Why We Still Use IRC in 2026
Our live chat server, chat.veeb.ch, is getting a new purpose. When we first launched it, the idea was simple: provide a quick way for visitors to ask questions and get help in real time. In practice, it did not quite work out. Time zone differences meant someone from our team was not always available, and modern expectations shaped by instant AI chatbots meant many people expected immediate replies. The result was an experiment that never fully found its footing.
Rather than shutting it down, we decided to give it a second life.
What IRC Is
The glorious weechat
Our channel runs on Internet Relay Chat (IRC), a protocol created in 1988. Key points:
Decentralised and open: no single company controls it; anyone can run a server
Channel-based: people gather in themed channels to discuss specific topics
Lightweight and efficient: fast, simple, and built for conversation
The people on IRC often have a Comic Book Guy energy: knowledgeable, opinionated, and sometimes a touch patronising, but if you can weather that, they are also one of the best sources of practical knowledge online.
Why We Use Libera Chat
Our server connects to Libera Chat, one of the largest IRC networks today. It hosts thousands of channels covering:
Programming languages
Open-source projects
System administration
General technical discussion
For us, it is a place to explore knowledge, ask questions, and see well-designed systems in action.
IRC and Good Design
Just like the vintage clocks we restore, IRC is built to last and adapt to new uses. Good design, whether mechanical or digital, stands the test of time.
The channel is watched over by Boostbox, a 1970s Super 8 film viewer we rewired into a cyberdeck and put to work on Libera Chat. It is connected to the OpenAI API and will answer whatever you throw at it. Come and try, just start any message with the word 'boostbox' to tap into a massive LLM on a tiny photo viewer.
