new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/participant.py
@@ -0,0 +1,197 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+
+import muc
+xmpp = muc.xmpp
+del muc
+import irclib
+from encoding import *
+from threading import Thread
+from time import sleep
+
+
+class participant:
+	def __init__(self, owner_bridge, protocol, nickname):
+		self.bridge = owner_bridge
+		self.protocol = protocol
+		self.nickname = nickname
+		self.irc_connection = None
+		self.xmpp_c = None
+		if protocol == 'xmpp':
+			self.createDuplicateOnIRC()
+		elif protocol == 'irc':
+			self.createDuplicateOnXMPP()
+		else:
+			raise Exception('Internal Error: bad protocol')
+			quit(1)
+	
+	
+	def createDuplicateOnXMPP(self):
+		if self.xmpp_c != None or self.irc_connection != None or self.protocol == 'both' or self.bridge.mode == 'minimal':
+			return
+		self.xmpp_c = xmpp.client.Client(self.bridge.bot.jid.getDomain(), debug=[])
+		self.xmpp_c.connect()
+		self.xmpp_c.auth(self.bridge.bot.jid.getNode(), self.bridge.bot.password, resource=self.nickname)
+		self.xmpp_c.RegisterHandler('presence', self.bridge.bot._xmpp_presence_handler)
+		self.xmpp_c.RegisterHandler('iq', self.bridge.bot._xmpp_iq_handler)
+		self.xmpp_c.RegisterHandler('message', self.bridge.bot._xmpp_message_handler)
+		self.xmpp_thread = Thread(target=self._xmpp_loop)
+		self.xmpp_thread.start()
+		self.xmpp_c.sendInitPresence()
+		self.muc = xmpp.muc(self.bridge.xmpp_room.room_jid)
+		self.muc.join(self.xmpp_c, self.nickname, status='From IRC', callback=self._xmpp_join_callback)
+	
+	
+	def createDuplicateOnIRC(self):
+		if self.irc_connection != None or self.xmpp_c != None or self.protocol == 'both' or self.bridge.mode != 'normal':
+			return
+		sleep(1) # try to prevent "reconnecting too fast" shit
+		self.irc_connection = self.bridge.bot.irc.server()
+		self.irc_connection.bridge = self.bridge
+		self.irc_connection.nick_callback = self._irc_nick_callback
+		self.irc_connection.connect(self.bridge.irc_server, self.bridge.irc_port, self.nickname)
+	
+	
+	def _irc_nick_callback(self, error):
+		if error == None:
+			self.irc_connection.join(self.bridge.irc_room)
+			self.irc_connection.nick_callback = None
+			self.bridge.bot.error('===> Debug: "'+self.nickname+'" duplicate succesfully created on IRC side of bridge "'+str(self.bridge)+'"', debug=True)
+		elif self.protocol != 'both':
+			if error == 'nicknameinuse':
+				self.bridge.bot.error('===> Debug: "'+self.nickname+'" is already used in the IRC chan of bridge "'+str(self.bridge)+'"', debug=True)
+				self.bridge.say('[Warning] The nickname "'+self.nickname+'" is used on both rooms, please avoid that if possible')
+				self.protocol = 'both'
+				self.irc_connection.close()
+				self.irc_connection = None
+			elif error == 'erroneusnickname':
+				self.bridge.bot.error('===> Debug: "'+self.nickname+'" got "erroneusnickname" on bridge "'+str(self.bridge)+'"', debug=True)
+				self.bridge.say('[Warning] The nickname "'+self.nickname+'" contains non-ASCII characters and cannot be used in the IRC channel, please avoid that if possible')
+				self.irc_connection.close()
+				self.irc_connection = None
+	
+	
+	def _xmpp_join_callback(self, errors):
+		if len(errors) == 0:
+			self.bridge.bot.error('===> Debug: "'+self.nickname+'" duplicate succesfully created on XMPP side of bridge "'+str(self.bridge)+'"', debug=True)
+		elif self.protocol != 'both':
+			for error in errors:
+				try:
+					raise error
+				except xmpp.muc.NicknameConflict:
+					self.bridge.bot.error('===> Debug: "'+self.nickname+'" is already used in the XMPP MUC or reserved on the XMPP server of bridge "'+str(self.bridge)+'"', debug=True)
+					self.bridge.say('[Warning] The nickname "'+self.nickname+'" is used on both rooms or reserved on the XMPP server, please avoid that if possible')
+					self.protocol = 'both'
+					self.xmpp_c = None
+	
+	
+	def _xmpp_loop(self):
+		while True:
+			if self.xmpp_c != None:
+				self.xmpp_c.Process(5)
+			else:
+				sleep(5)
+	
+	
+	def changeNickname(self, newnick, on_protocol):
+		if self.protocol == 'xmpp':
+			if on_protocol == 'xmpp':
+				raise Exception('Internal Error: wanted to change nickname on bad protocol')
+			if self.irc_connection:
+				self.irc_connection.nick(newnick)
+			self.nickname = newnick
+		elif self.protocol == 'irc':
+			if on_protocol == 'irc':
+				raise Exception('Internal Error: wanted to change nickname on bad protocol')
+			if self.muc:
+				self.muc.change_nick(newnick, callback=self._xmpp_join_callback)
+			self.nickname = newnick
+		elif self.protocol == 'both':
+			if on_protocol == 'irc':
+				self.protocol = 'xmpp'
+				self.createDuplicateOnIRC()
+			elif on_protocol == 'xmpp':
+				self.protocol = 'irc'
+				self.createDuplicateOnXMPP()
+	
+	
+	def sayOnIRC(self, message):
+		try:
+			if self.protocol == 'irc':
+				raise Exception('Internal Error: "'+self.nickname+'" comes from IRC')
+			elif self.protocol == 'both' or self.irc_connection == None:
+				self.bridge.irc_connection.privmsg(self.bridge.irc_room, '<'+self.nickname+'> '+message)
+			else:
+				self.irc_connection.privmsg(self.bridge.irc_room, message)
+		except EncodingException:
+			self.bridge.say('[Warning] "'+self.nickname+'" is sending messages using an unknown encoding')
+	
+	
+	def sayOnIRCTo(self, to, message):
+		if self.protocol == 'irc':
+			raise Exception('Internal Error: "'+self.nickname+'" comes from IRC')
+		elif self.irc_connection == None:
+			if self.bridge.mode != 'normal':
+				self.bridge.getParticipant(to).sayOnXMPPTo(self.nickname, 'Sorry but cross-protocol private messages are disabled in limited mode.')
+			else:
+				self.bridge.getParticipant(to).sayOnXMPPTo(self.nickname, 'Sorry but you cannot send cross-protocol private messages because I don\'t have an IRC duplicate with your nickname.')
+		else:
+			try:
+				self.irc_connection.privmsg(to, message)
+			except EncodingException:
+				self.bridge.say('[Warning] "'+self.nickname+'" is sending messages using an unknown encoding')
+	
+	
+	def sayOnXMPP(self, message):
+		if self.protocol == 'xmpp':
+			raise Exception('Internal Error: "'+self.nickname+'" comes from XMPP')
+		elif self.protocol == 'both' or self.xmpp_c == None:
+			self.bridge.xmpp_room.say('<'+self.nickname+'> '+auto_decode(message))
+		else:
+			try:
+				self.muc.say(auto_decode(message))
+			except EncodingException:
+				self.bridge.say('[Warning] "'+self.nickname+'" is sending messages using an unknown encoding')
+	
+	
+	def sayOnXMPPTo(self, to, message):
+		if self.protocol == 'xmpp':
+			raise Exception('Internal Error: "'+self.nickname+'" comes from XMPP')
+		else:
+			try:
+				self.muc.sayTo(to, auto_decode(message))
+			except EncodingException:
+				self.bridge.say('[Warning] "'+self.nickname+'" is sending messages using an unknown encoding')
+	
+	
+	def leave(self, message):
+		if message == None:
+			message = ''
+		try:
+			self.muc.leave(message)
+		except AttributeError:
+			pass
+		try:
+			self.irc_connection.disconnect(message)
+		except AttributeError:
+			pass
+		self.nickname = None
+	
+	
+	def __del__(self):
+		if self.nickname != None:
+			self.leave('')
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