> in Brazil, they use Telegram instead Telegram is a proprietary protocol, run by servers controlled by private entity. That is a complete anathema Debian. I

> in Brazil, they use Telegram instead Telegram is a proprietary protocol, run by servers controlled by private entity. That is a complete anathema Debian. If IRC is replaced, it will be by open source, open access, probably running on hardware controlled by Debian, and done in a completely transparent way. That takes a lot of effort to get going. Nonetheless, experimental servers have been set up, and everyone invited to use them. The Debian developers voted with their feet. They kept them firmly in place, on IRC. To be fair, IRC works. Email works. Young entrepreneurs, jailing of CEO's by the French Police, and skilful marketing will attract the young to newer platforms, and so current flavours of the month you mentioned - they will become the IRC's of the next generation. When looked at in that vein, the constant churn to the new shiny platform looks like a very uninviting hamster wheel to the existing Debian Developers who just want to get shit done. And as it happens, the youngsters seem to have no trouble adapting themselves all sorts of new software they haven't seen before - like IRC. Compared to the effort they must go to become a Debian Developer (you have to pass an exam of sorts, and there are a lot of new Debian specific tools you have to use), using IRC is a very, very small road bump.