Incorporating into weapp pidgin and/or related tools

[Dave Burstein]

Folks

Advice or experience requested on how best to incorporate pidgin and/or tools into a web site that supports finding video, building networks, and sharing videos. It currently has a very simple tool to allow users to send what seems to be IM like mail to each other if logged in. I've taken over the project recently, and thought it would be far more interesting to incorporate a free software package like this with far more functionality including interchange with MSN, AIM, etc. if that's practical. I'm sure other folks have tried similar, so I'm looking for ideas on how best to do something like this. Pidgin seems a great tool, so I'm beginning my questions here, but realize it may not be the right discussion list. 

Questions in particular: 

    Using the libraries, what's the experience incorporating IM into websites? Can I create a widgit/plug-in that works fairly well? Can I do something simple that's essentially a text base client incorporated?

    Should I be thinking about hosting a server that communicates with an app embedded in the site? I'm asking because that might simplify the firewall problems, using an AJAX link from the user's client software to me that primarily passes text? 

     Why isn't this kind of thing common, especially with all the "social networking" packages? Am I missing something in the technology or some practical problems that make this an uncommon feature? What are the right questions I should be asking?

     If this seems like a practical project, where should I look for programming talent that knows the tools? We have a moderate budget. I welcome suggestions offlist of consultants or programming shops that might have the relevant skills. 

     Help and suggestions appreciated.

Dave Burstein

p.s. I'm being coy about the name of the site because it really isn't ready for visitors for about a month, but ask and I'll tell you offlist. 




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