These are some of the things a beginning developer will generally need to have to begin working on the QtChat2 project:

• An ISO C++ compliant compiler.  QtChat2 has been built using the GNU gcc compiler suite versions 2.96 and up, although the 3.x version of the compiler is much more compliant.  Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 has several noncompliance issues, particularly in it template implementation, so your mileage may vary if you try compiling the base code with this compiler.  If someone could test this with other compilers and send back any error messages, it would be greatly appreciated.
• Fairly decent knowledge of ISO C++.  QtChat2 is completely written in C++ with a very close adherence to the ISO C++ standard.  If you do not have a copy of the 1998 standard, I highly recommend purchasing it at http://www.ansi.org at the bargain price of $18.00 USD (I'd make it available publicly but ANSI wants money to support its standardization activities and has a strict copying license on the standard document).
  If you do not know C++ very well, I can help you in some areas but the extent to which I can hold your hand is somewhat limited.  I often hang out in the Programming:1 room of Yahoo! Chat as Scoobi_FreeBSDif you have immediate questions.  I also discovered that I actually have an AOL Instant Messenger account I forgot about, username ScoobiFreeBSD.

Familiarizing yourself with the design methodologyI have in mind for QtChat2 is the next step in getting involved in the project, although this methodology is certainly not carved in stone.  This will give the developer an idea of what I have in mind for the overall structure of QtChat2, as well as guidelines for protocol development and front-end development.

Some Other Thing That Should Be Learned