Re: Problem with simple script to clean out an ERC buffer

[Emanuel Berg]

>> You may think I am a "20-ish moronic dude"
>
> Well, don't think so but yes, I think e-mail or
> SMS would be much better for this particular
> use-case :)

Or, if you insist on IRC, how about setting up
a new channel for this purpose? Then you
wouldn't have to scroll thru other people's
discussion - everything (and nothing else) would
already be in that channel.

Still, I think e-mail or SMS would be better!

I forgot one use case where IRC would be/is
great and that is if there is an ongoing
project. I suppose the many open source
software projects are the best example, but in
principle one could think of a bunch of people
preparing an expedition to Himalaya or the
South Pole having a channel to communicate
plans, gear, but also getting to know each
other (very important). However this would
require everyone to use IRC and I've yet to see
a company outside the computer world where
everyone used IRC. Remember that if only
2 or 3 people didn't use it the whole idea
might even be harmful as some people would
expect them to know stuff they didn't, or these
2-3 people would feel excluded. Even in the
best of worlds it could be a bad idea since
everyone would talk about everything, while
actually relaxing subconsciously, "there is so
much talk back and forth going on, I'm sure
they got it all figured out!"

As for the FOSS example, the same thing could
happen - not with as disastrous results of
course - but rather people would just log in to
their favorite software's IRC channels, and
they'd think they'd do something useful, but
actually just idle or chat about
everything else.

I think the solution to this particular problem
would be to not go for the official #emacs,
#tmux, and so so on, but instead create
subchannels for their particular field of
activity, because most often the channel and
even project will be unknown to most
users/fans/chatters/idlers.

-- 
underground experts united
http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573