The truth is, I think the biggest problem with IRC has always been the ops.
People being kicked as a joke... People being banned for personal issues.
Practically every bitchy IRC post up until this week was centered around Dwarfman. This week's bitching is about different ops. (DoGGz and 'rilla)
We have never had a "BoostNSlide called me a fag on IRC" post. It is always about the ops.
I am on IRC almost every day. I am not usually on during peak hours, because yes, people act like idiots.
IRC is still a cool place to hang out after midnight though, with DoGGz and ake and midas. We even talk about poker.
In fact, I have never seen a poker question not answered on #flopturnriver. Even while all the idiots are arguing. someone will give you a polite, honest answer.
Try that on the big IRC poker channels on efnet. #2p2 and #poker
FTR IRC is a close, active community and the best poker related IRC chat available.
If we could get some ops who don't act like 15 year olds (Sorry Dwarfy) and misuse their power, then IRC would be a great place.
First and foremost IRC is a chat room, where people go to talk with others with similar interests. Keeping the discussion on track is great, but when ops take their little personal vendettas and turn them into people being banned, we have stupid problems flowing over into the forum.
I had a great conversation before work today with edudlive and LesWorm about bonuses available and what to consider while bonus hunting.
I have never had a great conversation on one of the other channels.
I am completely against removing FTR's support of the IRC channel. It is an amazing tool and can offer a lot to a new player who has questions. So sometimes someone calls ake gay or tells a bad beat. There is still a great medium for content available.
I hate the silly arguments spilling over to the forums as much as everyone else, but removing support of a great tool is not the best way to correct the problem. In fact, I think simply telling people to quit posting their stupid arguments on the forum and locking the threads should do the trick.
Finally, all of you who say how great IRC "was" fine. I have only been going to IRC since June and I don't spend much time there. Maybe it was the amazing mecca of Poker chat. It hasn't changed much since June, with the exception that a lot of the immaturity mysteriously dissapears while Dwarfman is gone (whether this is coincidental or not).
The point is, leaving because it is going down hill is not the best way to deal with the problem, even if it may be the easiest.
You don't abandon a ship because of a leak. you pump out the water and repair the hole.
Perhaps those of you who know what IRC "should be" are the ones best fit to save it. Perhaps if you would start some poker discussion, ask some poker questions, and politely tell people what is unnacceptable in our room, we could get our ship sailing back toward mecca.
