well just lost my message so this one is shorter. I use stardevelop and its good. I switched from crafty because i was not logging in enough to use it well. With SD you get a pc application that runs all the time and makes you much more available. tried kayako demo and liked the layout better but, they didn't have a visitor history log which i wanted. if you go with kayako get it through www.licensepal.com, its cheaper.
I am pretty sure they are still in business. I have researched them as well and they seem good, but I'd still say stardevelop's is better. I hate it when that happens! lol Also, thanks for the tip about Licensepal. I bought some other licenses from them and they are great, but even with them Kayako is super-expensive. For those that are curious: I have decided to no do a live chat system yet, but continue to research options. Thanks all for your help!
crafty is good, and you can get the graphics changed over css by a good designer. you'll need to tune the DB a bit for high-traffic.
You could use Kayako. They are the best paid solution. I am not sure if Triolive is still free. It is an amazing app. Good Luck