====== Some thoughts and links about prototyping/developing a text-UI instant messenger ======

  * UI with [[http://www.clifford.at/stfl/|STFL]]
  * use libgaim as protocol stack

===== Prototype =====

  * Purpose:
    * find out whether it's feasible
    * find out how the general design could be done, how much effort it is
    * find out how the overall performance would be
    * experiment with different possible user interfaces
  * write prototype in Ruby
  * regarding protocol support in prototype:
    * support only Jabber? (via XMPP4R)
    * or support more than one protocol via libgaim? (Ruby libgaim wrapper would be necessary)

===== Actual development =====

  * Based on the findings from the prototype, it can be decided:
    * Ruby or C/C++?
    * libgaim or some other library?
    * ...