> An image search for mIRC shows that it is ugly as shit. ok > It has a sidebar to list channels but the current channel window is still an undifferentiated m

> An image search for mIRC shows that it is ugly as shit. ok > It has a sidebar to list channels but the current channel window is still an undifferentiated mess of handles, commands, and actual conversation. No. Each channel and private message get their own MDI window you are free to minimize, maximize or layout however you want. Notifications are turned on by default, but they can be disabled. You'll get a tray notification if mIRC is minimized, and inside the title bar of the window will flash. Notifications happen when your nick is mentioned. There's a horizontal line that goes across the dialog window that indicates the location of the conversation the last time it was focused. >Even if mIRC would suffice for Windows, you've not handled Macs, phones, etc. Who gives a shit if it runs on a 25 year old computer? Other clients work on other platforms. mIRC is just what I brought up since it's desktop windows client and that the most common case for an office environment. > The US military has produced some specific examples of good design but isn't known highly valuing usability, let alone whether someone would enjoy using a tool. IRC is very functional and mIRC appears to add a little polish beyond a pure command-line interface, those are bare minimums and not good enough. It's a simple, light-weight way for people to send short text messages in near real time with tens of thousands of people. I think that's good enough, and it works at a scale that far surpasses the SaaS chat options.