do you know of good chat software?

[hound_dog]

I thought webmaster world would be the best place to come to with this question:

I'm looking for some good chat software. It needs to be:

- free, with paid options if better features required...
- good looking.
- private chat rooms should be available in the free version.
- basic admin functions should be available.

Any advice will be appreciated. I did come across ParaChat, that seems like a possibility.

Thanks

[coopster]

Free? Start with OpenSource projects:

www.opensource.org - provides background information on the open source movement and licensing information

freshmeat.net - a dynamic listing of open source projects

www.apache.org - the Apache Software Foundation sponsors several projects

www.gnu.org - the GNU project and the Free Software Foundation (FSF)

Of course, along with ParaChat, you have ICQ.com, mIRC.com, www.apple.com/ichat, ...

Here is a good article, circa 1998:
[wdvl.internet.com...]

Best of luck!