Talkomatic is a modern revival of the pioneering chat system originally created in 1973. This web-based version brings the innovative real-time messaging experience to today's users while honoring its historical significance.
Talkomatic, a pioneering computer-based chat system, was originally developed in 1973 by Doug Brown and David R. Woolley at the University of Illinois as part of the PLATO system. In 2024, software developer Mohd Mahmodi rebuilt the web version of Talkomatic, introducing modern features and improvements while preserving its innovative spirit.
This revival project was initiated with several key objectives:
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Historical Preservation: To honor and maintain the legacy of one of the earliest real-time chat systems, ensuring its place in the history of online communication is not forgotten.
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Educational Value: To provide a hands-on experience for those interested in the evolution of digital communication, allowing users to interact with a modernized version of a groundbreaking chat system.
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Technological Advancement: To demonstrate how classic concepts can be adapted and enhanced using modern web technologies, creating a bridge between past innovations and current capabilities.
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Community Engagement: To foster a community of users and developers interested in the history and future of online communication platforms.
The decision to make Talkomatic open source was driven by several factors:
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Collaborative Improvement: By opening the codebase to the community, we invite diverse perspectives and skills to contribute to the project's ongoing development and refinement.
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Transparency: Open source allows users to understand how the system works, building trust and encouraging a deeper appreciation of the technology.
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Educational Resource: The open codebase serves as a learning tool for developers interested in real-time web applications and chat systems.
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Longevity: Open source ensures that Talkomatic can continue to evolve and be maintained by the community, even beyond any single developer's involvement.
This modern iteration of Talkomatic brings the groundbreaking real-time messaging experience to contemporary users, bridging the gap between historical significance and modern communication needs. We invite you to explore, use, and contribute to this piece of computing history.
- Modern Web Interface: Clean, contemporary design that retains the essence of the original Talkomatic
- Real-Time Communication: Character-by-character live messaging system
- Multiple Chat Rooms: Join various rooms, each supporting multiple participants
- Flexible Chat Windows: Toggle between vertical and horizontal layouts
- Moderation: Automated system to filter foul language and human moderators for maintaining a safe environment
- Accessibility: Browser-based access with no installation required
- Open Source: Community contributions encouraged
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/MohdYahyaMahmodi/talkomatic.git - Navigate to the project directory:
cd talkomatic - Install dependencies:
npm install - Start the development server:
node server.js
Access Talkomatic by navigating to http://localhost:3000 in your web browser after starting the development server.
We welcome contributions! To contribute:
- Fork the repository
- Create a new branch (
git checkout -b feature/YourFeature) - Make your changes and commit them (
git commit -m 'Add YourFeature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/YourFeature) - Open a pull request
Please read our Contributing Guidelines for more details.
Stay connected with the Talkomatic community:
Talkomatic is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more information.
We value your input! For questions, feedback, or just to chat, connect with us on our social platforms:
Your thoughts help shape Talkomatic's future. We look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you for using Talkomatic! We hope you enjoy this modern revival of a pioneering chat system.