Which IRC channel to use for non-dev discussion?

[nanotube]

Some background:
The #bitcoin channel on freenode is orphaned - we have no ops, and due to freenode's group registration being pretty much dead, are not about to get them any time soon.

For now, community discussion has been going on in #bitcoin-dev, but as our user base grows, it will be helpful to separate general discussion from development-related discussion.

To this end, we need to create a channel for non-dev IRC chatter.

If you are an IRC user, please vote on the alternatives, or suggest a new one.

[jgarzik]

The admins on #freenode seem to think the group registration process for #bitcoin can be resolved in a few weeks.

[nanotube]

if it happens, that'd be great.
if not... we'll have the results of this poll to go on.

[Xunie]

We (actually Satoshi) should do a group registration on FreeNode.

I suggest we use #bitcoin for all other discussion relating Bitcoin that is not development.

[genjix]

#bitcoin IMO. Talk to people on #freenode and they'll be able to get you setup.

when i first heard of bitcoin I insta-joined #bitcoin and saw hardly anyone there/ it's only through luck that i found the -dev channel.

otherwise i might've thought this was a dead project

[jgarzik]

My preference is for #bitcoin also.

According to freenode admins, there are multiple group registrations in the pile for bitcoin.

I emailed them to try and sort that out, based on http://blog.freenode.net/2010/06/group-registration-form-verifications/

[dsg]

Agreed, #bitcoin is the sensible place as that's where users will go first.

I'd say this is getting to be pressing, as there's quite a lot of IRC chatter, most of it completely off-topic. Which is okay if you're actively following the channel, but kind of annoying if you'd like to catch up on the last few days' worth of discussion. I don't actually remember anyone ever being banned or kicked from the channel, so not having registration for a while might not be a showstopper.

[Anonymous]

#bitcoin.

It is the only logical choice.

[nanotube]

yes, #bitcoin is best, /if we can get it/.

according to my information at the time of posting this poll, the group registration process was backed up for /years/, hence my desire to use another channel rather than waiting for all this time.

some more recent information from jgarzik suggests that it may be possible to push it through within weeks - if that does turn out to be the case, of course #bitcoin will be the channel of choice.