Default application for IRC

[Elfy]

On 25/06/14 11:58, Simon Steinbeiß wrote:
> Hey everyone,
>
> as our next release is not LTS we're reviewing some of our default app choices and considering to move away from XChat, as it hasn't been maintained as actively lately as e.g. its fork hexchat. [1]
>
> We've discussed this in today's community meeting and the outcome of this first review was a bit mixed. While neither of the present team members really use/d pidgin for IRC, it could still be enough as an easy way for users to get on IRC to get support. Additionally there's the webchat option on xubuntu.org.
>
> So this is what it comes down to (at least the way I see it):
> 1) Should we replace XChat as our default IRC client?
> 2) Is the IM app we already ship (pidgin) and the webchat option enough to replace XChat?
> 3) Should we use hexchat over 1) or 2)?
>
> I personally wouldn't mind replacing XChat and trying something new, mostly because it doesn't seem maintained. I still have to take both pidgin and hexchat for a spin though, because I haven't used the latter at all and the other I haven't used for IRC.
>
> I propose that (at least) members of the Xubuntu team try these apps for real too and we have another – more informed and experience-based – discussion at the next team meeting.
>
> Cheers
> Simon
>
> [1] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Xubuntu/Roadmap/Specifications/Utopic/Hexchat
>
Just a reply to this following the meeting today in which I got tasked 
to do something - I fully blame Simon and Lyz for that :p

So - hexchat.

Currently I see 2 issues with it.

1 - Alt + A - used to mark oneself as away in both Xchat and Hexhat. It 
works in Xchat. There is a bug reported at github for hexchat, 
https://github.com/hexchat/hexchat/issues/1008

Currently the only response to that bug from a dev is "It works 
sometimes on some platforms, I'm not entirely sure what happened but 
that is a bug yes."

2 - Ctrl +F - used in both to search in a channel as expected. In 
hexchat this results in the app window resizing to accomodate the search 
'box'. I have had to rewwork the way I had devilspie laying out apps for 
me as hexchat went oversized in the window. 
https://github.com/hexchat/hexchat/issues/1030

Currently the only response to that bug from a dev is "I'd like to make 
it a little more compact, I don't know if I can make it clip instead of 
resize though."

I've not seen any other issues while using it.

My concern is that we are looking to swap one IRC client, which while 
dev less at least works, for one where there is a dev, but little 
appears to get done with regard to bugs. Frying pan to fire springs to mind.

I'm -1 to removing xchat for hexchat given that.


-- 
Ubuntu Forum Council Member
Xubuntu QA Lead