undefined | Better HN

0 pointsMichaelGG9y ago0 comments

Doesn't require an IRC client, looks slick, has rich text, and integrations with other platforms. Biggest thing is that it doesn't need an IRC server. It could have been made with IRC underneath, but you'd want an intermediate layer to retain messages and so on.

0 comments

flukus9y ago

There are web based IRC clients. IRC can integrate with other platforms pretty easily. IRC doesn't require setting up your own server.

Being able to setup your own server is a benefit, not a negative. Much like twitter it seems to be another regressions from an open internet to corporate control.

The only positive I can see is rich text, but that has extremely limited value in a chat program. History is nice too but IME too painful to use (scroll, load, scroll, load, scroll, load) to be of any practical benefit.

MichaelGGOP9y ago

I'd love to agree. But with IRC you've no guarantee, for instance, that an offline user will receive notifications when they sign in (plus multi client handling).

Slack has search for history, which is huge. No more "eh we talked about it".

Onprem is great. But it's a hindrance for quick adoption.

I'd love if an open system would win. I've no love for Slack and don't use it. (Have used hipchat; what a UI mess like all of their products.) But I guess no one stepped up with an IRC-based platform that could compete.

flukus9y ago

> I'd love to agree. But with IRC you've no guarantee, for instance, that an offline user will receive notifications when they sign in (plus multi client handling). > Slack has search for history, which is huge. No more "eh we talked about it".

For functionality like that it sounds like a mailing list would fit the use case better.

> Onprem is great. But it's a hindrance for quick adoption.

It's not either/or. Think of git, you can use a hosted server or a private one. The ability to host your own server doesn't hinder anyone.

1 more reply

marssaxman9y ago

Rich text is a pretty strong negative, for me!

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

flukus9y ago

There are web based IRC clients. IRC can integrate with other platforms pretty easily. IRC doesn't require setting up your own server.

Being able to setup your own server is a benefit, not a negative. Much like twitter it seems to be another regressions from an open internet to corporate control.

MichaelGGOP9y ago

I'd love to agree. But with IRC you've no guarantee, for instance, that an offline user will receive notifications when they sign in (plus multi client handling).

Slack has search for history, which is huge. No more "eh we talked about it".

Onprem is great. But it's a hindrance for quick adoption.

flukus9y ago

For functionality like that it sounds like a mailing list would fit the use case better.

> Onprem is great. But it's a hindrance for quick adoption.

It's not either/or. Think of git, you can use a hosted server or a private one. The ability to host your own server doesn't hinder anyone.

1 more reply

marssaxman9y ago

Rich text is a pretty strong negative, for me!

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse