Can anyone tell me when will be a new release of Spark???
The last version is available on official site is 2.6.3 from July 1, 2011
Just think!!! 2011!!!
No any new version since 2011!!!
Just think!!! 2011!!!
No any new version since 2011!!
There is currently no active maintainer for Spark.
As Flow said, nobody is working on Spark at the moment. But if you wish, you can try the latest build of Spark, which has a lot of changes/fixes/additions since 2.6.3 release. I’m using this build in my network of 200+ clients without issues (it can freeze sometimes, but not more often than 2.6.3 does). http://bamboo.igniterealtime.org/artifact/SPARK-INSTALL4J/shared/build-668/Insta ll4j/spark_2_7_0_668.exe
Looks like I get to find a new IM server then. Unless you’ve worked out how to get other clients to support all the features of Openfire, no Spark makes zero sense. When did the project lose a maintainer?
Depends on how you look at it. IIRC Spark (and the others) where handed over to the community ~ 2009. The last active development period stopped 2011. See also https://github.com/igniterealtime/Spark/graphs/contributors
Stephen Cena wrote:
other clients to support all the features of Openfire
Which features do you mean? Fastpath maybe? Other than Fastpath there are no unique features of Openfire that only Spark can use. Yeah, there is also Client Management plugin, but that’s a minor thing. You can use many other clients and still use Openfire, as Openfire is a standard xmpp server like the others.
Spark had many maintainers since ~2009, when Jive Software stopped working on it and released the source. But all of them found better stuff to do in their lives eventually Last one “left” around 2012-2013. Though there is no formal process for this. He just stopped working on it and nobody else stepped in his role. That’s how open source projects are sometimes. Occasionally some volunteers provided patches and fixed bugs here and there. Last patch has been applied 1-2 months ago. So it is not completely dead, but things are moving slowly currently.
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No, I’m talking about core features. One that comes to mind is the “Conference Rooms”/group chat. I recall back when I first deployed Openfire, I had to screen Jabber clients to see which ones would work best with your server. At the time, it was only Spark. Spark supported all features you offered. I have not revisited this issue, but it’s looking like I have to. I’ll go grab some of the actively developed/supported Jabber clients and see how they work now. Again, it’s been years since I’ve used any other Jabber client then Spark with Openfire so the incompatibilities may very well be gone.
Group Chat is indeed a core feature of any modern XMPP server and client. The specification is 13 years old, so I am pretty sure you will find a suitable Jabber client which supports it.
AFAIK Swift supports Group Chat.
Funny. Dave Cridland did the logo for Swift. Is this the same Dave who is the current project lead for Openfire? Never saw this client, checking it out. Looked similar to Instantbird at first, but it is different and uses Qt, hm. Clean, minimalistic style (almost too minimalistic, i get nervous if there is no Preferences/Settings menu ).
Anyway, i don’t know what features did Stephen was looking about in the Group Chat part, but i think even 10 years ago, when i was investigating different clients for my first xmpp server i think most of them did it quite similarly. The only difference was how they presented roles. Some where using different icons, some not. Btw, Spark is still lacking in this front - [SPARK-1106] Add more options for admin/owner user in MUC room - Jive Software Open Source.
Btw, though i’m involved in this community for some time, file bugs or test things, but i’m not a developer myself and i don’t feel this is mine software CSH actually did some real development, as many other guys who come at some point and do patches or stuff. I think nobody can call this their software. It’s open source, it’s everyone’s