freenode

freenode

Founded	1995, as irc.linpeople.org
Geographic location	Europe, United States
Based in	United Kingdom
Website URL	http://freenode.net/
Primary DNS	irc://chat.freenode.net/
Average users	56,000 - 71,000
Average channels	40,000 - 45,000
Average servers	27
Content/subject	Public / unrestricted

freenode, formerly known as Open Projects Network, is an IRC network used to discuss peer-directed projects.^[1] Their servers are all accessible from the domain name chat.freenode.net, which load balances connections by using the actual servers in rotation.^[2] As of 2010, it was the largest free and open source software-focused IRC network, encompassing more than 70,000 users and 40,000 channels.^[3][4]

History

There are 24 freenode server locations around the world as of October 2010^[update].

freenode began as a 4-person Linux support channel called #LinPeople on EFnet, another IRC network. By 1995 it had moved from being just a channel to its own network, irc.linpeople.org. In early 1998 it changed to Open Projects Net (OPN) with about 200 users and under 20 channels. The OPN soon grew to become the largest network for the free software community, and 20th largest in the world. In 2002 the name changed to freenode and the Peer-Directed Projects Center was founded as the legal umbrella organization^{[citation needed]}.

On June 24, 2006, a user with the nickname "ratbert" gained the network privileges of freenode administrator Rob Levin (lilo) and took control of the network. It is likely that approximately 25 user passwords were stolen as a result.^[5] This user proceeded to K-line many freenode staff members, and most freenode servers subsequently went down for several hours.^[6]

Characteristics

Unlike many other networks,^{[citation needed]} freenode is centrally managed. Staffers (as IRC operators are called) have the same access across all servers. Some operations that would normally only apply to one server (like k-lines) are propagated across the whole network. Servers are "donated" to the network, rather than "linked."^[7]

The network focuses on supporting peer-directed and open source projects. Channels not related to these things are considered off-topic and encouraged to find a home elsewhere. To support this distinction, channels are divided into namespaces. Primary on-topic channels begin with a single #, and groups wanting to use such a channel must officially register with freenode. "About" channels begin with two ##, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis without needing a group registration.^[8]

Server Software

freenode currently runs ircd-seven, a set of freenode-specific patches on the Charybdis IRC server. The network previously ran an ircd called hyperion. The replacement of hyperion with ircd-seven^[9] occurred on Saturday, January 30, 2010.^[10]

See also

• Peer-Directed Projects Center

References

1. ^ Mutton, Paul. IRC Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools. Cambridge: O'Reilly Media 2004. ISBN 0-596-00687-X
2. ^ "About freenode: IRC Servers". freenode.net. http://freenode.net/irc_servers.shtml. Retrieved 2010-05-28. 
3. ^ Andreas Gelhausen. "Network statistics over the last two weeks". irc.netsplit.de. http://irc.netsplit.de/networks/details.php.en?net=freenode&submenu=weeks. Retrieved 2010-05-28. 
4. ^ Peer-Directed Projects Center. "Freenode history statistics". freenode.net. http://freenode.net/history.shtml. Retrieved 2011-02-08. 
5. ^ "Freenode Network Hijacked, Passwords Compromised?". It.slashdot.org. 2006-06-26. http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=189470&cid=15603568. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
6. ^ Freenode IRC Network hacked The Inquirer article about NickServ hack
7. ^ "freenode Ircd". http://freenode.net/hosting_ircd.shtml. Retrieved 2010-06-23. 
8. ^ "freenode naming scheme". http://freenode.net/policy.shtml#channelnaming. Retrieved 2010-06-23. 
9. ^ freenode.net
10. ^ "Migration to ircd-seven. « staffblog". Blog.freenode.net. 2010-01-26. http://blog.freenode.net/2010/01/migration-to-new-ircd/. Retrieved 2010-05-28. 

External links

• Official website
• Query netsplit.de's IRC network database for freenode
• Query SearchIRC's IRC network database for freenode