[jonwise80]

Well the forums seem to be working again, but it sure was hard to talk to each other without them. I PMed as many of you as I had in my Inbox, but I figured I'd share more broadly, because it was nice to have an alternative...

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webOS SimpleChat is a light-weight message board for webOS, with a corresponding web log.

Launch the app, pick a nickname, and starting sending messages to other webOS users in close-to-real-time (refresh delay is configurable, but defaults to 10 seconds.) The service maintains a log, currently set to 100 messages, so even if you're not online, you won't miss messages.

• Version 0.1.1 - was the initial public release, and was pretty crude. It was easy to accidentally send an incomplete message because of Mojo's weird textbox widget.
• Version 0.2.0 - adds customizable alert sounds, support for self-hosting the service, and works decently on all webOS devices.
• Version 0.3.0 - attempts to correct scrolling behavior
• Version 0.4.0 - community beta for background sync
• Version 0.4.1 - native background sync and notifications, improvements to scrolling behavior
• Version 0.4.2 - fixes a background lifecycle issue that interacted poorly with One Night Stand
• Version 0.5.0 - introduces a content menu for each message, allowing you to copy contents or follow links.
• Version 0.6.x - prep for appID change
• Version 1.0.0 - not-so-simple chat! emoticons, likes, editable history and more!
• Version 1.1.x - integration with Discord (join here), emoji support
• Version 1.2.x - improvements to background sync
• Version 1.3.x - background sync overhaul, I think I've got it this time
• Version 1.4.0 - more Preferences, including enter key behavior, refined background sync and other bug fixes

Originally, it didn't have a background mode (called a Dashboard in Mojo) so it would keep the screen on to refresh. Later versions added, then improved background sync.

You can also view the chatlog in any web browser, or join the chat in Discord from any modern deive.

You can download it from App Museum II, in the Revisionist History section, or from the webOS Archive App Catalog on the web.

Of course everything is open source, and you can easily use the source to host and build your own apps.

[jonwise80]

We've had folks check in on SimpleChat from all around the planet -- Italy, Hungary, England and Poland. Its so cool to see the community alive again...this old Forum seems to be on its last legs.

Since people are using it daily, I decided to put a little more TLC into it, and interested users can beta test a version that includes Background sync and webOS notifications. For some reason, its not as stage-less as Night Moves...I can't figure out why. But the experience is still pretty nice: its neat to hear my TouchPad chime with activity. It feels alive again!

If you haven't installed it yet, check it out on the Museum and join the conversation...

[jonwise80]

0.4.1 - Now with background sync. Thanks beta testers!
Come chat with us!

[jonwise80]

SimpleChat 1.0 is out now!

This is a MEGA update, that has a ton of improvements: emoticons, likes, editable chat history, and much better code for handling the chat log (including parsing links!) Unfortunately, to get access to the built-in emoticons, I had to change the AppId. This means that when you update, you'll have both the new app, and the old one (the new app has a different icon). I highly recommend you delete the old app, since having both will cause problems with notifications. If you were running the beta, installing 1.0 will replace the beta. Thanks for participating in the community -- can't wait to see our more dynamic conversations in 1.0 and beyond!

Download it now!

[jonwise80]

Simple Chat 1.1.x - 1.3.0

Learning about background notifications has been challenging. I initially started working on a service, but you end up having to fire up the app anyway to show any kind of UI, and Palm's "futures" async implementation is... hard. I think I've finally got a pretty smooth experience where the screen doesn't light up, the main stage doesn't load, etc...

I've also integrated with a Discord server. Read more about that and join us.

[jonwise80]

Simple Chat 1.3.x - 1.4.x

Supports rolling your own app, improved background notifications, (most) Discord emojis, more configurable Preferences and much more!

[jonwise80]

SimpleChat has been updated to automatically parse Share Service links.