Internet Relay Chat turns 30–and we remember how it changed our lives

And I’ve been running an irc network myself for more than half that. It’s hard to beat the effective simplicity even if it’s janky to use and limited in functionality.

That said I wish IRCv3 was coming sooner. The ability to replay messages and handle TCP connection loss somewhat grafefully has an immesurable appeal; because despite how fast the internet gets; it never seems to get more reliable for individual long lived connections.

Edit: shameless self promotion if you want to use my network for your own needs or meet my 350+ friends then point your favourite irc client to irc.drk.sc/+6697 (ssl-only)

Re: Internet Relay Chat turns 30–and we remember how it changed our lives

#5

Post by sporiff » Sun, Oct 14, 2018, 8:14 PM UTC

0898 wrote: post #3

Last year I logged into an IRC channel I frequented around 1997. Damnit if many of the same people weren't there. They recognised me too. Spent a beautiful couple of hours catching up.

Yep. I used to spend most of my time in IRC chatrooms as a kid. Went back to a few recently and a lot of my old buddies were still there.

I always have a Weechat session running on my machine these days. IRC may not be the best tech on the scene, but I love the communities that have sprung up in the IRC space.

Re: Internet Relay Chat turns 30–and we remember how it changed our lives

#6

Post by _8j50 » Sun, Oct 14, 2018, 8:45 PM UTC

dijit wrote: post #4

And I’ve been running an irc network myself for more than half that. It’s hard to beat the effective simplicity even if it’s janky to use and limited in functionality. That said I wish IRCv3 was coming sooner. The ability to replay messages and handle TCP connection loss somewhat grafefully has an immesurable appeal; because despite how fast the internet gets; it never seems to get more reliable for individual long l…

Still no end to end encryption.

Ircv3 would have been good 10years ago. IRC is great but everything has it's time. Even the web has it's time.

Re: Internet Relay Chat turns 30–and we remember how it changed our lives

#7

Post by giancarlostoro » Sun, Oct 14, 2018, 9:43 PM UTC

moonbug wrote: post #2

Would pay good money for comic chat in Slack

Heh, Comic chat still works you just point it to an IRC server and it works!

Re: Internet Relay Chat turns 30–and we remember how it changed our lives

#8

Post by giancarlostoro » Sun, Oct 14, 2018, 9:47 PM UTC

dijit wrote: post #4

And I’ve been running an irc network myself for more than half that. It’s hard to beat the effective simplicity even if it’s janky to use and limited in functionality. That said I wish IRCv3 was coming sooner. The ability to replay messages and handle TCP connection loss somewhat grafefully has an immesurable appeal; because despite how fast the internet gets; it never seems to get more reliable for individual long l…

Mind if I ask what server you use? I currently use ngircd when I do use a server, just find it easier, I dont have any services for accounts setup is the only downside for me but usually they seem to be a pain (never is it just an apt install) and I did have a bouncer setup ages back, I wish more people were IRC friendly.

IRCv3 really needs to hurry up, we need at least simpler account registration and all that as part of the client if possible, it could go a long way.

Another thing I wish would happen is for a WebSockets compatible spec for IRC so you can just use it in-browser without a "bridge" and it could be easier for most newcomers to just spin that up and connect.

Re: Internet Relay Chat turns 30–and we remember how it changed our lives

#9

Post by sexydefinesher » Sun, Oct 14, 2018, 9:56 PM UTC

0898 wrote: post #3

Last year I logged into an IRC channel I frequented around 1997. Damnit if many of the same people weren't there. They recognised me too. Spent a beautiful couple of hours catching up.

One of the things i associate IRC with is all the dead husks of former communities. Once highly active places you would check into daily there are at best 10 idlers who never chat anymore, like statues in a mausoleum.

Re: Internet Relay Chat turns 30–and we remember how it changed our lives

#10

Post by dijit » Sun, Oct 14, 2018, 10:13 PM UTC

_8j50 wrote: post #6

dijit wrote: post #4

And I’ve been running an irc network myself for more than half that. It’s hard to beat the effective simplicity even if it’s janky to use and limited in functionality. That said I wish IRCv3 was coming sooner. The ability to replay messages and handle TCP connection loss somewhat grafefully has an immesurable appeal; because despite how fast the internet gets; it never seems to get more reliable for individual long l…

Still no end to end encryption. Ircv3 would have been good 10years ago. IRC is great but everything has it's time. Even the web has it's time.

E2E is (and should be) client side dependent.

OTR exists for most (if not all) clients, also you can do DCC direct messages, which bypass the server completely, if you:

A) don't mind leaking your IP to your chat partner and

B) force your client to encrypt the traffic.