IRC might still be around but it is not popular by any means. I just think it is funny it endures. I remember being on Prodigy and AOL forums and chatrooms and then discovering IRC.

IRC is still amazing compared to how simple it really is. I remember making bots and scripts to take over operator and all kinds of shenanigans. Never experienced anything like that on a corporate platform.

I think you are touching on something that could not be summarized by polish and perhaps why I was slightly annoyed when I read it.

I am all for decentralized non-commercial platforms. It is the only future for people like us.