solutions, since IRC can sometimes be a little more complicated than just opening a program and going. But right now thats the best Idea I have.

Does anyone else use anything like this that they like or that they know works well.

It would only be for maybe a dozen people to look at at a time and would not be publicly accessible.

 

[_Rick_]

Well, once IRC is set up, it's just one click to connect...
Alternatively there is XMPP, which should support group chats.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd use IRC, and standardize around a Pidgin client. It's as easy as logging into anything else from the client's perspective. Nothing weird to type.

 

[Paperlantern]

I'd use IRC, and standardize around a Pidgin client. It's as easy as logging into anything else from the client's perspective. Nothing weird to type.

Is there a pidgin client for Windows? Ive only ever used Pidgin or seen it on Linux. I was really only posting about the server itself, just wondering what would be best to use.

I am still leaning towards IRC at this point.

 

[lxskllr]

Is there a pidgin client for Windows?

Yea, that's a reason I suggested it. It's on all the major desktop O/Ss, and there's no legal issues with using it in a business setting.

Edit:
It appears OSX isn't exactly a PnP install. You have to compile it for that platform. Not the worst thing in the world, but not ideal. For that platform, Pidgin recommends Adium. I have no personal experience with that.

http://adium.im/

 

[bbhaag]

Give Hexchat a try. That's what I use on my machines. It's very similar to mIRC but free which is nice.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I tinkered a bit with a couple of IRCd maybe 10-15 years ago. Once you get it all set up, it's pretty low maintenance. I wouldn't recommend a client like BitchX for anybody who's not comfortable with a command line, but, pretty much any windows based irc client should do what you want pretty easily...

 

[bbhaag]

Is there a pidgin client for Windows? Ive only ever used Pidgin or seen it on Linux. I was really only posting about the server itself, just wondering what would be best to use.

I am still leaning towards IRC at this point.

Freenode or Efnet are really good servers to use. Freenode actually bucked the IRC trend over the last decade and gained users in 2012.

 

[ViviTheMage]

we use a jabber server with pidgin clients ...

 

[Paperlantern]

we use a jabber server with pidgin clients ...

Is this something that can create discussion rooms that are permanent, or is that just a IM client? I dont want an IM client, there needs to be a communal room where people can pose questions to the group. Not just one person at a time.

 

[_Rick_]

Is this something that can create discussion rooms that are permanent, or is that just a IM client? I dont want an IM client, there needs to be a communal room where people can pose questions to the group. Not just one person at a time.

From the Wikipedia article on XMPP (of which jabber is an implementation)

"Flexibility
Custom functionality can be built on top of XMPP; to maintain interoperability, common extensions are managed by the XMPP Standards Foundation. XMPP applications beyond IM include groupchat, network management, content syndication, collaboration tools, file sharing, gaming, remote systems control and monitoring, geolocation, middleware and cloud computing, VoIP and Identity services."

Pick a Jabber server from these, according to your needs:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_XMPP_server_software