So, discord, right? I love it, it’s fun, I was one of the people who convinced my friends to move over from skype when it started out, but I’ve been hearing the Enshittification Bells for months now coming from the app, (unnecessary features, actively distracting UI changes, the suggestion of an IPO…) and I want a backup plan.
There’s a lot of alternative chat systems out there, but IRC, as the cockroach of the internet, seems to be the simplest and easiest solution to get going. The issue comes with the IRC clients I’ve been able to find, where you have the choice of self-hosting a bouncer, or using something that hasn’t changed design since 2001.
I am the friend group’s turbonerd so I am fine with cmd commands and server hosting, but my “clients” so to speak aren’t, and if I want to convince my friends to use this as an alternative, I need something with minimal setup (they don’t rely on me for their client & they don’t need me to teach them docker) and that looks… ok (mIRC does not fit this criteria, before anyone suggests it. No the themes don’t help).
Does anyone know of a client that looks decent but also doesn’t require a lot of setup?
Dunno, sorry. I use HexChat, which looks ancient, but it’s extra light and a sudo apt-get install away. For what it’s worth, the major IRC networks all have web clients on their sites. That should be the friendliest option for newcomers, since it probably involves the least setup.
That’s good atleast, but if I tell people the utility of IRC is “you are not tethered to any given server” and then proceed to tell them “only use this one URL tho” it might be counter to my point. Still, appreciated.
I use IRCCloud, specifically its free tier. I choose IRCCloud as my IRC client because it can be used on both desktop and mobile devices, I can see chat history even after I go offline, and its interface looks decent, at least to me. Using it doesn’t require a lot of technical knowledge to set up beyond connecting to an IRC network.
If you can self-host, I’ve also heard good things about The Lounge as well. I tried out the demo and I think it’s also worth considering if you’re looking for an IRC client with a relatively modern interface.
Guys, he means that the settings should be by default and that they should not be entered at all. That’s how I understood it. So the point is this - you need a portable client in which the settings are already written and it will automatically log in to the desired server. Then the choice should be either some kind of webgate that is automatically configured (which is not convenient), or some kind of mIRC where you will have to enter a command to change the nickname in any case, or it should be software of the kind we have http://elpis.ws/easychat.zip what goes to irc.retronode.org:6667hosting automatically. something like this.
I didn’t quite mean “the settings are preset,” rather that they shouldn’t be a mess to reach for someone who isn’t used to programming-adjacent ventures. For example - a self-hosted TheLounge instance does look great, but there’s no way in hell I’m getting everyone to learn how docker works. Still appreciate the response!
I’m planning to be the one hosting the server, that much’s fine, but if I want my friends to be comfortable with regularly (or semi-regularly) using IRC, I’d need a client with GUI nicer than a terminal session. If the user has the option to run facefirst into a nightmare of settings that’s their problem.
Sorry if I was unclear until now
So far, IRCCloud and Halloy seem to be my best bets, even if the latter’s settings are still somewhat obtuse.
Just making sure. Figured it was better to ask. I use the command line all the time and like it, but still prefer apps where you can change the settings from the user interface (like Irssi) instead of having to edit a config file.
Wish I could recommend something better. Halloy looks promising!
