XiRCON
Original author(s)Mark Hanson
Initial release1996 (1996)
Final release1.0B4 (August 10, 1997 (1997-08-10)) [±]
Written inBorland C++/Object Windows Library, scripted with Tcl[1]
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
Platformx86
Available inEnglish
TypeIRC client
LicenseFreeware[2]

XiRCON is a discontinued freeware IRC client for Microsoft Windows.[1] After TCP/IP was added to Windows, XiRCON was one of the most popular IRC clients on the platform.[3] The XiRCON client was used for a number of fields, such as library helpdesk,[4] genealogy,[5] and US Naval command.[6] Author Mark Hanson ceased development in 1997.[7]

Adoption

Due to its graphical user interface and ease of use, XiRCON is a suggested client in Learn Internet Relay Chat, Volume 1 (Toyer, 1998).[8] The client received a four-star rating "(better than most, very solid)" from IRCReviews.com, which summarized, "An IRC client that appeals to users of all skill levels."[9] With the proliferation mIRC computer worms, Steal this Computer Book 4.0 recommended switching to competing IRC clients like XiRCON.[10]

U.S. Navy

XiRCON was approved for military use, and in the US Navy it was more popular than mIRC.[6] In an effort to evaluate how real-time communications boost productivity in US Military command, a 2004 paper by Pacific Science & Engineering Group estimated that 28-50% of command groups used XiRCON.[6]

Post-discontinuation

After its discontinuation, XiRCON fielded a steadily growing community based around the Kano script, among others. As mIRC progressed it started to include XiRCON features such as multi-server support and visual themes. XiRCON's remaining userbase began to dwindle as mIRC became more stable and popular scripts comparable to Kano were released. A very small community still keeps the program alive via moderating the official IRC channel, #XiRCON on EFnet.

An attempt was made to clone XiRCON[11] by David Gravereaux, who was also the author of the Falcon extension[12] for XiRCON, but has yet to complete it. Gravereaux also wrote a "hack" for XiRCON that allowed it to use any Tcl core v8.1 or higher.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 "XiRCON FAQ 1.0b1.6". Retrieved 26 July 2021. XiRCON is an IRC client written in Borland C++ for win32 that supports tcl.
  2. ↑ Toyer, Kathryn (1998). Learn Internet Relay Chat. Wordware Pub. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-55622-605-2. Retrieved 26 July 2021. XiRCON is a freeware chat client that boasts it is IRC without limits
  3. ↑ Fagerland, Snorre (April 1998). Fitzgerald, Nick (ed.). "Murky Waters" (PDF). Virus Bulletin: 7. ISSN 0956-9979. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  4. ↑ Lankes, David; Collins, John William; Kasowitz, Abby S (2000). Digital reference service in the new millennium : planning, management, and evaluation. New York : Neal-Schuman Publishers. ISBN 978-1-55570-384-4.
  5. ↑ Howells, Cyndi (2001). Cyndi's List: A Comprehensive List of 70,000 Genealogy Sites on the Internet. Genealogical Publishing Com. ISBN 978-0-8063-1678-9. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Heacox, Nancy J.; Moore, Ronald A.; Morrison, Jeffrey G.; Yturralde, Rey F. (2004-05-13). "Real-time Online Communications: 'Chat' Use in Navy Operations" (PDF). San Diego, California: SPAWAR Systems Center San Diego: 6 –&#32, 7. Retrieved 2009-06-07. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ↑ "Whatever Happened to XiRCON?". Archived from the original on 2005-03-05. Retrieved 26 July 2021. Mark Hanson (aka dwoo) the author is no longer maintaining XiRCON. Actually he hasn't released a new version since 1997.
  8. ↑ Toyer, Kathryn (1998). Learn Internet Relay Chat. Wordware Pub. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-55622-605-2. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "IRC Clients: Microsoft Windows: XiRCON". IRC Reviews. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  10. ↑ Wang, Wallace (6 May 2006). Steal This Computer Book 4.0: What They Won't Tell You About the Internet. No Starch Press. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-59327-343-9. Retrieved 26 July 2021. To stop most IRC worms, switch from mIRC to Visual IRC (www.visualirc.net), XiRCON (www.visualirc.net [sic]), or X-Chat (www.xchat.org).
  11. ↑ "XiRCON-II". Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  12. ↑ "Falcon extension for XiRCON". Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  13. ↑ "XiRCON Tcl 8.1+ hack". Retrieved 2008-02-09.
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