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The thing is... most small or medium-sized channels are idle most of the time. Some then unidle for a bit if you wait e.g. a couple hours or even days. Even if

The thing is... most small or medium-sized channels are idle most of the time. Some then unidle for a bit if you wait e.g. a couple hours or even days. Even if there's no activity for months, if someone says something, someone may respond. Large channels are often quite active. Most channels have a topic of discussion, which can usually be inferred from the channel's name. If you like computers you may have a favorite programming language or whatever, and often there's a channel for it on chat.libera.org. E.g. #perl, #python, #c, #linux, #debian, #ubuntu, etc. (note, I'm currently on none of these). There's also channels for natural languages, electronics, etc. And most of the time the channel name is #WORD or ##WORD. Some of these channels are very active, some aren't. Many mature channels have a group of regulars that have been part of the channel for years or decades. Many channels are a bit of a social club. Some channels have regulars that are insufferable.

gaws 3y ago
> Many mature channels have a group of regulars that have been part of the channel for years or decades. Many channels are a bit of a social club. Some channels have regulars that are insufferable. Please share some examples.
- susam 3y ago
  >> Many mature channels have a group of regulars that have been part of the channel for years or decades. Many channels are a bit of a social club. Some channels have regulars that are insufferable. > Please share some examples. Not the commenter you asked but the author of the original post here. I don't know about insufferable regulars but some channels like #emacs, #commonlisp, #esolang, etc. on irc.libera.chat do feel like social clubs but in a good sense. The same set of regulars can be seen everyday and people recognise each other by their nicknames. Further, I have found these channels to be very welcoming and kind to new members. Sorry I do not have examples of more "mainstream" channels that are also like social clubs and welcoming to new members. As an Emacser and Lisper myself, these are the channels I come across. But I am sure that "mainstream" channels which are social clubs and nice to new people do exist. Perhaps someone else can share some examples on this thread. Now about regulars, many mainstream channels like #python, #rust, ##math, etc. have more or less the same set of regular and active members who answer on-topic/technical questions frequently. They don't exactly feel like "social clubs" to me. On the other hand they feel like small, tightly-knit, Q&A forums to me.

gaws 3y ago

> Many mature channels have a group of regulars that have been part of the channel for years or decades. Many channels are a bit of a social club. Some channels have regulars that are insufferable. Please share some examples.

susam 3y ago
>> Many mature channels have a group of regulars that have been part of the channel for years or decades. Many channels are a bit of a social club. Some channels have regulars that are insufferable. > Please share some examples. Not the commenter you asked but the author of the original post here. I don't know about insufferable regulars but some channels like #emacs, #commonlisp, #esolang, etc. on irc.libera.chat do feel like social clubs but in a good sense. The same set of regulars can be seen everyday and people recognise each other by their nicknames. Further, I have found these channels to be very welcoming and kind to new members. Sorry I do not have examples of more "mainstream" channels that are also like social clubs and welcoming to new members. As an Emacser and Lisper myself, these are the channels I come across. But I am sure that "mainstream" channels which are social clubs and nice to new people do exist. Perhaps someone else can share some examples on this thread. Now about regulars, many mainstream channels like #python, #rust, ##math, etc. have more or less the same set of regular and active members who answer on-topic/technical questions frequently. They don't exactly feel like "social clubs" to me. On the other hand they feel like small, tightly-knit, Q&A forums to me.