Communicating with other users in your network has to be done in a fast and reliable way, especially in an office environment. Softros LAN Messenger provides that service for everyone in your network.
Installation & Requirements
The installation is very basic and should complete very fast even in low-end computers. The program supports all versions of Windows from 2000 and later as well as Windows Servers from 2003 and later.
Interface
Due to the fact that the application caters to so many versions of Windows and aims to require minimal resources, the interface is quite basic and the visuals might seem outdated, especially if you are using a current instant messaging service. As with any other such service you are able to view all of your contacts in the main window. The application will automatically gather people in your network that also have it installed and display them in your contacts. You can then create different groups for everyone by right clicking on the default one. To change your status, simply click on one of the icons located in the bottom right corner of the main window.
To chat with someone in your network, simply double click on their name. That will open the conversation window and you can proceed to chatting. The interface on the conversation window is also quite basic with no formatting options available. The only thing you can change is the size of the font. However, you can invite multiple people to the same conversation as well as send files to anyone that is currently participating. Furthermore, you can click on the User Information icon to get the person’s details and on the Message History window in order to see all of your conversations.
The last thing to note is the Settings menu. Because of the fact that the application simply takes your computer’s name and nothing more for contact info, you will need to enter those details yourself via the User Information tab. The basic details you can enter are your department, your job title and your full name whereas additional information can be entered in the blank box below. Furthermore, if the application fails to connect all the users in your network you will have to manually insert their IP addresses in the Network tab. Further configuration options are also available like setting up hot keys, changing your status every set amount of minutes and changing the language of the interface.
Pros
-Fast installation
-Instant service even without an internet connection
-Decent configuration options
-Automatically connect with anyone in your network
Cons
-Limited features by today’s standards
Conclusion
Softros LAN Messenger is a decent solution for any work environment where messaging stability is of utmost importance. However, you must understand that the application only offers basic messaging options and not much more.
