Instant Messaging with Arbitrary Content

In a desktop session, load a package that creates an instant messaging demo channel ("WIM") and start listening on it.

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Needs["DemoChannels`WIM`"]

Create your WIM channel and start listening on it.

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channel = CreateWIMChannel[]

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listener = ChannelListen[channel]

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Send yourself a WIM, and notice your message in a new dialog notebook.

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ChannelSend["WIM", "Hi there."]

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Attach the current notebook to a message.

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ChannelSend["WIM", {"Sending a notebook.", InputNotebook[]}]

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Other users can send you a WIM by referencing your fully qualified channel.

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yourWIM = $WolframID <> ":WIM"

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ChannelSend[yourWIM, "hello"]

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Or your WIM URL.

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listener["URL"]

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listener["URL"]; ChannelSend[%, "another message"]

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Anyone can also send you a message from a web browser (or any other HTTP client) by making an HTTP request to the following URL.

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URLBuild[listener["URL"], {"operation" -> "send", "Message" -> "yet another message"}]

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URLBuild[listener["URL"], {"operation" -> "send", "Message" -> "yet another message"}]; URLFetch[%]

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To reply to the incoming messages from other users, authorize communication on user channels.

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Unprotect[$AllowExternalChannelFunctions]; $AllowExternalChannelFunctions = True;

Stop listening and restore the security setting.

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RemoveChannelListener[listener]

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$AllowExternalChannelFunctions = False; Protect[$AllowExternalChannelFunctions];