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| name = IRCnet
| name = IRCnet
| image = [[Image:IRCnetLogo.png|240px]]
| image = [[Image:IRCnetLogo.png|240px]]
| founded_on = 1996
| founded_on = {{start date and age|1996}}
| located_in = [[Europe]]<br />[[United States]]
| located_in = [[Europe]]<br />[[United States]]
| based_in = [[World]]wide
| based_in = [[World]]wide
| website_url = [https://www.ircnet.com/ www.ircnet.com]
| executive_board =
| executive_board =
⚫
| average_users = {{IRC NQNS link|IRCnet|40,000 - 80,000}}
| average_channels = {{IRC NQNS link|IRCnet|20,000 - 40,000}}
| average_users = {{IRC NQNS link|IRCnet|20,000–30,000}}
| average_servers = {{IRC NQNS link|IRCnet|40}}
| average_channels = {{IRC NQNS link|IRCnet|10,000–15,000}}
⚫
| average_servers = {{IRC NQNS link|IRCnet|30}}
| main_content = [[Public]]/[[Unrestricted]]
| main_content = Public/Unrestricted
}}
}}


'''IRCnet''' is one of the largest [[Internet Relay Chat|IRC]] networks with over sixty thousand users using it daily. A record was recorded in early 2005 when around 123,110 users were simultaneously connected to the network<ref>[http://irc.netsplit.de/networks/details.php?net=IRCnet&submenu=years IRCnet yearly user, channel and server statistics]</ref>.
'''IRCnet''' is currently one of the largest [[Internet Relay Chat|IRC]] networks. {{As of|June 2024}}, it has around 25,000 users using it daily.<ref>{{Cite web|title=IRC Networks - Top 10 in the annual comparison|url=https://netsplit.de/networks/top10.php.php|access-date=2021-07-29|website=netsplit.de}}</ref> An early 2005 record had approximately 123,110 users simultaneously connected to the network.<ref>[http://irc.netsplit.de/networks/details.php?net=IRCnet&submenu=years "IRCnet yearly user, channel and server statistics"]. irc.netsplit.de.</ref>


==History==
==History==


⚫
Between May and July 1996 IRCnet was formed as a [[Europe]]an fork of [[EFnet]], when a number of operator disagreements resulted in a group of European admins declaring their independence. The reasons for the "Great Split"<ref name=tgs>{{cite web|url=http://www.irc.org/history_docs/TheGreatSplit.html |title=The Great Split|author=Vegard Engen |publisher=IRC.org |access-date=2010-05-28}}</ref> as it came to be called, included:
Initially, most IRC servers formed a single IRC network, to which new servers could join without restriction, but this was soon abused by people who set up servers to sabotage other users, channels, or servers. In August 1990, the server <code>eris.berkeley.edu</code> remained the only one to allow anyone to connect to the servers.<ref>{{ cite book | editor-last = Jones | editor-first = Steve | title = Encyclopedia of New Media: An Essential Reference to Communication and Technology | edition = 1st | date = 2002-12-10 | publisher = [[SAGE Publications]] | location = [[Thousand Oaks, California]] | isbn = 0-7619-2382-9 | page = 256 | chapter = Internet Relay Chat | quote = But in August 1990 IRC users began complaining about one specific server, eris.berkeley.edu, which had particularly lax security }}</ref>
⚫
* a policy disagreement about how much power system operators should have. IRCnet formed with the basis that there should be a set of rules defining what [[SysOp]]s could and could not do. This viewpoint was opposed by many of the [[United States|US]]-based EFnet servers.

⚫
* a technical disagreement on whether the network should use timestamping (TS) or Nick Delay as a means to prevent [[Internet Relay Chat#Abuse prevention|nick collisions]], according to [[Jarkko Oikarinen]].<ref>[http://www.efnet.org/?module=docs&doc=22&type=html "EFnet – The Original IRC Network"]. efnet.org.</ref>
A group of IRC server operators, with the support of [[Jarkko Oikarinen]], introduced a new "Q-line" into their server configurations, to "quarantine" themselves away from eris by disconnecting from any subset of the IRC network as soon as they saw eris there.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ircbeginner.com/ircinfo/undernet-history.html |title=#Beginner - Undernet History |publisher=Ircbeginner.com |date= |accessdate=2011-03-08}}</ref>
⚫
* Vegard Engen, one of the European operators, stated<ref name=tgs/> that the immediate cause for the "Great Split" was that a major US EFnet hub had been disconnecting <code>[[Stealth Communications|irc.stealth.net]]</code> without warning, and thereby breaking the link to the European servers.

For a few days, the entire IRC network suffered frequent [[netsplit]]s, but eventually the majority of servers added the Q-line and effectively created a new separate IRC net called ''EFnet'' (Eris-Free Network); the remaining servers who stayed connected to eris (and thus were no longer able to connect to EFnet servers) were called ''A-net'' (Anarchy Network). A-net soon vanished, leaving EFnet as the only IRC network.

Continuing problems with performance and abuse eventually led to the rise of another major IRC network, [[Undernet]], which split off in October 1992.

⚫
Between May and July 1996 IRCnet was formed as a [[Europe]]an fork of [[EFnet]], when a number of operator disagreements resulted in a group of European admins declaring their independence. The reasons for the "Great Split"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irc.org/history_docs/TheGreatSplit.html |title=The Great Split |publisher=Irc.org |date= |accessdate=2010-05-28}}</ref> as it came to be called, included:
⚫
* a policy disagreement about how much power system operators should have. IRCnet formed with the basis that there should be a set of rules defining what [[SysOp]]s could and could not do. This viewpoint was opposed by many of the [[United States|US]]-based EFnet servers.
⚫
* a technical disagreement on whether the network should use timestamping (TS) or Nick Delay as a means to prevent [[Internet_Relay_Chat#Abuse_prevention|nick collisions]], according to [[Jarkko Oikarinen]].<ref>[http://www.efnet.org/?module=docs&doc=22&type=html EFnet - The Original IRC Network<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
⚫
* Vegard Engen, one of the European operators, stated<ref>[http://www.irc.org/history_docs/TheGreatSplit.html Vegard Engen - The Great Split]</ref> that the immediate cause for the "Great Split" was that a major US EFnet hub had been disconnecting irc.stealth.net without warning, and thereby breaking the link to the European servers.


== Characteristics ==
== Characteristics ==
Many IRCnet servers state that IRC is a privilege, not a right. That defines the characteristics of network usage ‒ users are normally not permitted to run bots and should avoid abusive behaviour<ref>[http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/cgi-bin/cgi-rlinks/details.cgi?id=NL.XS4ALL.IRC IRC.XS4ALL.NL Message of the Day]</ref>.
Many IRCnet servers state that "IRC is a privilege, not a right". That defines the characteristics of network usage ‒ users are normally not permitted to run bots and should avoid abusive behaviour.<ref>[http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/cgi-bin/cgi-rlinks/details.cgi?id=NL.XS4ALL.IRC "IRC.XS4ALL.NL Message of the Day"]. tu-ilmenau.de</ref>


Servers are generally open to users from their geographic location and do not allow outside connections, however there are few open exceptions allowing access to users not covered by any local server<ref>[http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/cgi-bin/cgi-rlinks/details.cgi?id=NET.CHOOPA.IRCNET IRCNET.CHOOPA.NET Message of the Day]</ref>.
Servers are generally open to users from their geographic locations and do not allow outside connections, however, there are a few open exceptions allowing access to users not covered by any local server.<ref>[http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/cgi-bin/cgi-rlinks/details.cgi?id=NET.CHOOPA.IRCNET "IRCNET.CHOOPA.NET Message of the Day"]. tu-ilmenau.de.</ref>


Strict rules are operated for shell providers regulating, limiting or banning their connections<ref>[http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/cgi-bin/cgi-rlinks/details.cgi?id=NL.UTWENTE.SNT.OPENIRC OPENIRC.SNT.UTWENTE.NL Message of the Day]</ref>.
Strict rules are operated for shell providers regulating, limiting or banning their connections.<ref>[http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/cgi-bin/cgi-rlinks/details.cgi?id=NL.UTWENTE.SNT.OPENIRC "OPENIRC.SNT.UTWENTE.NL Message of the Day"]. tu-ilmenau.de.</ref>


IRCnet operates few if any network services to service nicknames or channels. It does implement reop -channelmode that allows channel operators to set hostmasks for users to be automatically "reopped" by the server. This mode is called +R with capital R<ref>[http://ircnethelp.org/FAQ#What_is_reop_mode_.28channelmode_.2BR.29.3F "FAQ: What is reopmode (channelmode +R)?"]</ref>
IRCnet doesn't operate any network services to service nicknames or channels.
and supersedes the RFC2811 +r (lower-case r) channel mode, available only on !-channels and settable (not resettable) only by their creators.


All of network servers run on IRCnet's [[ircd]] with the current version 2.11<ref>[http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/all_servers/ http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/all_servers/ IRCnet server list]</ref> (latest software versions are maintained at [http://www.irc.org/ftp/irc/server/ IRC.ORG].
All network servers run on IRCnet's [[ircd]] with the current version 2.11<ref>[http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/all_servers/ "IRCnet server list"]. tu-ilmenau.de.</ref> (the latest software versions are maintained at [http://www.irc.org/ftp/irc/server/ IRC.ORG]).


IRCnet's channel operators are generally free to run their channels however they see fit without the intervention of [[IRCop]]s. IRCops are primarily there to handle network and server related issues, and rarely get involved with channel level issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/ircd/ircopguide.html |title=IRC Operators Guide |publisher=Irchelp.org |date= |accessdate=2011-03-08}}</ref>
IRCnet's channel operators are generally free to run their channels however they see fit without the intervention of [[IRC operator]]s. IRCops are primarily there to handle network and server-related issues, and rarely get involved with channel-level issues.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/ircd/ircopguide.html |title=IRC Operators Guide |publisher=IRCHelp.org |access-date=2011-03-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110322175909/http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/ircd/ircopguide.html |archive-date=2011-03-22 }}</ref>


To fight nickname collisions when splits occur on re-link IRCnet will use unique ID. If there are two users with the same nickname on both sides of the network when servers are re-linking then both nicknames will be forcefully changed to unique ID instead to prevent collisions<ref>[http://www.irc.org/ftp/irc/server/RELEASE_NOTES IRCnet IRCD Release Notes]</ref>.
To fight nickname collisions when splits occur on re-link IRCnet will use unique IDs. If there are two users with the same nickname on both sides of the network when servers are re-linking then both nicknames will be forcefully changed to unique ID instead to prevent collisions.<ref>[http://www.irc.org/ftp/irc/server/RELEASE_NOTES "IRCnet IRCD Release Notes"]. IRC.org.</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://ircnet.org/ IRCnet.org (unofficial website)]
* [https://www.ircnet.com/ IRCnet.com] (unofficial) (up to 2019)
* [http://ircnet.com/ IRCnet.com (unofficial website)]
* [http://ircnet.org/ IRCnet.org] (unofficial) (up to 2004)
* [https://www.ircnet.info/ IRCnet.info] (unofficial) (up to 2018)
* http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/all_servers/ Complete IRCnet server list
* http://dx.fi/alt/ircmap/ IRCnet server map
* [http://irc.tu-ilmenau.de/all_servers/ Complete IRCnet server list]
* [http://dx.fi/alt/ircmap/ IRCnet server map]

{{IRC NQ|IRCnet}}
{{IRC NQ|IRCnet}}

{{IRC networks}}
{{IRC networks}}


[[Category:Internet Relay Chat networks]]
[[Category:IRC networks]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 1996]]


{{IRC-stub}}

[[de:IRCnet]]
[[fr:IRCnet]]
[[it:IRCnet]]
[[pl:IRCnet]]
[[pt:IRCnet]]
[[sl:IRCnet]]
[[fi:IRCnet]]
[[sv:IRCNet]]

Latest revision as of 16:42, 13 June 2024

IRCnet
Founded1996; 29 years ago (1996)
Geographic locationEurope
United States
Based inWorldwide
Website URLwww.ircnet.com
Average users20,000–30,000
Average channels10,000–15,000
Average servers30
Content/subjectPublic/Unrestricted

IRCnet is currently one of the largest IRC networks. As of June 2024, it has around 25,000 users using it daily.[1] An early 2005 record had approximately 123,110 users simultaneously connected to the network.[2]

History

[edit]

Between May and July 1996 IRCnet was formed as a European fork of EFnet, when a number of operator disagreements resulted in a group of European admins declaring their independence. The reasons for the "Great Split"[3] as it came to be called, included:

  • a policy disagreement about how much power system operators should have. IRCnet formed with the basis that there should be a set of rules defining what SysOps could and could not do. This viewpoint was opposed by many of the US-based EFnet servers.
  • a technical disagreement on whether the network should use timestamping (TS) or Nick Delay as a means to prevent nick collisions, according to Jarkko Oikarinen.[4]
  • Vegard Engen, one of the European operators, stated[3] that the immediate cause for the "Great Split" was that a major US EFnet hub had been disconnecting irc.stealth.net without warning, and thereby breaking the link to the European servers.

Characteristics

[edit]

Many IRCnet servers state that "IRC is a privilege, not a right". That defines the characteristics of network usage ‒ users are normally not permitted to run bots and should avoid abusive behaviour.[5]

Servers are generally open to users from their geographic locations and do not allow outside connections, however, there are a few open exceptions allowing access to users not covered by any local server.[6]

Strict rules are operated for shell providers regulating, limiting or banning their connections.[7]

IRCnet operates few if any network services to service nicknames or channels. It does implement reop -channelmode that allows channel operators to set hostmasks for users to be automatically "reopped" by the server. This mode is called +R with capital R[8] and supersedes the RFC2811 +r (lower-case r) channel mode, available only on !-channels and settable (not resettable) only by their creators.

All network servers run on IRCnet's ircd with the current version 2.11[9] (the latest software versions are maintained at IRC.ORG).

IRCnet's channel operators are generally free to run their channels however they see fit without the intervention of IRC operators. IRCops are primarily there to handle network and server-related issues, and rarely get involved with channel-level issues.[10]

To fight nickname collisions when splits occur on re-link IRCnet will use unique IDs. If there are two users with the same nickname on both sides of the network when servers are re-linking then both nicknames will be forcefully changed to unique ID instead to prevent collisions.[11]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "IRC Networks - Top 10 in the annual comparison". netsplit.de. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  2. ^ "IRCnet yearly user, channel and server statistics". irc.netsplit.de.
  3. ^ a b Vegard Engen. "The Great Split". IRC.org. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  4. ^ "EFnet – The Original IRC Network". efnet.org.
  5. ^ "IRC.XS4ALL.NL Message of the Day". tu-ilmenau.de
  6. ^ "IRCNET.CHOOPA.NET Message of the Day". tu-ilmenau.de.
  7. ^ "OPENIRC.SNT.UTWENTE.NL Message of the Day". tu-ilmenau.de.
  8. ^ "FAQ: What is reopmode (channelmode +R)?"
  9. ^ "IRCnet server list". tu-ilmenau.de.
  10. ^ "IRC Operators Guide". IRCHelp.org. Archived from the original on 2011-03-22. Retrieved 2011-03-08.
  11. ^ "IRCnet IRCD Release Notes". IRC.org.
[edit]
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