Lets all use the IRC channel for once

[Jamon Camisso]

Walter Dnes wrote:
>   This isn't a rant against IRC, so please don't take it personally, but
> an email list has some major advantages over IRC.  IRC is OK for live
> communication, but not everybody can be on at the same time, plus I'm
> not exactly a fast typist.  Over the years, I've graduated from being a
> hunt-n-peck 2-finger typist, to a 4-finger (plus thumbs for spacebar)
> typist.  And you don't really want to even think about "texting" with me
> on a cellphone.  Let's just say "I don't get it" when it comes to the
> "texting" obsession.  I recently joined the 21st century, and got the
> basic Virgin Mobile "minute-2-minute" plan.  At $3.75+GST per month (if
> you use it infrequently), it can't be beat for emergency use.  And you
> get to carry over unused credits if you top up on time (or even better,
> go with auto-top-up).

I agree, and most wholeheartedly at that. Texting: perhaps airtime is 
cheap enough here that we don't need it and can just talk on a cellphone 
when necessary? In other places/plans however, texting makes simple 
economic sense for quick messages.

>   - Email enables TIVO-like "timeshifting".  This gives me time to
>     compose a readable reply.  This not only helps the slow typists, but
>     allows one to do offline research ("googling") before replying to
>     questions.

I've had many an exchange of ideas and help that consisted entirely of 
links posted to a channel. Email cannot compare with something like that 
for speed and effectiveness.

>   - Email exchanges can be longer and more much more detailed than a
>     series of one-liners.  Could you even begin to write your plea in
>     your original message on IRC?  And of course, you can attach files.

Not at all. I could indeed try, but would likely be yelled at (or kicked 
by freenode) for spamming the channel. On the other hand, most irc 
clients have a built in file transfer mechanism and many high volume 
channels use pastebins for linking to large chunks of text.

One thing that I still have trouble with in irc/im is lack of 
punctuation and grammar. While I'm not perfect in my own usage by any 
means, I nevertheless find it rather disconcerting -- I agree with you 
(I think) on that point.

>   - Email exchanges can be in parallel, whereas IRC is serial, i.e. only
>     one person typing at a time

I've yet to come across a threaded irc client (impossible I'd say). 
However, typing someone's name is a simply natter of the first letter or 
two, and then tab completion kicks in. If your name appears in the 
channel, you are notified by your client, and can easily change the 
colour of any line containing your name. This system allows multiple 
conversations at once without you loosing track of who said what to 
whom. Audio notifications too.

>   IRC has its place, and where immediacy is required it's nice, but
> one-size-does-not-fit-all.

Agreed. There is a time and a place for both email and IRC. However, it 
seems like IRC's place is rather lacking in presence at the moment -- 
that's essentially my entire point.

Thanks for your response though; reasons are always useful things to 
consider.

Jamon


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