Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

arstechnica.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 32 posts

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

#11

Post by dijit »

giancarlostoro wrote: post #8
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 pa…

We're using inspircd, mostly because it's quite orthogonal and follows the RFC's the closest. Their project is actually part of the IRCv3 working group. So the alpha/main branch of their repo has many IRCv3 features.

But we're using atheme for the accounts backend- something I actually think could be improved upon tremendously actually

> 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.

I know some people who could work on this as an IRC module you just load; if they had time. It's something I would also like as it would enable a new generation of electron/web applications for IRC. And, hey.. it works for slack :)

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

#13

Post by giancarlostoro »

dijit wrote: post #11
giancarlostoro wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 pa…

We're using inspircd, mostly because it's quite orthogonal and follows the RFC's the closest. Their project is actually part of the IRCv3 working group. So the alpha/main branch of their repo has many IRCv3 features. But we're using atheme for the accounts backend- something I actually think could be improved upon tremendously actually > Another thing I wish would happen is for a WebSockets compatible spec for IRC so…

> I know some people who could work on this as an IRC module you just load; if they had time. It's something I would also like as it would enable a new generation of electron/web applications for IRC. And, hey.. it works for slack :)

Totally agree, but just as important it works REALLY well for Discord! They're unlike Slack in that you don't even need an account to start seeing a server (or used to be?) you just join and oh look, you can post, want an account? You can register! Oh look you're hooked, bam! Then the rest is things a clean UI could handle like displaying images in the client and videos (I know some IRC clients already display images).

I do yearn for the ultimate IRC UI driven client, it's almost Quassel for me.

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

#14

Post by prawnsalad »

giancarlostoro wrote: post #8
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 pa…

We're actually putting together a Websocket spec at the moment for IRCv3. There has been a few experiments and an implementation that has been getting used more frequently has proven to be helpful here.

https://github.com/kiwiirc/webircgateway

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

#16

Post by vyrotek »

moonbug wrote: post #2

Would pay good money for comic chat in Slack

I loved comic chat! I was talking to coworkers about chat clients the other day and the usual list came up including ICQ, IRC, AIM, etc. But I was surprised to find no one had heard of comic chat. I mentioned a few others such as PowWow and The Palace and got the the same response.

It's amazing how just a few years of age difference shapes our past experiences of the internet so much. It's all moving so fast.

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

#17

Post by pcurve »

Ahh... IRC... gateway into the world of Warez...

In mid 90s, I remember sending /ctcp xdcc list commands to bots and giggling in utter joy while browsing through pirated copies of absurdly priced software like Archicad, electric image animation system, Alias. Then hoarding them knowing full well I'd never use them.. filling them on 100MG iomega zip disks purchased from CompUSA or computer city.

Good old days.

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

#18

Post by _8j50 »

dijit wrote: post #10
_8j50 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

E2E should be for all client to client communication. OTR is opportunistic. Good many many years ago but not enough for this day and age. When you think of a protocol's viability,consider how we'll be stuck with it for decades (like irc and email). Non-e2e support is intolerable.

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

#19

Post by dijit »

_8j50 wrote: post #18
dijit wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

E2E should be for all client to client communication. OTR is opportunistic. Good many many years ago but not enough for this day and age. When you think of a protocol's viability,consider how we'll be stuck with it for decades (like irc and email). Non-e2e support is intolerable.

I hate to be "that guy" but why don't you build it? there's nothing about the protocol that prevents you. And if you want it baked in (cipher negotiation) why not talk to the IRCv3 people?

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

#20

Post by na85 »

sexydefinesher wrote: post #9
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.

Depends heavily on your channels. I frequent a few that average a few dozen users and thousands of lines per day.
Post reply on HN