38 ms·

Slack is IRC, it just is a really nice interface that makes it easy to automate and makes it easy to share files/code/etc.

cookiecaper 11y ago
I mean, it's not actually IRC, even though it could've been. It's a custom server that speaks a custom protocol, as far as I know.
atomical 11y ago
Slack is not IRC. The gap between them is so huge that they are distinct. Push notifications and message sync are key features.
tribaal 11y ago
Oh, TIL. So I can point my run-off-the-mill IRC client to a slack server and partake in cat pictures exchanging and almost-NSFW-but-not-quite with my fellow coworkers, yes? Otherwise whatever it uses inside its walled garden is completely irrelevant I'm afraid.
- detaro 11y ago
  They have an IRC bridge you can connect your IRC client to. It probably can't do all the things (because IRC has no way of expressing them, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't spend too much effort on it), but it works.
- wan23 11y ago
  You actually can use a regular IRC client with Slack. Though obviously anything that isn't supported natively by IRC comes through as a URL or encoded somehow. https://get.slack.help/hc/en-us/articles/201727913-Connecting-to-Slack-over-IRC-and-XMPP https://get.slack.help/hc/en-us/articles/201727913-Connectin...
jonathankoren 11y ago
That's Slack's main feature. Well that and gifs. IRC on the other hand is James has left the channel. Bill has left the channel. Samantha has joined the channel. Samantha has left the channel. filled with worthless status updates Martha has gone idle that make it Bill has joined the channel. terribly easy to Bill has changed the channel topic to "ZOMG! Ponies!" miss things Martha has become active Martha has left the channel.
- cookiecaper 11y ago
  Messages just like that show up in Slack whenever someone joins or parts the channel, changes the topic, etc. Not sure this is a valid complaint.
  - navait 11y ago
    Well, in Slack, you don't leave by disconnecting, so that lowers the volume of people joining/quitting because they moved their laptop. It doesn't help that IRC tends to get used in places where massive amounts of users are expected. I feel some of the newbie clients should just hide by default join/quit spam.
- rarepostinlurkr 11y ago
  You can turn all of those notices off; I've not seen those sorts of updates in channel for years & years.
  - jonathankoren 11y ago
    True, but most clients have it on by default. Also on public IRC you tend to have a channels of 80 people, all idle.

cookiecaper 11y ago

I mean, it's not actually IRC, even though it could've been. It's a custom server that speaks a custom protocol, as far as I know.

atomical 11y ago

Slack is not IRC. The gap between them is so huge that they are distinct. Push notifications and message sync are key features.

tribaal 11y ago

Oh, TIL. So I can point my run-off-the-mill IRC client to a slack server and partake in cat pictures exchanging and almost-NSFW-but-not-quite with my fellow coworkers, yes? Otherwise whatever it uses inside its walled garden is completely irrelevant I'm afraid.

detaro 11y ago
They have an IRC bridge you can connect your IRC client to. It probably can't do all the things (because IRC has no way of expressing them, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't spend too much effort on it), but it works.
wan23 11y ago
You actually can use a regular IRC client with Slack. Though obviously anything that isn't supported natively by IRC comes through as a URL or encoded somehow. https://get.slack.help/hc/en-us/articles/201727913-Connecting-to-Slack-over-IRC-and-XMPP https://get.slack.help/hc/en-us/articles/201727913-Connectin...

jonathankoren 11y ago

That's Slack's main feature. Well that and gifs. IRC on the other hand is James has left the channel. Bill has left the channel. Samantha has joined the channel. Samantha has left the channel. filled with worthless status updates Martha has gone idle that make it Bill has joined the channel. terribly easy to Bill has changed the channel topic to "ZOMG! Ponies!" miss things Martha has become active Martha has left the channel.

cookiecaper 11y ago
Messages just like that show up in Slack whenever someone joins or parts the channel, changes the topic, etc. Not sure this is a valid complaint.
- navait 11y ago
  Well, in Slack, you don't leave by disconnecting, so that lowers the volume of people joining/quitting because they moved their laptop. It doesn't help that IRC tends to get used in places where massive amounts of users are expected. I feel some of the newbie clients should just hide by default join/quit spam.
rarepostinlurkr 11y ago
You can turn all of those notices off; I've not seen those sorts of updates in channel for years & years.
- jonathankoren 11y ago
  True, but most clients have it on by default. Also on public IRC you tend to have a channels of 80 people, all idle.