Real-Time Text Over Jabber/XMPP/Google Talk 106
mdrejhon writes "Geeks who miss the UNIX 'talk' days, have a new modern savior: XMPP.org has published the new XEP-0301 Real-Time Text standard, which allows streaming text that is continuously transmitted as it is typed or otherwise composed. It allows conversational use of text, where people interactively converse with each other."
Re:What's the advantage? (Score:5, Informative)
Not just a TCP packet, but a mass of XML!
Re:Oh, cool! (Score:4, Informative)
I know. :-)
One thing though, that isn't HTML, it's XML over XMPP. We used a binary code at first for XEP-0301, until I realized XMPP encouraged XML. Our task group chose one-letter XML elements, to save some bandwidth. Key press interval elements ended up being the best way to transmit real-time text, at only 1 packet per second (protecting the network), while fully preserving key-press delays, so that typing comes out naturally, thanks to the delay elements:
http://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0301.html#key_press_intervals [xmpp.org]
See examples 7.1 through 7.9:
http://www.xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0301.html [xmpp.org]
As well as the animation of smooth typing (non-bursting text) even at just 1 packet per second:
http://www.marky.com/realjabber/real_time_text_demo.html [marky.com]
I'm the author of this standard. I'm also a deafie (Score:5, Informative)
Hello --
Some general comments that addresses common comments:
(1) This is an optional feature that can be turned on/off.
You only use it when you want it, so you don't have to show off your typos to everyone, if you don't want to.
Just like audio can be turned on/off and video can be turned on/off.
(2) It is feature that is partially targetted to the deaf, too. The spec introduction even explains benefits for the deaf:
http://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0301.html [xmpp.org]
"Real-time text is text that is sent as it is created. The recipient can watch the sender type "as written words are typed" – similar to a telephone conversation where one listens to a conversation "as words are spoken". It provides a sense of contact in conversation, eliminates waiting times found in messaging, and is also favored by the deaf who prefer text conversation. For a visual animation of real-time text, see RealJabber.org [1]."
(3) It's not inefficient in message rate. It is only one packet per second, no matter how fast you type, even 30 keypresses per second (holding a key down). As far as I know, this is the world's first real-time text protocol that preserves key-press delays for chats. This means typing still looks smooth, even at low packet rates (1 packet per second), even if you are typing at 10 or 30 keypresses per second. Even over a satellite connection, or even over a dial-up connection (while an FTP is going on in the background), or over a mobile phone connection that has intermittent reception and variable ping latency.
(4) There is an animation of the key press intervals (delay coding) at:
http://www.marky.com/realjabber/real_time_text_demo.html [marky.com]
(5) Some existing software already have this feature, that you may not notice, because it's off by default. For example, AOL Instant Messenger's "Real-Time IM" feature is a proprietary version of real time text, while XEP-0301 is an open standard that anyone can use for Jabber-based networks.