Dissatisfied with webchat

Help and Troubleshooting
1

As someone who primarily uses the webchat, I would like bring the dissatisfaction of myself and other chat users to the attention of the forum administration. First, the webchat has regular network problems, inconveniently interrupting conversations for several minutes. The Ajax client is a resource hog that lacks useful features like auto-logging and auto-reconnect. Besides that, it often hangs, locking up keyboard input in other windows.

I propose switching the chat system to IRC. For forum integration, there are plenty of browser-based clients to choose from. Network reliability would be vastly improved by using one of the major IRC networks. OO.net could operate its own IRC server, but I suspect much of the performance problems are due to its own hosting. Access restriction to the IRC channel could be achieved with trivial scripting.

2

I got kicked out twice today; when I went back in after the first time, my screen would flicker–very obnoxiously–every time someone posted a line of text. This persisted after the second “boot” out of chat.

3

I propose switching the chat system to IRC. For forum integration, there are plenty of browser-based clients to choose from. Network reliability would be vastly improved by using one of the major IRC networks. OO.net could operate its own IRC server, but I suspect much of the performance problems are due to its own hosting. Access restriction to the IRC channel could be achieved with trivial scripting.

Does IRC properly recognize property rights – i.e. can an IRC channel be registered somewhere as property like a URL is property? I don’t use the chat much, but I used to use IRC chat very often, and since the channel was not recognized as being property, it could be taken over at any time and one would lose the channel. So, I’d check on that first before switching.

4

Does IRC properly recognize property rights – i.e. can an IRC channel be registered somewhere as property like a URL is property? I don’t use the chat much, but I used to use IRC chat very often, and since the channel was not recognized as being property, it could be taken over at any time and one would lose the channel. So, I’d check on that first before switching.

I used to chat in #geekspeak but I didn’t start going there until what were, unbeknownst to me, its later years…

It is possible to run your own IRC server, in which case you can control all aspects of its operation. People have to get their IRC clients to log directly into your server. Your server is unlikely to have a wide variety of channels because no one will go there except people who are interested in its main channel.

It is also possible to run a channel on an existing server or network of servers (e.g., DALNet, Undernet). In that case you only have as much property as the network lets you secure, according to its own policies. Back when I used to use IRC, it was also common for these networks to be abused, in violation of their own policies, which means in practice that you can have trouble securing things even though you technically have (as per policy) a right to possess them.

#geekspeak was run on its own server, but a bot relayed things back and forth between it and I don’t know which one of the major networks.

IRC servers typically run on ports that are blocked by corporate firewalls, meaning that you might be unable to chat from work if this plan is implemented. Then again, the administrators could run IRC protocol on port 80 on a different IP address.

Another common problem with IRC is that, unless you use a relay, you expose your IP address to everyone in the channel. (If you do use a relay you expose the IP address of the relay, so few service companies are willing to host one.) A malicious person can use this to launch a DDOS attack against you, and there will be no way for you to tell where it is coming from. (DDOS = distributed denial of service.) Many ISPs will then disconnect you as if the attack is your fault. Others will happily bill you for the bandwidth. Fear of DDOS attacks – even though I was never hit by one – is what caused me to stop using IRC.

5

IRC servers allow the administrator to mask IPs.

6

I used to chat in #geekspeak but I didn’t start going there until what were, unbeknownst to me, its later years…

It is possible to run your own IRC server, in which case you can control all aspects of its operation. People have to get their IRC clients to log directly into your server. Your server is unlikely to have a wide variety of channels because no one will go there except people who are interested in its main channel.

It is also possible to run a channel on an existing server or network of servers (e.g., DALNet, Undernet). In that case you only have as much property as the network lets you secure, according to its own policies. Back when I used to use IRC, it was also common for these networks to be abused, in violation of their own policies, which means in practice that you can have trouble securing things even though you technically have (as per policy) a right to possess them.

#geekspeak was run on its own server, but a bot relayed things back and forth between it and I don’t know which one of the major networks.

IRC servers typically run on ports that are blocked by corporate firewalls, meaning that you might be unable to chat from work if this plan is implemented. Then again, the administrators could run IRC protocol on port 80 on a different IP address.

Another common problem with IRC is that, unless you use a relay, you expose your IP address to everyone in the channel. (If you do use a relay you expose the IP address of the relay, so few service companies are willing to host one.) A malicious person can use this to launch a DDOS attack against you, and there will be no way for you to tell where it is coming from. (DDOS = distributed denial of service.) Many ISPs will then disconnect you as if the attack is your fault. Others will happily bill you for the bandwidth. Fear of DDOS attacks – even though I was never hit by one – is what caused me to stop using IRC.

Your criticism applies to utilizing public IRC networks as opposed to creating a personal IRC server for the use of objectivismonline. However, it is true that some people may not be able to connect to an IRC network from behind a corporate firewall (without some extra measures taken). This isn’t really an issue for ObjectivismOnline, but for the employee who wishes to chat on IRC during work hours.