How do we stay in touch without Gchat?
October 20, 2014 4:28 PM Subscribe
My best friend and I communicate primarily on gchat and now it's getting blocked by one of our work places. Can't download any programs. Is there a hidden solution here?
My best friend and I live in different regions of the country, and 90% of our communication happens on Gchat. The system has worked well for us. However, one of our employers just announced that Gchat and Yahoo chat are blocked from now on. They also have a policy of not downloading programs, so no imessage for us except for on phones, which is not as convenient when we're at our desks all day.
This sucks and could take a toll on our friendship. Is there something we haven't considered? Some web based chat solution we're not aware of?
Thanks!
My best friend and I live in different regions of the country, and 90% of our communication happens on Gchat. The system has worked well for us. However, one of our employers just announced that Gchat and Yahoo chat are blocked from now on. They also have a policy of not downloading programs, so no imessage for us except for on phones, which is not as convenient when we're at our desks all day.
This sucks and could take a toll on our friendship. Is there something we haven't considered? Some web based chat solution we're not aware of?
Thanks!
I think outlook.com has a chat feature - and can even connect to gchat users as well.
posted by kickingtheground at 5:08 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by kickingtheground at 5:08 PM on October 20, 2014
https://kiwiirc.com if that's not blocked.
Like 5 years ago, but I was able to bypass gchat block by logging into my gmail by using https. No idea why.
posted by KogeLiz at 5:14 PM on October 20, 2014
Like 5 years ago, but I was able to bypass gchat block by logging into my gmail by using https. No idea why.
posted by KogeLiz at 5:14 PM on October 20, 2014
Would it help to use Google Hangouts (used to be Gchat) on your phones? That way only one of you has to switch.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:14 PM on October 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:14 PM on October 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Both of you could set up Google Voice numbers and "text" through their web page.
posted by sacrifix at 5:44 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by sacrifix at 5:44 PM on October 20, 2014
Ordinarily, I'd never suggest anyone voluntarily sign up for Google+, but Gchat works through there, too. Check to see if your buddy's employer has blocked that route as well.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:55 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:55 PM on October 20, 2014
Response by poster: Facebook is blocked, I imagine G+ as well, but we could check.
As for typing on phone, just a lot less feasible at work - needs to be on web.
Thanks guys, good suggestions, we'll try them out (esp. https) - more are appreciated!
posted by namesarehard at 6:15 PM on October 20, 2014
As for typing on phone, just a lot less feasible at work - needs to be on web.
Thanks guys, good suggestions, we'll try them out (esp. https) - more are appreciated!
posted by namesarehard at 6:15 PM on October 20, 2014
What's wrong with Pidgin Portable?
posted by turkeyphant at 6:32 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by turkeyphant at 6:32 PM on October 20, 2014
You might look at GroupMe and see if the web interface suits your needs.
posted by Stacey at 6:37 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by Stacey at 6:37 PM on October 20, 2014
Seconding migurski's recommendation of Slack. Bonus points: it's advertised as a productivity tool.
posted by JackBurden at 6:41 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by JackBurden at 6:41 PM on October 20, 2014
bloochat is browser based and requires no registration or login or password iirc.
posted by poffin boffin at 6:44 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by poffin boffin at 6:44 PM on October 20, 2014
I know its old school, but what about AIM Express?
posted by lovelygirl at 7:07 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by lovelygirl at 7:07 PM on October 20, 2014
Response by poster: Hm, so, nothing that needs to be downloaded is allowed - so I think no AIM or pidgin portable?
Slack is a possibility, we'll see if it's blocked too.
posted by namesarehard at 7:25 PM on October 20, 2014
Slack is a possibility, we'll see if it's blocked too.
posted by namesarehard at 7:25 PM on October 20, 2014
Hmm. Well, this probably violates some policy you agreed to when you were hired, but I'll bet you could get around this restriction by encrypting your traffic and using a public proxy.
posted by deathpanels at 7:26 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by deathpanels at 7:26 PM on October 20, 2014
It seems mostly aimed at couples, but avocado is a really nice service for this, and it might be obscure enough to get past the filter.
posted by dialetheia at 7:49 PM on October 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by dialetheia at 7:49 PM on October 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Can you not chat via Hangouts in gmail proper? Not blocked at my work, since it's just email, though they could block the google talk servers specifically it seems unlikely?
posted by BungaDunga at 7:53 PM on October 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by BungaDunga at 7:53 PM on October 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
If you decide to got the IRC route, mibbit is a fine web interface for it.
posted by ltisz at 7:57 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by ltisz at 7:57 PM on October 20, 2014
Portable apps will probably still run on your friend's computer, download them at home and just run them from a USB stick while at work. They have a bunch of chat applications. At that point you are just at the mercy of the corporate firewall settings.
posted by deadwax at 10:10 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by deadwax at 10:10 PM on October 20, 2014
AIM express is web-based; you don't need to install anything. I used to use this on school computers.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 3:12 AM on October 21, 2014
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 3:12 AM on October 21, 2014
Chatzy is free and very easy to use. You can put a password on your room or not as you like. Don't know if it will be blocked as well, but maybe worth looking into.
But...I'm a little worried for your friend! I assume the reason for the policy is that they do not want people chatting all day. If the volume of chatting is such that texting isn't sufficient, couldn't your friend get in trouble over this? I get wanting to stay in touch, but probably not worth it at the cost of one's job...
posted by rainbowbrite at 5:51 AM on October 21, 2014 [1 favorite]
But...I'm a little worried for your friend! I assume the reason for the policy is that they do not want people chatting all day. If the volume of chatting is such that texting isn't sufficient, couldn't your friend get in trouble over this? I get wanting to stay in touch, but probably not worth it at the cost of one's job...
posted by rainbowbrite at 5:51 AM on October 21, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm showing my age but back in the dark ages before gchat, I had a couple of work friends and we just obsessively emailed each other back and forth during the day to pass the time. Is this not an option?
posted by jabes at 9:21 AM on October 21, 2014
posted by jabes at 9:21 AM on October 21, 2014
Do you ever participate in conference calls over Skype? Could you make a case for needing to do this? Skype has a chat feature.
posted by betsybetsy at 10:01 AM on October 21, 2014
posted by betsybetsy at 10:01 AM on October 21, 2014
I would definitely try using Google chat via Gmail using a HTTPS login before anything else.
posted by Silvertree at 10:34 AM on October 21, 2014
posted by Silvertree at 10:34 AM on October 21, 2014
i assumed the OP had already tried going via Gmail and found it to be blocked.
Suggestions to use email are probably just as useful to the OP as those they've already ruled out such as texting/gchat on phones.
In any case, no portable app needs to be downloaded including Pidgin Portable.
posted by turkeyphant at 3:25 PM on October 21, 2014
Suggestions to use email are probably just as useful to the OP as those they've already ruled out such as texting/gchat on phones.
In any case, no portable app needs to be downloaded including Pidgin Portable.
posted by turkeyphant at 3:25 PM on October 21, 2014
This is, again, a Google option, but my friend and I (facing the same issue at her workplace) opened a Google document (now Google Drive) and just kept typing in there. We kept it as a shared doc and referred to it as Fake Chat, as in "Hey, want to meet me over in Fake Chat around 10?" Then we wrote in different colors.
posted by Madamina at 10:56 PM on October 21, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Madamina at 10:56 PM on October 21, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks guys, lots of ideas to try out when new policy goes into effect. I hope one works!
posted by namesarehard at 9:57 AM on October 22, 2014
posted by namesarehard at 9:57 AM on October 22, 2014
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If you're old school: a web IRC client (example), although you won't be able to save history if that's important to you. There are a ton of different IRC servers and clients, and you can choose your combo (or even run your own).
If you want it to work on your phone: WeChat or KakaoTalk, assuming they're not banned. Both have web interfaces, though I don't know if you can save history from a web interface.
posted by ethidda at 4:48 PM on October 20, 2014