• Current Version: 2.5.3
  Released March 2009
  Fixed minor issue with chatroom filters

General

• Text filtering. If enabled, can now filter out specfic words. List of words is specfied in admin area, under Setup/Chat.
  
• Admin monitoring. Now displays in audience list which client is in private.
  
• RemoteAccess broadcast action can now be sent to an individual client in a show.
  
• A Service can now have just locking of a show disabled.
  
• New service exclusivity checkbox to restrict private msgs from any other private clients
  
• Client applet doesn't confirm with user when exiting anymore.
  
• Hooks to allow outside system, such as Frontkick, to implement a voyeur mode.
  

General

• Requires Java 1.5.

Enterprise Level

• Validated high-throughput operation. Developed simulators to mimic high traffic environments to ensure reliable operation under extreme conditions.
  
• Real-world feedback. Active client site monitoring to observe operation under live conditions allowed us to fix obsure bugs.
  
• High-performance. Extensive profiling allowed us to rework Sidekick to handle larger loads.
  
• Unit testing. Developed extensive tests to validate functionality is as expected.
  
• Bandwidth logging. Will now log bandwidth summaries, allowing a large site to understand bandwidth usage better.

Interoperability

• Reduced overall inter-process traffic. Can suppress all public session callouts and administrative callouts. In addition, RemoteAccess requests are more efficient allowing for significantly less requests.
  
• In addition to logging errors, can now send them programmically to an external system for more administrative feedback. (They can also be displayed in Sidekick's admin area.)
  
• Sidekick operational summaries sent out periodically so it can be actively monitored by an external system.
  

General

• Internationalization so that performers and clients will see all messages in their local language. Supports Croatian, English, French, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Portuguese, Serbian and Vietnamese.
  
• Sidekick longevity validated. Operation stable under even extreme conditions.
  

Videochat

• Adds second audio codec (Speex) for better audio quality and lower bandwidth. New codec includes silence detection to further reduce bandwidth. Included as part of Sidekick's Streaming option.
  
• Text watermarks can be added to each streamed video stream.
  
• Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) support allows a client to control the cam.
  
• Hyperlinks are supported in text chat.
  
• Multiple language option extended to managing up to four languages per performer.
  

Administrative

• Referrer restriction allows wildcard in urls, allowing more compatibility with third party security systems.
  
• Show archives can save video frame at different rates for public and non-public services.
  

Streaming Option

• Boosted frame rate to 30 frames per second from 24.
  
• Improved overall efficiency. Performer capture runs twice as fast. Overall bandwidth reduced.
  
• Improved video quality and fluidity.
  

General

• Moderator support allows trusted individuals special privileges, such as kicking off abusive users.
  
• Numerous miscellaneous enhancements to improve interoperability with outside systems.
  
• Performer programs now supports latest Java release, Java 5.
  
• New browse page allows you to display all performers.
  
• Private messages support improved and can now be sent between clients.
  

Administrative

• Allows adding and editing Sidekick administrator accounts.
  
• Allows adding and editing Sidekick moderator accounts.
  
• Can edit snapshot (performer image uploading) properties in the admin area.
  
• Ability to send messages by an administrator to performers and viewers extended with fine-grained control.

General

• Extended interoperability with outside systems.
  
• Easier install and setup.
  
• Can suppress all client-side Sidekick branding, e.g., hides Sidekick front page.

Client

• Emoticons (smilies) are supported for text messaging.
  
• Supports 24/7 text chat rooms (with no performer).
  
• Displays photos for each performer in profile and new gallery pages.

Administrative

• All new professional look-and-feel
  
• Broadened web-based configuration: general, services, restrictions, chat rooms and gallery
  

General

• Standard video protocol (jpeg push) sped up, from 3 to 5 fps to up to 10 fps.
  
• New profile page displays detailed information about a performer.

Client

• Displays countdown of remaining time with a paying client.
  
• Improved customization of the videochat applet's look-and-feel in terms of buttons and layout.

Performers

• Richer display: shows total number of clients and number of paying clients; shows which state show is in.
  
• Can capture and upload snapshots.
  
• Can kick off abusive users by IP address. IP address will be blocked for a configurable amount of time.
  
• Can separate clients into groups based on the client's referrer.

Administrative

• Can delete performers or undesired tokens.
  
• Numerous improvements in controlling Sidekick from an outside system.
  

Streaming Option

• True video streaming. Increases frame rate to up to twenty frames per second.
  
• Dynamically adjusts delivery according to the connection's current bandwidth capacity.

General

• Text and audio from several shows can be merged. Allows several cams to appear as part of the same show.
  
• Performer can now adjust video options before a show is started.
  
• Tokens can now be restricted to a single performer for additional control and security.

Administrative

• Reports now supports notion of periods for easier querries.
  
• Automatic space management for show archives, which are stored on the hard disk.

Viewers

• Viewers can now see a chat history when joining a show.
  
• Viewers that join a new show no longer have to re-enter their screen name.
  
• Viewer videochat applet can now have portrait orientation (video on top/chat on bottom) as well as landscape orientation (video on left/chat on right).

General

• Improved remote access with new performer add/change/remove actions.
  
• Enhanced interoperability with four rather of one callouts on key events.
  
• Supports two types of dialers.
  
• Can create a computer-readable events log file.

Pay per View Option

• Supports different rates by performer and by service.
  
• Token history report.

Performer Client

• Can lock a show.
  
• Restores to last settings when loading.
  
• Added a second way of kicking off abusive clients. Can turn on/off different notification sounds.
  
• Distinguishes clients by optional groups.

Services

• Supports any number of individually-configured private services, each with unique characteristics and pricing.
  
• Access restrictions generalized allowing finer control.
  
• Can restrict sessions in length (other than Pay per view).
  

General

• Correctness. All known bugs have been resolved.
  
• Performance and Scalability. Extensive profiling to streamline server-side operations for responsiveness and ability to handle large numbers of simultaneous connections.

Pay per View Option

• The main site forwards a client to Sidekick informing it of his available time. Sidekick can report back to the main site after each paying session.
  
• Easily hooked up to billing systems. Includes scripts for ProBilling.
  
• Clients can be identified to the performer by a passed name instead of asking for one.
  
• Clients can view available time.

Performer Client

• Displays countdown of remaining time for paying clients and available time for non-paying clients.
  
• Optionally, will change to intermission when last paying client leaves a show to allow performer time to ready herself

Client Applet

• Can customize background color and hide audience list and color palette.
  
• Non-paying clients can have their video/audio/chat degraded when a paying client is present. Other changes include possible message routing restrictions to encourage a sense of exclusiveness.

Administration

• Can add and edit performers via a web form. Also, programatic access available from outside Sidekick.
  
• Reports on time performers spend with paying clients and how much is owed. A similar report allows a performer to see her timesheet.
  

General

• Complete audio support from performers to clients.
  
• Scalability improvements for supporting more shows and more clients simultaneously.
  
• Video transmission tuned for more consistant and higher-quality streaming.
  
• New preview support: allows prospects to see smaller, slower video streaming of live shows.
  
• Dual-language support allows a performer to have two chat areas, one for each of two languages. Clients communicate based on their locale.
  
• Cookies are no longer required for operation.

Performer Client

• Can automatically relaunch into a show by detecting lost connections.
  
• New driver support means almost any videocam or webcam will be recognized.

Client Applet

• Client can enlarge the video stream; helps particularly on high-resolution screens.
  
• Can suspend video and audio after a preset length of inactivity, saving bandwidth wastage.
  
• Video starts right away rather than waiting for client to enter a screen name.
• Supports anonomous clients.
  
• Allows resizing the chat area text.
  
• Instead of video, can show a series of images, which rotate periodically.
  
• Support for showing a small video stream behind a images added.

Administration

• Supports selling feeds on a usage-based model. Tracks bandwidth used by website.
  
• Supports up to 100 performer accounts (used to be 10).
  
• Can send an administrative message to all performers simultaneously.
  
• Updating referrers can be done from a web form or through an external program.
  
• New page for performers to easily determine their Internet connection's bandwidth capacity.

General

• Improved nominal streaming frame rate from two to three frames per second. Higher frame rates are achievable with higher bandwidth connections.
  
• Private messages are supported.
  
• Interactive colorized messages can be sent back and forth.
  
• Highly optimized internal software structure allows Sidekick to handle more concurrent live shows and viewers.
  
• New security option to restrict non-members from participating.

General

• Supports up to 10 performers.
  
• Archival for easy reviewing of shows.
  
• Voyeur cam support: displays recent frames from live adult shows.
  
• Many miscellaneous improvements.

Performer Client

• Improved streaming video and easier configuration.
  
• Streamlined installation.
  
• Better layout.
  
• Plays chimes when a client joins and leaves a show.

Client Applet

• Displays a list of who is participating in the show.