Daniele, currently users can chat with any other online member only if "Friends" plugin is deactivated.
If it is active,  users can chat only with their friends.

We are planning to modify "Friends" and "Instant Chat" plugins in future so that they don't contradict to each other.

Thank you Alia for your explanation...

we are eagerly waiting for this to come true.One common chat room,and all registered members can see each other and also chat privately besides one common chat room.And also add the function log off from chat so ,if they are not interested in chatting they can quit out of the chat instead of logging out of the website. :) Please my dear oxwall team,do it fast la  :)

So wait, if the friends plugin is not active, then anyone can chat?  I am wondering if I need the friends plugin at all.  How does invites to groups work without the friends plugin?

David, yes, if "Friends" plugin is disabled everybody can chat with each other.

>>How does invites to groups work without the friends plugin?

When you will click "Invite" you will get the list of 100 recently active users.

You can see this within the source code of the "Groups" plugin:

 if ( OW::getEventManager()->call('plugin.friends') )
        {
            $users = OW::getEventManager()->call('plugin.friends.get_friend_list', array(
                'userId' => $userId,
                'count' => 100
            ));
        }
 
        if ( $users === null )
        {
            $users = array();
            $userDtos = BOL_UserService::getInstance()->findRecentlyActiveList(0, 100);
 
            foreach ( $userDtos as $u )
            {
                if ( $u->id != $userId )
                {
                    $users[] = $u->id;

Awesome... is there any issue with removing the friends plugin after people have begun using it?  Deactivating it?

I am assuming that to message one another, they can just go to the members section to find one another. Our site is small, currently only 100 members..  everyone knows everyone.

Is there a 100 user limit on groups?  Just curious...