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---
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title: "Old school IRC. Kat-arena"
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mobile_menu_title: "IRC. Kat-arena"
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date: 2022-04-04
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Author: "Katerina"
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description: "Kat-arena goes on exploring IRC after the introduction of the brave new DoubleFourteen Code Forge channel."
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series: [ "Kat-arena" ]
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categories: [ "communication", "marketing" ]
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tags: [ "Kat-arena", "business", "marketing", "digitalization", "irc", "Internet Relay Chat"]
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---
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What is IRC and why using it today?
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If you have not been around (the Internet) in the early 00s, chances are you have
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never heard about Internet Relay Chat.
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However, the DoubleFourteen Code Forge decided to open one in 2022,
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and you might want to join us on `#doublefourteen` at [Libera.Chat](https://libera.chat).
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IRC was invented in 1988 by Jarkko Oikarinen, who aimed to give users outside the
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network a chance to participate in conversation without creating a profile.
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So, it allows users to provide as much or little info about themselves as they are
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comfortable with, starting from zero.
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Nowadays, it sounds almost radical, considering you have to accept GPS tracking
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to use some services or enter your birthday to check the news.
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As a matter of fact, it was not. IRC was born in the early days of the Internet,
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when the respect for users' privacy was yet to be taken over by user's data
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monetary value.
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So, Internet Relay Chat is a system (although, being decentralized, it may be described as the absence of one)
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of networks, channels, and chat rooms.
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Originally text-based, the same technology now supports different mediums
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including video, although its traditionally minimalistic interfaces are
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still more text-friendly.
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Why choose IRC today?
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Because the same points that ensured its success in the 90s are still relevant today:
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*For business* it is an easy and stable tool that can be added directly to a website
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and ensure that customers can reach you directly in one click even if they are
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off social media or Instagram/Facebook/Google services are down.
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And *for everyone*:
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1. *extremely lightweight*, useful even with limited bandwidth or jittery connections.
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2. *flexible*. it offers both group chats and one-on-one conversations.
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3. *simple* the interface is simplicity as it is.
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4. *decentralized* anyone, in principle, can set up an IRC network*.
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5. *free* like, actually free, not "pay later", not "here are some ads",
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and definitely not "we collect and sell your data to third parties".
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*Note*: in principle, yes, but most certainly you will use one of the existing networks.
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While transitioning between them is fairly simple, I want to point out that the security and privacy
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of IRC's networks are mostly based on transparency and its community
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(same as with many Open Source initiatives).
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Hence, I want to encourage you to stay attentive and avoid focusing on the same
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service or platform. IRC gives you freedom, so use it wisely.
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Last thought: while exploring IRC, I have realized that numerous easy messengers
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I know are inspired by these "old school" channels.
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So, apart from all the technical bonuses and safety, it is also extremely
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intuitive and requires zero to little adaptation.
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So, maybe along with vinyl, Polaroids, and black-and-white movies we can bring back IRC?
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Katerina
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