CIRCLE WITH A DOT

@noisytoot@berkeley.edu.pl TIL this is a thing

@halva@mk.absturztau.be this is how i find out i got subquoted

@wyatt@soc.megatokyo.moe matter of preferences there honestly - sometimes it is genuinely useful, sometimes not. depends on what you use it for

@craftxbox@transfur.social i haven't certainly ever heard about that case either so i'm not sure; i know some irc ops avoid using it to avoid any risk, but not because it has happened

and yes, some cases have happened re. failures and leaks such as https://blog.irccloud.com/july-2020-log-exposure/ - that's also a downside; logs are effectively not encrypted and permanently stored on their servers (unless you delete them), so also something to keep in mind

@craftxbox@transfur.social why's that? any particular experiences?

want to use irc? here are a few things to keep in mind:
- nobody likes losing chat history. if your server/network doesn't implement draft/chathistory (a IRCv3 extension), you must use a "IRC bouncer" (an application that you host and stays connected for you 24/7).
- that said, it is good practice to use a bouncer anyways (unless you don't mind and only want to be connected when you are around [even tho /away exists]). you can re-use the same connection/nick for your computer(s), phone, etc.

here are some recommended clients:
- the lounge (self-hostable, doubles as a bouncer and a client, supports a few nice things such as link embeds/file upload/etc. cons is that it's a web application-only with no external client support.)
- quassel (you self-host a "core", and use clients to connect to it - with multiple available for different devices)
- weechat (this is a TUI client, and a good one! but it can also double as a "server" for some clients such as weechat-android, so you can keep your connections on-the-go)

special mention to irccloud - proprietary, centralized, might not be your cup of tea, but it's an easy way to get into irc. doubles as bouncer/client, file uploads, embeds for SOME websites (mostly socials, including fedi). free for 2 networks/disconnects you after 24 hours of inactivity, $6/mo otherwise.

for bouncers specifically (bring-your-own-client):
- soju (a "modern" bouncer. good if your client enjoys the new ircv3 funsies)
- ZNC (the good ol'. works well enough even until today)