Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a computer software and network of servers that facilitates text-based conversations on the Internet. The first version of the protocol, along with the first server and client applications, were written by Jarkko Okarinen at the University of Oulu in Finland in 1988. IRC enables users running a client application to connect to a server, which may in turn be connected to other servers and clients around the world (Latzko-Toth, 2014).
The concept of "channel" represented a major innovation at the time. IRC channels, also known as ‘chat rooms,’ were online spaces for synchronous conversations or simply real-time online chat. Chat rooms could house anywhere between two and hundreds of users. (Reid, 1991). IRC users use a pseudonym, or ‘nick,’ which can be allocated upon connection to the server and oftentimes also registered in order to prevent other users from using the same in the future (Latzko-Toth, 2014). Beyond text, it is possible to transfer files among users, which became a popular feature once higher-bandwidth internet connections became available in the 2000s.
IRC channels followed a self-organized governance structure, as channel participants instituted their channel rules collectively, and allocated decision-making power however they saw fit. Rules often covered involved conversation topics and appropriate tone of voice. As a result, language conventions emerged over time. Some conventions were universal, while others were specific to a certain channel, server, or geography. For example, it was commonly held that users should avoid writing in all capital letters as it was interpreted as yelling. Flooding a chatroom by sending messages that were too long or too frequent were also considered inappropriate. Channels are normally supervised by operators, who are empowered by the other users to arbiter conversations based on the rules of that specific channel.
The IRC protocol was first standardized under RFC 1459 in 1993. However, over the years there have been a plethora implementations and extensions that failed to meet the standard (Stenberg, 2011). Some of the most frequently used features, like text color and formatting, and character encoding were not included in the original RFC despite being commonplace at the time it was redacted.
IRC introduced a new mechanism for communicating online that became the primary feature of all IM clients: initiating sessions. Initiating sessions involved securing an Internet connection, logging into an IRC client, selecting a channel, and joining the channel. This act is similar to entering a physical room in order to converse with the people inside the room.
Latzko-Toth, Guillaume. "Users as co-designers of software-based media: The co-construction of internet relay chat." Canadian Journal of Communication 39, no. 4 (2014).
Stenberg, Daniel. "History of IRC (Internet Relay Chat)" Haxx.se. Haxx, March 29, 2011. https://daniel.haxx.se/irchistory.html
