Perhaps it's because I'm not that "into" IRC, but my biggest problem is that they're good to read and to idle in, but are largely unhelpful if you need some help right now.<p>Also, perhaps this is just my experience, but a number of communities on IRC are just plain rude. Even the nicer channels I've been in (C# or Python channels) have been snappy or rude if you've asked a question that might be easily available if you know what to Google.<p>On occasion I'll log onto a IRC server and will lurk, but mainly out of boredom instead of anything else. It's a fantastic platform, but I think that you're more likely to get a good response from Stack Overflow than on IRC, and SO will probably be quicker.
Sorry, but this is all but useless. Anyone remotely interested in IRC is bound to be capable enough to find all of this out on their own. It reeks like a cheap attempt to get pageviews.<p>I was hoping to find a list of useful IRC channels, but not even that.
I've been an IRC user (and a coder) since about '89.<p>I use IRC like this: I lurk. I observe the channel pattern. I learn from the discussions ongoing. I mostly stay in channels that stay on-topic.. and try to contribute.<p>Its nice to know there's a network of coders out there that you can tune into, now and then, if you need it. I've made some great friends, learned some awesome tricks, and generally had a blast with IRC.<p>Don't expect to get anything out of IRC without putting in some effort. There is much to learn out there. There is also a lot that you can do to help. Best thing you can do, if you want to know why we still love IRC, is this: just start answering questions. Look for #channels on #subjects that interest you, and answer a few questions.<p>Do it often enough, and you see why IRC is so rewarding.