ChatXM, a new Java-coded message board that mimics Microsoft’s MSN messenger interface has been released. The publisher, WebAuthor.com is known for its other products including MessengerXM, CoolBarXM, and QueryXM.

The new product is described by WebAuthor as creating an “exciting real-time message board.” In the age of online communities, this new system might be an alternative to common PHP message boards.

However, this is not a tool for the newbie Webmaster. Costing a whopping $199, this product is certainly not cheap.

The advantages include a “real time chat” with “multiple participants”, “dynamic room creation, private messaging, typing indicator, … emotions” and “no annoying page refreshes”.

However, this software is not without it’s limitations. For one, many browsers don’t support Java, and many are behind firewalls that block this type of communication. Clients must also have flash. For Webmasters, root access to their server is required, which is usually not an option on Shared Hosting.