As I mentioned previously, I've started working on FICSiface, a toolkit for hooking things (humans, computers etc) up to the Free Internet Chess Server. Well, it's coming along nicely, although hasn't actually got to the point of playing games yet. Here's a sneak preview of what I've done so far:

• FICSiface, a class that will connect to FICS and facilitate traffic two ways (FICSiface fires events for happenings such as receiving shouts, tells, challenges, moves etc; this should make it a doddle to write new interfaces in C#.
• Testbed, a simple sort of test harness for FICSiface, which is a full-featured FICS client (in the same way that Telnet is a full-featured FICS client ;-) ).
• SkottelServer, a Windows service that logs into FICS and does stuff. Utimately this will allow FICS users to play against Blikskottel; for now, its main feature is that it makes Scottish jokes. SkottelServer also has a Telnet interface, allowing you to point your Winboard (or whatever) at the SkottelServer service and be able to view the server from the (C) account's perspective, as well as running commands for your (C) account (eg set 1 fingernote) without having to log off your computer.
• A database of Scottish jokes. Somewhat peripheral, but there you go.
• WinboardWrapper, the beginnings of a class to control Winboard-compatible chess engines.

Anyway, when this little lot is just about done, I'll publish it under the GPL. I may then go on to add a visual board control, which would really mean that FICSiface has the makings of a human interface as well, but that really isn't a priority for me now.