Why are people not using IRC?

[Leviathan]

It realy bugs me...
Why don't people use IRC when they are online!
Some people are here, part of the community but are not part of the community life on IRC.
Why not?...

Please have IRC runing when your computer is on and online. If your online, you should be on IRC. What is the problem?

[leeor_net]

Because it doesn't run invisibly. I know that sometimes I just very simply don't want it running because it adds another task to the task bar.

I've set about to fix this problem by creating/finding another IRC chat client that *does* run invisibly.

:op2: Leeor Dicker

[Mez]

Mirc with nns 3.81 has an option in its settings menu to run as a task bar icon
 

[Eddy-B]

True..
i also wrote my own client, which is just a normal task-barred window, but could be set to systray or even 100% invisible mode if i wanted to..

[Leviathan]

It can just run as a task bar icon. In NoNameScript type /setup then go2 Balloons/Tray and check 'Put NNS in Tray when mimimized'

When evea your comp is on and online you should be on IRC, a lot of people download overnite so they are on then etc.

Also there are other clients than mIRC.

[BlackBox]

If you don't want to use mIRC or a client that supports minimizing to tray, search for PowerMenu on google. its a program that adds items to the system menu (menu you get by right clicking the icon of the window or pressing Alt+Spacebar), one which will minimize any program window to the tray (even if the program doesn't support it)

Oh - btw, the old versions of mirc without NNS have a tray option. Go to the settings and look around, you'll find it.

[Leviathan]

You can also get programs to hide windows. So if you get distracted by IRC it can be runing but you wont be distracted.

Back on topic... And why members who have been here for years and new members dont use IRC? Even if your online a small amount each day or week you can still use IRC for that small amount of time. Please do, I wanna know why people are not and I wanna change this. People should be fully, or as much as they can with things.

[leeor_net]

I definatly understand your frustration, Lev. I would like to see the OPU become bustling with activity. Some day...

I've downloaded this really neat program called NODE. It's been written in VB but I want to try to develop something similar in C/C++ (unless VB can interact with C/C++ DLL files {op2Hacker, that's your call}. I don't have too much experience with that.

Either way, I think that this program can become the OPU client of choice. Fully scripted, able to run various programs using the scripts, has skins (so an OPU/OP1/OP2/OP3 skin can be developed), it has a built-in web browser (me thinks it's using an IE shell but it still works {in fact, I'm typing this in that shell}).

Anyway, I'll tinker with it here and there when I have time and maybe we could have that WON-like network that I have been suggesting. Maybe that will help encourage people to join the online IRC chats.

:op2: Leeor Dicker

[Leviathan]

Another IRC client would not be a bad idea.

Why have some people who can use IRC and dont not answered my original question?

[Zircon]

IRC can be a bit intrusive and work as a distraction. Even if it is hidden away working in the background you still have some kind of pressure and feel almost forced to check it once in a while incase something new popped up.

It's like a cellphone, you shut it off at times because you dont want the possibility of being disturbed.

That's just me though  ^_^
(*cough* and judging from logs IRC isn't exactly the epicentre of intellectual thought) but i guess that's dependant on the userbase.

[leeor_net]

I agree with Zircon. Sometimes you do shut it off.

I'm working on a new IRC Client and it's coming along very nicely. And yes, it's VB so it'll be a little bulky but when it comes to an IRC client you really don't need a highly optimized program.

Anyway, it's in its beginning stages and is somewhat limited in its capability right now. However, it allows one to connect and that's all that matters, right?

It's very much user friendly at this point.

I'm doing this this week simply because I'm not in my apartment this week. So I have a computer here and I figured to help pass the time I woudl develop this client...

:op2: Leeor Dicker

[Leviathan]

Sounds good Leeor, I also have a basic client made with VB, once I reinstall VB I could finish it off. Anyway yours will be better And we can help to make it v good, op2 skin etc. There are also open source clients like HydraIRC.

[leeor_net]

I had downloaded some of them but they were very advanced and complicated. I downloaded one that was extremely simple ( I don't even remember the name) and have made signifigant changes to it.

Do you have VB6? That's what I'm using right now so that the proggie will be compatible with Win98/Me/2k/XP.

Right now it also has a web browser added to it that shows only the Outpost Universe home page. Nothing else and the user really can't browse anywhere else... It does, however, have the STOP/BACK/FORWARD/HOME buttons

I'll upload a screenshot pretty soon.

:op2: Leeor Dicker

P.S.
Keep in mind that it's been years and years since I've worked with VB and I've never used Winsock/Internet capabilities. I'll need help with it all.

[Leviathan]

Yeah i used VB6 cuz i was more used to it than .Net. I made the opu tool in vb also. i never liked the browser to much in vb cuz it was IE.

Have you evea looked at RFC 1459 (IRC Protocal) ?

Also why have people not answered the question? I would like to know the answer, so answer please!

[Mez]

because they cant be arsed ..... simple answer as they oviously cant be arsed even answering

[PlayingOutpost0-24]

Look Levi, I usually have one hour a day on the computer.... You just cannot arse me to run IRC when I am busy on these days!
Of course I will be on next weekend