EChat

When it comes to communication over the web, there is an abundance of solutions that can carry out the job and offer a plethora of extra features to make the entire process a more enjoyable experience.

However, if you’re looking for a very simple solution that can function right out of the box without too much configuration, EChat might just fit the bill.

The application has been created in Java and, as such the runtime environment needs to be installed on the system. It uses a server/client model and relies on the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) to do its job.

The developer makes available both tools, and neither of them requires installation. Simply double-click the file and moments later the interface is deployed.

The server is created automatically and shows all the clients that are currently connected. The only option available is to refresh the list in order to have the latest client information.

As far as the client is concerned, it does not feature too many options, either. It shows the available users in the right hand part of the application window, while in the lower part of the screen it offers the possibility to switch to a different server and to change the nick.

EChat can be used both in LAN and over the web; for the latter option the administrator has to enable port-forwarding in the router and provide the external IP to the clients.

The package is far from being the most feature-rich instant messaging client on the market; but it manages to deliver the basic functionality for carrying the text messages from one user to another.