Oldest IRC Server Going Offline

Matty_ writes: "Looks like the oldest IRC server in continued operation on the Internet is going to be turned off for good. According to the server's MOTD, the server will be shut off no later than January 1. Aparently the University of Colorado can no longer support the software and hardware, as well as provide the network resources, specifically the extra bandwidth required for the various DoS (Denial of Service) attacks from which EFnet servers still suffer. They chose not to accept the liability and decided to retire the server."

Comments

sad, sad

[TheM0cktor]

this is sad - for the first time the 133t cyber d00dz have won. Freedom->abuse of freedom.

What they don't understand

[The Great Wakka]

The server will be flooded from now to Jan1. People will want to just chat on it "one more time"; the costs will be much higher than normal.(Also the 5|41P7 81DD33Z will want one more go at it) Of course, that means that the University may pull the plug on it even earlier...

it would be interesting if...

[Hercynium]

someone volunteered their bandwidth to host the machine... they could even get colorado.edu's sysop to update the DNS entry.

Other than that, I can't see much else to do with it. It's only worth nostalgiac value. I'll be watching eBay for when someone puts it on sale. *grin*

special treatment

[acm]

I don't understand why they can't just limit the server for use of the students of CU (hey, and maybe CSU too :).

I've tried logging in to that server countless times under the colorado.edu domain and have gotten rejected due to too many users logged in at ocne. You'd think they'd give some priority to their students.

Another network?

[autopr0n]

From what I understand, EFnet is a real mess because they don't use things like ChanServs/nickservs, etc, so stupid script kiddies will try to DDoS servers and users in attempts to take over channels (yes, extremely stupid)

I wonder why the colorado.edu people didn't just move to another network? Undernet, I believe, supports more advance authentication methods. There's slashnet :) and some others. They could also have tried going it alone, as a server for the local university.

I don't really think IRC is dying per-se, but these big networks are really becoming untenable. In my experience, it seems to be dividing up into niche community networks like slashnet, espernet (RPG stuff) with a few major rooms -- such as #slashdot and #kuro5hin on slashnet -- where most people hang out.

Also, in all this time I never knew what Efnet stood for, just finding that out was worth clicking the story :P

Re:Another network?

[ThatComputerGuy]

You're completely correct about EFnet being a real mess, and it is in large part due to takeover attempts. Check stories 1 and 2, posted on /. some time ago, for just some of the recent events.

I frequented EFnet all the time, but eventually left because I got tired of basically it's lameness. No nick/chanserv means people rely on their own bots to control their own channels. Once the botnet goes down thanks to some scriptkiddie's DoS, the channel is free to be occupied and the takeover is complete. Or you can hammer away at the irc server(s) the botnet sits on, causing a netsplit and once again allowing a takeover. There is usually some protection against this now, which means that during a netsplit nobody can gain OPs, but this can still lead to plenty of chaos.

At the time, I checked out DalNet and a couple of others that use nick/chanserv, but for one reason or another didn't like them (I mean, what the hell kinda name is DalNet?). I think Undernet is the more popular one for warez now, as it uses these server-side protection services.

I was involved in takeovers at one time, which meant I both gained and lost a number of channels-- at the time, either of the sides would likely have said that it was more of a contest, or a game, than just being assholes, since the chans involved weren't really that important, just hangouts. Of course, at that time we also didn't think twice about how much bandwidth we were chewing from the servers. Oh well.

Having said that, I usually only go back for warez now...

Oh, and I might as well say... ShannoW, you asshole, I liked that chan!

Re:Another network?

[toofast]

Why do you call me a moron for making one mistake? The two other references to blackened were correct. There is no need to be rude.

DDOS Attacks and IRC

[NatePWIII]

What is with IRC and DDOS attacks? If you abuse it you lose it... What about this do the DDOS attackers not understand, they are only hurting themselves, if the whole internet gets shut down because of their antics then what? Don't they see they are only hurting themselves?

Re:DDOS Attacks and IRC

[Osty]

What is with IRC and DDOS attacks? If you abuse it you lose it... What about this do the DDOS attackers not understand, they are only hurting themselves, if the whole internet gets shut down because of their antics then what? Don't they see they are only hurting themselves?

Most of them don't realize 100% what they're doing. They're stuck in the old "IRC war" mindset, where most people were on dialups, or if they were lucky on a faster connection at college. It didn't take much to packet a person off when they were at 28.8 or less. As broadband has become more widespread, however, it gets harder and harder. That means the kiddies need more bandwidth to do the same thing (hey, sounds like a drug addiction ...). At a certain point, it became easier to attack the servers themselves than the people and bots in a channel you wanted.

That's only one scenario, of course. There's also many kiddies that somehow feel they have a personal (real or imagined) beef with an IRCop, and so they attack that opper's server. They don't realize they're hurting more than the single person they have a problem with.

Few kiddies can see past their own personal anger to the actual damage they're doing. They have the bandwidth (countless compromised machines with broadband connections -- thank you, @Home), and they have no qualms about using it. Part of the problem could be solved simply by getting people to fix all those compromised machines, or more drastically by getting rid of broadband altogether (not a realistic course of action, and not one I would condone even if it were realistic). The deeper problem lies in the mindset of the kiddie -- they're often your typical angsty teen, and this is a way they can gain power. It's very sad, but what can you do?

Re:DDOS Attacks and IRC

[CMiYC]

This is just something that is a result of society. We can see things like this in a number of places. DoS attacks are just another example of vandalism. "Hey, its not mine, who cares?" Its not that the people doing the attacks are immune to understanding what they are doing. It is they just don't give a flying fuck. Its very sad. Until someone destorys something they work to maintain, they won't understand.

two words.

[vax]

hmm immature kiddies. god thats a shame though, oldest server using IRC and its shutting down because of a bunch of unapreshative packet kiddies who are being immature because they pissed off the network by being stupid and want shit like channels and accounts back. to them all i have to say is get a life. stop ruining good things. want to be elite then go learn something useful and perhaps even code something to help the world rather that hurt it.
VAX
.

Copyright Liability?

[EchoMirage]

While reading the MOTD, I noticed this:

They [the University] can no longer accept the liability of running an IRC server

Given IRC's tendency towards being a haven for piracy, especially software and music, and given recent attempts by the RIAA/MPAA/$FOO_EVIL_ENTITY to prosecute servers and ISPs who host pirated files, one has to one if this server being taken down is a response to or a preemption against legal threats...

Huh?

[Grendel Drago]

skr1p+ k1dd1ez0rz are Luddites? Puh-leaze. They're vandals, pure and simple. They like breaking shit because it commands fear and respect among their peers. Nothing new here, folks. Same shit stupid kids have been doing for ages to get attention.

-grendel drago

Re:what about irc.eff.org?

[TheDisciple]

You have no idea what you are talking about. I respect the fact that you were around during the infancy of efnet, however it is not that easy to patch against DDoS attacks. There isn't a whole lot you can do when you have 3gbit coming down a 100mbit or 1gbit pipe. The cluephone is ringing... pick it up, I'm certain it's for you :P Disciple @ EFnet

Some new IRC-like services that are available

[Cardhore]

There are some other services like IRC now that are secure and highly available, and have some features that usenet and irc don't have.

Freenet 0.4 is shaping up; expect the final 0.5 release shortly. Try downloading the newest nightly to get on. For those who aren't in the know, freenet is a peer-to-peer encrypted datastore. Each node shares part of that datastore, and freenet efficiently routes and stores data that you insert. Also it is anonymous as you can not easily tell who inserts data and who requests it

Now build on top of that is a program, Frost , that acts like Napster and a message board, a la Usenet. There are different message boards, and all messages are send & recieved anonymously.

Now both of these programs are in beta, but they do work, although large files tend to get lost in Freenet as of yet.

The final project is IIP, or Invisible Irc Project, available at http://www.invisiblenet.net/.

Also available there is a nifty program called "Psst" which allows for encrypted instant messaging. You can use it in conjunction with your normal IM program, and it's really easy to use and install.

One final note is that all of these program are cross-platform, open source, and binaries are available for windows & linux.

Re:Steve Gibson - help!

[CheeseMunkie]

People do maintain ircd. See the various recent vintages from:

• QuakeNet
• Undernet
• DALnet
• OpenProjects

As far as I know, IRCnet is the only major network that uses an ancient ircd, and I assume even that one gets updates occasionally. I don't know Hybrid's homepage offhand (that's EFnet's ircd), but I assume it also has some active development.