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Exceter · none Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 19

Wouldn't it be an idea to include a search for the network type (Family, General, Help) into advanced search or in the network list?
Users could get an overview of networks of their interests.

Thumbs up!
Ex

HelpSupport Administration
irc.helpsupport.de

Jason · Posted: May 20, 2003 8:46am Post subject:

Exceter, thanks for the suggestion.

Once the network lists are stabilized and we've gone through and marked off each network's "type", we can then start making use of that data. Until that is done.... it would be far too premature to include such a feature.

A user would search for "family" style networks and get only a few results back when several others that SearchIRC indexes are not marked off as being of Family type.

The same goes for network listings, plans are being made to allow for listing networks based on category.. it's just too early right now to add in the features when they'd not be fully functional.

Exceter · none Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 19

Hi Jason,

jep, you're right. But it's good to know that the topic will be kept in mind Very Happy

Ex

U · Eleet Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Posts: 521 Location: IRC

The only thing I see is, how would you define each network? A family network would be one without certian channels or something?

There would have to probably be some kind of standard.

Jason · Posted: Jun 18, 2003 3:13pm Post subject:

Networks are geared towards topics. Some are "General", some are warez oriented... some networks are geared towards a specific language (ie; all spanish network).

A family network would be one that prohibits sex channels, and likely has rules regarding swear words, no warez/porn, etc. You get the idea.

U · Eleet Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Posts: 521 Location: IRC

I just hope you keep the "general" classification for networks like mine, I don't really think mine could be in a subcategory.

Perhaps a classification like "everything" for a network that has a mix of everything.

Jason · Posted: Jun 24, 2003 7:32am Post subject:

Pretty much all networks will be "General" unless they are so specific that General does not apply.

Mary · SearchIRC Admin Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 692

U, work on the classification list is ongoing. We have to look at every one of the networks we list and decide which category they fit into. Then I believe Jason plans on automatically sorting them so they appear under the appropriate category in the planned category list (hope you understood that, lol).

As to HOW we categorize networks. We look for a predominant theme, both in the name and size of the channels, and on the website. For example, freenode's top channels are #Debian, #gentoo, #FreeBSD, but scanning through their listings to page 100 (1500 channels) I see predominantly computer related listings, and at the top of page 100 is #opensnmp, #openvlw, and so on. Their website says freenode: "exists to provide an interactive environment for coordination and support of peer-directed projects" I agree. freenode is definitely a computer support IRC network. Does it have other channels? Sure! But we can clearly see a theme throughout their listings.

General networks may have a LOT of one type of channel, but they also have a lot of OTHER types of channels. The big nets are good examples of this. I am sure the first hundred channels by size will mostly be filesharing and "regional" channels, like #montreal or #zurna... but I won't classify them as regional or warez because the fact is, the large channels are outweighed by the many thousands of other channels that don't fit into either of those categories. The "theme" of a general network is diversity.

Another consideration is the size of the channels. Its not unusual for smaller networks to have less than a dozen populated channels at the top of their list and then show 5 pages full of empty (except for a channel bot) channels. We weigh the channels with users in them when trying to determine a theme.

Problems come in when we have a South African gaming community with international servers and lots of european and american users, or networks that want to be one thing but the users have other ideas, or admins who call warez 'betas' or 'chinese cuisine'. I can offer a complex description on the network pages - but pinpointing a category.... hehe.... pass the Excedrin.

Mary · SearchIRC Admin Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 692

/me notices I took a full page to say what Jason explained in one sentence.

Jason · Posted: Jun 24, 2003 8:27am Post subject:

U · Eleet Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Posts: 521 Location: IRC

Sounds good-as long as there is some kind of standard, and its not settable by the network itself-otherwise it could be manipulated.