People keep telling me that IRC is obsolete in modern day, Why do people still use IRC? reddit / irc ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How_To_IRC · 2023-10-04 05:53 Hello, Quick question, people keep telling me that IRC (internet relay chat) is completely and absolutely obsolete and has absolutely no use case that can be better served with xmpp or matrix, what do you guys think? is IRC obsolete technology? if not, why do people still use it? thank you ---------------------------------------------------------------------- theLJR · 2023-10-04 06:17 Xdcc ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How_To_IRC · 2023-10-04 06:20 idk what that is. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- theLJR · 2023-10-04 06:54 File transfer ---------------------------------------------------------------------- dfvtv · 2023-10-04 07:58 Still use it for my news/trading channel...remains a nice haven from of (un)social media junk. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- masturkiller · 2023-10-04 08:11 The IRC server code has been updated constantly and, as a matter of fact, was updated today (UnrealIRCd - https://www.unrealircd.org/). This said for the reasons why people still use IRC despite it being dead (I actually agree with the people who told you this). I believe the reasons span from nostalgic reasons all the way through illegal purposes. from innocuous chat all the way to illegal file transfers and child porn. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ThranPoster · 2023-10-04 08:16 IRC is a simple and robust protocol, it works everywhere and has a wide range of clients available. Scripting it is simple. Its ease of 'drop into any channel, ask a question, drop out' is still unrivalled. I don't think the newer protocols offer much over it - I wish the effort had went into IRCv3 to give it all the modern niceties while retaining backwards compatibility. That said, all communication relies upon the network effect, so it depends whether people you want to know still use it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How_To_IRC · 2023-10-04 08:43 >Xdcc file transfer? i put it in google and i don't get anything? what file transfer? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How_To_IRC · 2023-10-04 08:44 >all the way through illegal purposes tell me more about this, how does IRC make help with "illegal purposes"? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How_To_IRC · 2023-10-04 08:46 interesting, what specifically do you mean by "simple and robust" i want to understand what you mean by that, especially in contrast with modern day software cause i know that IRC is ancient in terms of the internet. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- somewhat-damaged · 2023-10-04 10:47 Search for: irc xdcc bot ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ThranPoster · 2023-10-04 10:52 It is a dedicated protocol that exchanges binary packets over TCP, unlike modern XMPP or Matrix which are much heavier and use XML or JSON over HTTP respectively. This appeals to my inner engineer - a well designed protocol that is tailored to to one task, rather than yet another JSON/HTTP web application. IRC being simpler means it is easier to implement, so more fun to play around with and also fewer points of failure. It also means low data use but that is perhaps less relevant today because most people are using high-speed connections. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ThranPoster · 2023-10-04 10:53 I don't use that myself but my mind goes to warez distribution. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- girthfingers · 2023-10-04 12:30 What server and channels do you regular? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Greedy_Result_2699 · 2023-10-04 14:50 I have been on IRC for over 20 years and sadly I see us losing more and more people. What a lot of young people don't seem to understand is they can use it and instantly have someone respond even if it isn't the answer they want. I hope that IRC stays alive. Before IRC I used BBS for a while. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ComputerTech312 · 2023-10-04 14:59 Imo it's because it's open source, basic, and full of freedom. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mccobsta · 2023-10-04 15:09 It's so light weight compared to alternatives you can use irc on a edge mobile connection fine can't do that with anything else ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ProgVal · 2023-10-04 15:17 * https://www.reddit.com/r/irc/comments/15xwajf/what_are_advantages_of _irc_over_matrix_why_would/ * https://www.reddit.com/r/irc/comments/fd801p/10_reasons/ * https://www.reddit.com/r/irc/comments/epgmxy/irc_what_do_people_use_ it_for_these_days/ * https://www.reddit.com/r/irc/comments/qg6nqb/why_do_people_still_use _irc/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mandelvolt · 2023-10-04 15:22 Soubds like fear mongering. Every IRC channel I've ever seen has been full of super nerds ---------------------------------------------------------------------- rodeklapstoel · 2023-10-04 15:32 IRC is obsolete because people still use it. I think... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Loose-Ad3074 · 2023-10-04 15:42 Nostalgia. I still have friends on irc from the 90's... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- masturkiller · 2023-10-04 16:35 I wasn't trying to imply any sort of nefarious reasons are actually in place that I know of I was just stating that it probably is going on and that's one of the reasons why it is still alive I'm not saying he should not use it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- miseeker · 2023-10-04 16:39 IRC used to be the premier place to go for cybersex, now called sexting. Married my irc gal 25 years ago. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mccobsta · 2023-10-04 17:00 Irc being a protocol instead of a platform will definitely out live all the current chat platforms ---------------------------------------------------------------------- cletus_ · 2023-10-04 18:24 Good times when I found active irc channels. Really good times when webtv came out and underlying chat was just irc 😂. Found a lot of great local channels and made some good friends. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -rkta- · 2023-10-04 18:40 Because on IRC September seems over. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ekeagle · 2023-10-04 22:03 I use it ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LameBMX · 2023-10-04 22:57 to expand a bit on the other comment. you can literally use telnet or similar to join and chat on IRC. it's very klunky but possible and uses the same commands you are used to using. just 0 niceties and automation, and 1 windows to lose track of everything. if every client and server disappeared, you can go to the rfc page for irc for the protocol, script your own server in whatever, then two people could use telnet and resurrect IRC. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DaftPump · 2023-10-04 23:59 Say I am in Sweden and you're in Canada. We're both on IRC and you ask for a pic of my cat. I can send you a pic of my cat via XDCC transfer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DaftPump · 2023-10-04 23:59 Who asked a/s/l first? :P ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BeardedBlaze · 2023-10-05 00:01 Ask those people if they watch twitch. Their chat is running on IRC backbone. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- miseeker · 2023-10-05 01:21 lol.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CoolDragon · 2023-10-05 02:06 BBS sysops rise! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CoolDragon · 2023-10-05 03:29 Ykermit FTW ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CanadaBis85 · 2023-10-05 04:54 We're currently using the platform that replaces the quick q&a function of IRC. Isn't it ironic? Dontcha think? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Sonicboomish · 2023-10-05 23:58 I started using it again like 2 days ago after about 14 years purely for nostalgia ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ParadiseGrave · 2023-10-06 09:10 Not going to go anywhere. Easiest way to download stuff ---------------------------------------------------------------------- lazy-xo · 2023-10-06 14:17 The RFC is something like 70 pages, compare with other protocols even just glancing over them you’ll see right away. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- lazy-xo · 2023-10-06 14:20 There are light weight RFC compliant alternatives if you’re running a small network or single server. Sometimes software doesn’t need updating.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- lazy-xo · 2023-10-06 14:22 Sorry it’s even less than I remember https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc1459 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- lazy-xo · 2023-10-06 14:38 IRC can’t die or go away and there’s no way for anything that would have an interest in that happening - unless something changes and all IP related rfcs are impacted but we’d be having an entire different discussion if that was the case ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BRUT_me · 2023-10-06 18:55 I use it daily, I am running a portal with gaming servers and nearly all gaming servers all connected to my IRC server to know what is there going on, so for me it is not obsolete and dont think it ever be ---------------------------------------------------------------------- empress-tom · 2023-10-07 18:51 Mostly stubbornness and generally conservative mindset. Many of the people who insist on sticking with IRC have been using it since the 90s and are likely too old to have adopted the media-rich online presence most people under 40 currently have. However, I wouldn't go so far as to call it obsolete, not yet. There haven't been any suitable alternatives, although Matrix and especially Discord come close. Discord has the kind of features a modern chat protocol should have, only problem is it is entirely owned by Discord. You can't own a Discord server, but you can own an IRC server. IMO, the ideal chat platform would take the features of Discord, and combine it with the independence and freedom of IRC. Matrix meets that standard, but as of this writing, it is mostly only used for bridging to Discord and/or IRC. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PurpleResort6266 · 2023-10-08 01:32 Yes, i am using irc for #triviagames. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BRUT_me · 2023-10-08 06:28 but you know how people like to cheat, in trivias now it is more abou thhe speed of alttabing and asking google than actual knowledge xD ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PurpleResort6266 · 2023-10-08 08:42 Thats why as you know yourself, dont cheat. I dont cheat, lol if i dont know the asnwer, ill leave. It is fun! You can join us at https://web.envy.chat:9000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BRUT_me · 2023-10-08 09:41 I dont cheat, hate it, have a lot of my own experiences with cheaters on my gaming servers x) but I know people, I gonna check ya ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PurpleResort6266 · 2023-10-08 09:44 Im not online now because I am having dinner but i hope to catch you whenever you decide to go online. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- mcdenkijin · 2023-10-08 14:22 Reddit is a forums analogue, it's nothing like IRC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- McGoodotnet · 2023-10-14 05:50 The protocol is solid AF. Seems good enough for the US military drone pilots... ​ "Next, the crew goes to the Ground Control Station (GCS) to a final brief from the shift it is replacing. Personnel swap one at a time — sensor operator (who controls the cameras and the laser that guides the missiles) first, then pilot — and the mission continues. Crews can communicate with ground troops through phone, radio or Internet Relay Chat (mIRC)." ​ https://www.aviationtoday.com/2017/03/16/day-life-us-air-force-drone- pilot/