Last Modified: 2007-08-23

SIPE Project

Pidgin Plug-in SIPE (Sip Exchange Protocol)

Pidgin (before called Gaim) is a multiprotocol instant messenger for Linux (and other plataforms). SIP is another popular protocol used for VoIP, and it also has an IM (Instant Messenger) analog in the form of SIP/SIMPLE. The SIP/SIMPLE is an open protocol with a documented specification. The Microsoft Live Communication Server (LCS) has support very similar the Sip/Simple protocol (indeed is based 100% on it), but it has non standard especifications classical for a MSN product, is an extend version SIP.

For that, I implemented a Pidgin Plug-in for LCS called SIPE (SIP Exchange). I taked the SIP/Simple implementation developed by Thomas Butter for Pidgin. Thomas had success with the NTLM authentication problem for LCS, but we found the LCS SIP especification is very incompatible. The original SIP/Simple code needed a lot changes (broken the original especification). Then I decided to add that support building a Gaim plug-in called SIPE (SIP Exchange).

Why the LCS? Because this Communications server is extensively used on enterprise environments (like intranets, coorporative subnets, etc) like Novell-wise or Lotus-SameTime. But the most important reason: I need this support for my job, because I (always) use Linux ;)

Do you want to know more about SIP/Simple protocol?, please read this PDF document from Hannu-Pekka Rajaniemi and Kliment Yanev. On page ten they talked about SIP/Simple -LCS 2005 problem.