16 replies to this topic

[DaeFenris]

IRC is not difficult to learn. Especially if you are only going to be a regular user visiting a room for chatting purposes.

People are just way too used to the GUI of all the new messengers.

To put it simply: Buttons are for babies, go learn some real commands!

[Blacklaser]

IRC is still around because it is a chat program, not a instant messenger. IRC basically allows a big group of poeple to chat with one another in a channel. This is fundamentaly different from the one-on-one conversations instant messengers provide, this means that both types of programs have their own right to exist, and no instant messenger will replace IRC, nor will IRC replace the instant messengers.

There are a lot of free IRC clients out there, all you have to do is a little research on your own. Not all of them are quite as easy to get going with as mIRC, but you can always use the 30 day trial version of mIRC and then switch over to one of the free ones as soon as you ahve a basic grip on how to handle it.

[DaeFenris]

Multi-messenger programs like Trillian and GAIM have IRC capabilities too. Very basic configurations, so even a person will little IRC experience can handle the progs.

Not sure on the limit of their functionality though. For basic users who just want to join a channel and be able to change their nick, it's no problem. As for channel admin/ops, no idea...

[Blacklaser]

DaeFenris is right, a lot of the multi-protocol programs also support IRC, I've only worked with Trillian. It works well for the basic stuff as he says, but it's not really a good solution for heavy users and/or ops. But there are free IRC programs out there one good example would be Xchat.

[Inspiron]

Actually there isn't a need to download an all-in-one chat or instant messenger program like Trillian or GAIM. Simply get Opera browser because it has an IRC client integrated while you are surfing your webpages, all in a single browser. Besides, you can also check your email on the integrated email client in Opera browser. I think Opera is a better alternative than Trillian or GAIM if you don't use all the different instant messenger services. Definately you will surf webpages, so Opera will do the job.

[iGuest]

XChat for WindowsWhat Is An Irc Take-over

XChat is only free for Linux. There is a version, though, that is free for Windows, called XChat2 (http://www.Silverex.Org) that gives you the option to use XChat in Windows for free. You can also download a "portable" version of XChat (http://portableapps.Com/node/15971) or make it portable yourself (http://www.Silverex.Org/faq/

[kikapoo]

I've been through one of these "TAKE-OVERS" and it was many years ago when I still used IRC. Not wanting to bore you guys with the full story so here's the small details.

I was a helper in one of the channel for a online game and I dare say I did my part as a operator, even more so than the owner who had created the channel. Well after sometime, due to a channel take over, I made a sub channel that became the trading channel in the later part of the "Saga".

Well, the old owner didn't see it in her to allow another similar channel that fought for the same target audiences and therefore went behind my back and took over the entire channel. It even got a global operator involved and in the end, even though I had the channel back, I decided to give it up and direct the traffic to where the old owner was, mainly because I didn't wanted another argument to happen over it and because of all the fighting, channel joins decreased, all in all, bad for everyone.

Oh well, someone has to give in sometimes, in the case I told myself to be the better man and stepped away from all these.

*6 months later, the owner gave up the channel too I heard because apart from me, no one else was helping much and after I left, It just went straight into the gutter. "