It is simpler for us to work on stuff by ourselves rather than getting the bureaucratic nightmare which is the IETF involved. IRC has never followed the RFCs st

It is simpler for us to work on stuff by ourselves rather than getting the bureaucratic nightmare which is the IETF involved. IRC has never followed the RFCs strictly (even RFC 1459 describes a specific protocol which has never existed) so it is not too much of a problem. There are plans to contribute an updated base RFC to the IETF in due course though.