Portable

tkchat is written using the Tcl scripting language. Tcl is available for a wide variety of platforms including Windows, MacOS X and most unix systems. A simple way to get Tcl for your system is to get ActiveTcl or download a tclkit executable for your platform.

Native user interface

tkchat makes use of themed Tk where available which ensures that the application looks native on Windows and MacOS X. On unix there is no 'native' look but a number of theme options are provided.

Unicode support

Tcl and Tk fully support Unicode and so this application is able to display any language for which fonts are available.

No installation required

tkchat is distributed as a single file executable or as a starkit. Starkits are a virtual filesystem in a single file. This means that there is no worrying about where to install dependent libraries and packages - nor will the packages in tkchat affect any other Tcl or Tk applications already installed. Everything needed is in one single file and the only installation required is to download the file and run it.

Extensible

Tcl is a scripting language and so adding new code to the program is merely a matter of telling the interpreter where the additional files are located. In addition, tkchat provides a plug-in interface to allow independently written extensions in hook into the user interface. For instance, a plug-in can add a new page to the options dialog or a new item to the status bar.