Chat client

Pesterchum is a messaging application in Homestuck, similar to AIM, Yahoo Messenger, or MSN Messenger. With it, the kids are able to talk to eachother.

To use Pesterchum, you must first have a screen name for it, called a "chumhandle." This name is a camel-cased combination of two different words, often based on the person's interests. John's chumhandle is ectoBiologist(It used to be ghostyTrickster, but he changed it because of trolls), Dave's is turntechGodhead, Rose's is tentacleTherapist, and Jade's is gardenGnostic.

Pesterchum is a bit quirky compared to other instant messengers in that the client itself is based on the word "Pester" which itself isn't exactly the kindest of words. All of the lines and syntax used in Pesterchum are based on this word, and it's connotation is that of one being annoying rather than the light-hearted buddy system that other messengers typically have. Users do not message, and instead they "Pester". This is supposedly all based on many users' opinions towards similar programs such as MSN or AIM -- specifically, that it always seems to need your attention when there's something you'd rather be paying attention to.

Pesterchum also features a mood system, where one can choose between different pestering types of moods. In version 6.0, there are only six moods; Chummy, Chipper, Palsy, Bully, Peppy, and Rancorous. All these moods look exactly alike except for the angry red face of Rancorous. Pesterchum 7.0 has nine moods to choose from, Chummy, Mystified, Amazed, Insolent, Bemused, Pranky, Pleasent, Rancorous, and the ever popular Smooth. Unlike 6.0, 7.0 gives each mood its own facial expression. Changing the mood has little effect on when others Pester you.

John installed Pesterchum on his Dad's PDA so that he can pester his chums while away from his computer. Dave appears to have his Pesterchum accessable via his Phone but has to text message his chums.

Jade has Pesterchum Enamel, a version of Pesterchum which advertises itself as being "Much Shinier!" Strangely, along with having the chumhandles of John, Dave, and Rose, she also has a section called the Trollslum, which appears to be like a 'block list' of people she would rather not talk to.

They are all in a Rancorous mood and with rather dark sounding chumhandles, including carcinoGeneticist, arachnidsGrip, twinArmageddons, terminallyCapricious and caligulasAquarium. Many of them seem to be related to the signs of the Zodiac. Notably, the names seen so far all use the same four initials: A, C, G and T, which are all nucleotides of DNA. The same applies for the handles of the Homestuck Kids (with the exception that John changed his to ectoBiologist from ghostlyTrickster).

It has recently been revealed that Rose Lalonde also has a Trollslum, and carcinoGeneticist appears in it, along with "gallowsCalibrator", "arsenicCatnip", "cuttlefishCuller", "centaursTesticle", and "grimAuxiliatrix", whom Rose has a long conversation with. In this case, it seems likely that John also has a Trollslum.

Dave Strider, too, has a Trollslum, featuring caligulasAquarium, carcinoGeneticist, apocalypseArisen, gallowsCalibrator, terminallyCapricious, and adiosToreador, whom he confuses into submission.