Last update September 16, 2007

DIrc Guidelines



#D Guidelines

This page maps out guidelines to follow when chatting on the official D programming language IRC channel, #D on freenode.

Why

  • The channel has become quite large recently, and the amount of off topic chat has increased beyond what some consider reasonable.
  • It has even come to the point where some avid #D users have stopped paying attention to the channel due to all the off topics and having to wade through the cruft.
  • The channel is actually about D. If you think off topic chat is needed due to all the silence that would result without it, see the below misconceptions section.

Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines and appeal to the D chat room as a whole.

  • Stay on topic.
    • Related to the D programming language.
    • Related to computers and programming in general.
  • Keep off topic chat to a minimum.
    • Move off topic chat to #d.lounge or PM.
    • Keep off topic chat slow so that others have a chance to interrupt, move to #d.lounge or PM if it expands.
    • Put all your thoughts into single messages, do not type a single thought using multiple chat messages; think before typing.
  • Identify off topic chat.
    • Notice when others are doing it and try to bring it to their attention without being offensive; point them to #d.lounge
    • Operators can even ban or quiet those who do not follow the warnings.
    • It's OK to be lenient, but to a point.
  • Try not to let a conversation take over.
    • Try not to take over the channel with a single discussion, especially if it's not related to D.
    • Let other discussions start up.

Misconceptions

  • If we always stay on topic, the channel will be dead silent.
    • Maybe at first, because it's so used to not being able to follow everything.
    • It's quite OK if things are quiet for a while. If there's always chat going on, it's impossible to follow it all.
  • Using an off topic channel like #d.lounge will just move #d to #d.lounge.
    • Maybe your impression of the channel, but we want it about D. If you came for off topic chat, then you've come to the wrong place.
  • #d.lounge is empty.
    • The idea is to invite people when necessary.
    • It's not empty.
  • Strict rules breed contempt and hinders community.
    • They're guidelines, not rules; I've been trying to be very lenient.
  • Why are you trying to police the channel?
    • I do not wish to do this, but some people are ruining things for others. Keep the D community in mind.

FrontPage | News | TestPage | MessageBoard | Search | Contributors | Folders | Index | Help | Preferences | Edit

Edit text of this page (date of last change: September 16, 2007 15:32 (diff))