Happy Birthday IRC!
IRC, believe it or not, turns fourteen this month. This
documentation is provided to celebrate and reflect on IRC's
history.
What is IRC? Internet Relay Chat, commonly known as IRC,
is a multi-user chat community/system which allows people
from all across the globe to meet with their friends or
people they've never meet before online through channels.
When was IRC created, who was it created by and for what?
IRC was created around August 1988 by Jarkko Oikarinen
for a local BBS OuluBox user community, with the help of
hundreds of volunteers. He never dreamed it would become as
big as it has today, holding thousands upon thousands upon
thousands of users. Since then many people have contributed
to it's existence.
What were some of the first IRC networks?
The very first IRC network, was Efnet (Eris Free
Network). It the oldest IRC network to still exist. Efnet
was started around 1988, when IRC first began. A few years
later, Undernet came along. Undernet attempted to get rid
of the constant channel chaos which reigned supreme on
efnet, they did a fairly good job, but not as good a job as
DALnet has. In 1994, DALnet was
founded. DALnet has successfully solved the problem of
channel problems which exist on Efnet, by creating advanced
and easy to use, user services (NickServ, ChanServ, and
MemoServ ). DALnet is the first and only large IRC network
to this date to provide these.
How has IRC lasted so long?
IRC has prospered and integrated to adjust to modern
times, but how? Well this is a simple question really.
It's a way of communicating with people from all over the
world. It gives people a chance to form bonds with people
they have never meet in person. Another reason IRC has
lasted so long, is from people who have contributed. Most
networks are run voluntarily, people who dedicate their time
and patience for users and because of this IRC will
continue to grow.
How was IRC in the early days?
Originally, IRC only consisted of a few networks. It
wasn't known as well as it is today. However, basic ideas
and structures from that time period are still around
today. Few IRC clients existed back then. mIRC, basically a
household name for IRC clients, had yet to be created and
most users were on a unix-based client.
What's to come for IRC?
This is a question no one can really answer. It has
however, lasted and evolved for fourteen years now which
makes various users predict it will be around for a long
time to come :)
©Todd 2002
