You said two of the magic Java words, crossplatform and network. I''m guessing you''re talking about creating something like AOL IM or the like. If so, Java sounds like a good fit, given that you want to work on multiple platforms also.

Look into the IRC protocol as well. You could implement the AIM protocol and just add your automated file requests.

Sounds like you want AIM but with some automated stuff. You can probably find one of the 3rd party AIM clones which is cross platform and use one of their module/plugin systems to add what you want.

Still, even if you don''t, no reason you couldn''t implement the AIM protocol (even though they don''t release it, people have reversed engineered it..mostly) and add your good stuff.

Java is probably a good choice for cross-platform, but even Java isn''t 100% cross platform unless you stick to the standard libraries for most tasks.

I would look into programs like GAIM, Trillian and such. They''re a bunch of 3rd party, open source chat clients out there that work with the major chat programs (AIM, Messenger, IRC, etc) and you could easily just create a plugin (they give documents on how to write script or C plugins to work with their program).

Or if you got the time to go at it, I would do some google searches for the AIM Protocol "Oscar" is it? They have a newer one, but can''t recall which is which. You can probably find dox on Messenger as well and IRC has so many student projects and tutorials for programming you shouldn''t be able to read them all in your lifetime =)

G''luck, sounds like a neat project but might have some major security issues to watch out for.

R.

Yeah, the protocols are very conceptual and toss a lot of concepts around, but aren''t really too bad once you put some time into them.

Still, it will be much easier to use someone else''s protocol then to invent your own, trust me, they put a lot of effort and testing into it that you might never be able to replicate =)

It sounds like you want to do this for a certain reason? Sort of create an FTP server you can access through IRC or AIM? It''s doable. I''m sure there are IRC scripts you can get to do it for you, or even write your own (they aren''t hard and will be much easier than C or Java to do). Essentially you''ll want to leave your computer on all the time running an IRC client, connected to an IRC room. Then write a script to process file transfer requests from a certain user. You log that user in, maybe supply a password and viola, the transfer begins. The script does the work like a user would. Same with some of the 3rd Party AIM programs, they have plugins you can make to do so.

Problem is, most of these are clear text, so if you get someone sniffing on your network connection (rare, but not unlikely either) then they might get your password and get access to your computer. If you''re sharp, you''ll write the script to only respond to certain files and such. Also, some of the 3rd party Instant Messenger programs have encryption in them, which will help a lot in the security arena. I think Jabber supports SSL encrypted and so does ICQ (the more recent ones I think). ICQ has some scripting as well if I remember correctly.

You might want to look more into the scripting and modules of the various chat programs instead of java or C. You''ll still need to do some programming, but you won''t have to reinvent the wheels, the car, or the road =)

G''luck with it, like I said, interesting idea. I''d look around, somewhere, sometime someone has to have done something similar you can use to get ideas from and improve one.

R.

PS AIM has a linux client, I use it every day =) Also, there are programs that work on AIM network, such as GAIM (linux but can connect to AIM and others) and I think Jabber does as well. So, just pick one you like and make a plugin.