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I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I suspect it would probably result in more netsplits on freenode, owed to the inevitable influx of programmers who woul
by herodoturtle 6y ago
I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I suspect it would probably result in more netsplits on freenode, owed to the inevitable influx of programmers who would now seek assistance on IRC like the good old days.
I've definitely noticed a downward trend of activity in the assorted programming chat channels I've frequented over the last 25 years or so, which I guess could be a result of the growing popularity of Q&A sites like stackoverflow.
But I still think it's one of the best places to seek assistance - plus, helping out programmers on IRC in real time is a good way to stay sharp and on top of the continuously evolving software landscape.
- gpanders 6y agoIRC is the first place I go if I can’t find an answer in the documentation or a search engine. If that doesn’t work, I’ll turn to a mailing list. Personally, I find both of these options have less friction than starting a new question on SO.
- herodoturtle 6y ago100% agreed. I also just simply enjoy lurking on IRC to assist other programmers in need. I learnt so much in those channels when first starting out, and these days I have a bit more spare time, so I enjoy "paying it forward" by helping others much like I was helped back in the day. Plus there are a bunch of really nice programmers hanging out there, so there's a social aspect to it as well.
- dan-robertson 6y agoThe key offering of stack overflow these days is less the ability to ask a stupid question and get told that you’re an idiot, and more the existing wealth of answers to questions that may be found by a search engine. I don’t think irc really produces answers which are easy to find.