Future of IRC

Anarchy · Posted: Jan 25, 2008 12:35pm Post subject:

to late...

Leroy · none Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 2

I know this thread has been around a while, but just thought I'd make a comment on it since it's something that my friends and I on the network we use have discussed several times.

I always thought IRC held its own against the likes of MSN, Yahoo, AIM, etc. However, in more recent years the introduction of MySpace and Facebook seem to have left IRC in the shadow somewhat. These social networking sites seem to offer just about everything IRC can, as well as a few extra bells and whistles that appeal.

The comment I read about IRC being a generational thing I can also agree with. The "new" generation are automatically tuning their net time into these social networking sites, leaving IRC with the "last" generation of people. That's not to say there's no newbies on IRC, but in the bigger picture that's the way I perceive things to be happening.

I think there'll always be a place for IRC, mostly due to people like me and you, but from my experience alone I've seen it dwindle rapidly in the past few years, to an almost stagnant position.

jimstratus · none Joined: 28 Nov 2003 Posts: 4

I've been ddosed before and I have a very small network. The thing is now trying to find a user base. We've been up for 8 years and we had large commuities - who ended up getting their own irc server up. Everyone has them these days that no network can grow or get users because they make their own instead.

leviathan400 · none Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 3

I think starting general networks will never realy work on a big scale. You need to have a goal in mind such as its for a community, a game, a website or even a large clan. Seting one up and asking and expecting people to come and stay dosent really work.

I hope the future of IRC is bright. Been using it many years and indend to carry on. Wish more people would find the love that I have for IRC.

Thanks
Leviathan

mjay

The net changes with time and all things must change with it. I am only one person , but I intend to include IRC in the growing area of 3D worlds.
Hopefully if successful it will allow me to give back to that which has given me much over a decade.
I must agree with several others here that uniqueness as well as quality is a greater goal than just size alone. As far as DDos attacks , there are things that can be done if people unite on a common goal , such as forcing the use netwide of smart dns servers that do not propagate DDos attacks. That may not be a feasible idea right now but the key is to unite and make a one loud voice rather than many little ones.

JoeK · Posted: May 07, 2009 10:59pm Post subject:

Shems · none Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 1

L.S.,

due to recent developments, like m$' "geneva" project (Strict Server Structure - military) and Germany's "Internetsperren" (censorship), it's emperative IRC grows !!! In some strange way I understand the situation calls for more secure networks. We are forced into this, soon there wont be any 'freedom' on the net. I mean, really soon. Europe has already made very strict laws empowering governments to "limit" internet access under the precursor of cybercrime and child abuse. On the other hand about a month ago the British were boasting about their ability to capture over 50 people internationaly (!) on the basis of one single photograph. Think about it; it's pornography which is so easily blocked. The real problem is how a child interprets and reproduces information. The cruel irony here is that America is moving in the opposite direction. Even more cruel is the reason, the very ideas America stands for; the free market and liberty.Unlike Europe, America didn't prohibit energy carriers from also transporting information resulting in a large amount of companies 'owning' their part of the net. Any meaningfull innovation would be too costly to facilitate. Obama announced the release of 7.2$ billion in funds to allocate amongst companies capable of broadband innovation, even setting a minimum requirement to the speed of broadband. Now, that is a lot of money for a country at war and above 10 % unemployment. Don't get me wrong, I'm not cracking down on America. On the contrary, it will be us citizens who will tip the balance in this powerstruggle. Damage has already been done in Europe. If you would have told me a year ago that the situation (freedom vs. security) would be turned around, I just wouldn't have believed you.
And now I see IRC and P2P guru's giving up on account of petty fighting ?! I hope you all realise that creating divisions (disruption) of relations between people in a group is a proven destructive strategy. Ok, suppuse I'm not so suspicious. When the boys are coming back and much (!) more jobs in IT are created, your privacy and -subsequently- your freedom will slowly disappear.It happened here without me even knowing about it. Sure, I've noticed strange behaviour of -mostly- search engines; but I would never have thought it would lead to this. In terms of backalley dealings and shady faces the Dutch government takes the cake. I don't like to admit it, but I am relying on America's belief in freedom and liberty ! The realisation of what is happening has not (yet) sunk in Europeans. I should've seen it coming !!! I've worked with information for long. I guess specialisation does weaken. Germany and France have already set legal precedents. So, hopefully sooner then later I'll be thanking you guys for saving the day.

katsklaw · Posted: Jul 05, 2009 1:53pm Post subject:

whoa, there for a second I thought I was reading political propaganda.

At anyrate, IRC it's self is so far the radar when it comes to global politics that it will simply fade away due to lack of interest before anything about IRC would become illegal.

[DiMENSiON] · Eleet Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 667

I havn't read much of this thread so i apologise for my ignorance;

IRC has been steadily going downhill ever since ive been using it from what i can see... The ammount of networks is ever increasing, mostly with few or no users or any real point, the larger networks are full of idle people who like to assert their own self importance on you and medium sized networks are far from welcoming to new unaffliated users on the whole.

Side note; SearchIRC forums also seem to have become almost entirely classified ads forum for IRC networks from what i can see.

Trixar_za · Posted: Jul 27, 2009 11:53am Post subject:

[DiMENSiON] · Eleet Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 667

I quite agree, alot of business ventures are using IRC as a way to support customers which in my experience has been good and bad, as with any support offered by a business, this is good for us sure, logic wise i'm not sure unless there are web clients for regular-joe.

This doesnt make the ever dimishing social community any better or larger, purely for techtalk and customer support(because it's FREE!)... has everything digitally social gone to to the mytwitterface's of this world?

lokoluis · none Joined: 19 Dec 2009 Posts: 1

Hello, im new to this forum and i've been irc user since 98.
And i think the future is that irc will be more like "corporate support chat" and for "underground" communities.
I agree when people says that everybody is making their own network and is true, since there are irc servers for windows and also since linux is becoming lees painful and to install it is very easy. I include myself of one of thousands of people that make their own little community.
I hope somebody can make re-write the irc protocol and take it to the next level.

go4scrappy · none Joined: 02 May 2010 Posts: 1

Jason · Posted: May 02, 2010 3:42pm Post subject:

I work at a large corporation. Our standard for communication online is basically Sametime (IM), email, and some screen sharing applications.

I run a Jabber alternative... there really isn't a use of IRC and it's complexities for us. People are now very familiar with IM. Going to IRC is like telling someone who uses spreadsheets about a database.. what?!

On a side note, a few sysadmins here do IRC while on the job. :)

internetuser · none Joined: 25 Sep 2008 Posts: 7

I know this conversation is a little old now but I think I'll give my 2c.

I've been using irc for at least 10 years now. Personally I have seen people shift away from the "general" chat type deal. People seem to go to networks to chat to people with similar interests, not necessarily just to jump in the pool and make friends.

You can see gamesurge as a prime example of this. This network specialises in game related discussion/organisation, and so users who seek others to share game experiences with/discussions/whatever will go there. Christian networks are also another great example of this.

On the subject of introducing irc back to the masses.. there's only one way I can see that happening to be honest, and that rests with people with deep pockets.

Imagine a website as intuitive as facebook. Something that looks amazing and will attract people by all the shiny colours. Something that in essence is what MSN chat used to be.

This website would basically list all available irc servers (I suppose networks that have applied and met a certain criteria, essentially) and allow users to select which one meets their interests. IRC network for twilight fans? Click. Pretty and workable web chat application as lightweight as MSN's and you're golden.

Now you might be saying.. "individual networks for specific topics? That's what rooms are for!" The topics would definitely be "general", using gamesurge and games as the example again.

Keeping users spread out on different servers is an amazing thing. If people want to discuss multiple topics with different people, keeping in mind they are not restricted to using only one network. Having a network with everything in one place means more size which will in turn lead to more attacks and more management. (If you've read this thread then I really don't need to list all the negatives.)

There is a desire for old school chatting again, just look at the successes of omegle. The potential is definitely there and someone needs to take a advantage of it. Someone who will do it right.