Let's say I start an IRCCloud clone called IRCWorld. People start using it, and it becomes very popular. It's very convenient. Lots and lots of people are now u

Let's say I start an IRCCloud clone called IRCWorld. People start using it, and it becomes very popular. It's very convenient. Lots and lots of people are now using it to connect to EFNet. People sometimes use IRCWorld to abuse EFnet, but I try really hard to make it easy for EFnet to work with me to handle problems. One day, EFNet is like, F** IRCWorld, this is just too much of a hassle - we don't owe them anything - we've GLINE'd entire networks before, this is no different, and IRCWorld is now banned. Do you have sympathy for my little pet project "IRCWorld" getting blocked off EFnet? Or do you sympathize with EFNet for being tired of it? Personally, I think the IRCCloud's branding and marketing makes it seem like they are more of an "authority" than they really are. No IRC Network owes them anything. Yes, Fewer people might connect to their IRC Network if they can't use IRCCloud, but that seems to be a part of a calculated decision on the part of the IRC network. At the end of the day, just imagine IRCCloud is just some random site like Mibbit, or even my fake "IRCWorld" example - and it's easier to realize the entire debacle is melodramatic and absurd. It reminds me of when Twitter made the grandiose statement saying "We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria. Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in modern society." - It's self-important and self-serving drivel. They want to keep the $$$ rolling in, and this is a rain cloud on their parade. As an aside, IRCCloud's tweet suggesting that users "switch to a network that is secure" is absurd if someone is going to be using IRCCloud in the first place. You're willfully engaging with what is technically a man in the middle service - you have to TRUST IRCCloud is a safe actor. 'Security' is not a priority here, but convenience is.