Google Wave, a certain death for IRC ?

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is an open protocol that sits in the application layer of the internet protocol suite. It basically enables users to login to a channel, located on a server, in which they can exchange text strings in the public channel, or in a private conversation with other users.

The protocol and many of it's applications such as irssi, mIRC, .. have been around for a very long time. Many people assumed that instant messaging clients would be IRC killers. But still today, it's widespread and used all over the globe, mainly by a community of tech-savvy users.

Some of the features why people still like to use it are:

• Anonymity - apart from your IP address, that's pretty visible for other IRC users, you're able to hide between an anonymous handle or nickname
• Channels - Channels, the virtual rooms where you login, stay active even when you are away. If you run your IRC client on a unix box, you even never need to log out, and you're able to read the conversation afterwards.
• Instant communication - Just like with google wave, an unlike to email, messages propagate immediately.
  
• Bot scripting - you can write bots that sit in an IRC channel, that respond to certain text comments, or events happening in the channel.
• File Transfer - the DCC commands allow you to send and receive files. Combined with the previous features, this means you can write bots that can send files on demand. Therefor, there is still a very lively scene of (illegal) filesharing on IRC.

Why would Google Wave, or one of it's applications have the ability to win the hearts of today's community of IRC addicts ?

Although IRC is not intended for collaboration, many users would appreciate better collaboration features and the possibilities to structure an interesting discussion. IRC logs give you a great overview of the dialogue, if you have the time to read through them and synthesize the content for yourself.

Wave Gadgets are "the next step" of gadget like robots, already existing in IRC. To name one examples, many channels run "quiz bots" who fire off questions and that are able to register responses, and more important, recognize who's FIRST. This type of INSTANT interactivity isn't possible in email. Although it is possible in platforms like facebook, you lose the anonimity there.

Because Wave Gadgets offer much richer forms of interaction, with regard to usability (see the chess or sudoku demo), while *probably* enabling you to keep the anonimity, there might be something really valuable for today's IRC users.

A big limitation on IRC is that once typed, there's no way of modifying sent messages. You are only able to send out new messages that are propagated (and duplicated) to all the users in the channel. It's also impossible to link to something said earlier in there.
Maybe this stuff is beyond the scope of IRC: if you're talking to someone, it's not possible to rewind to some of your earlier words, and change stuff. It would be interesting to hear of today's IRC users have a need for this type of editing and manipulation of the propagated info.

Verdict

Many people have made the mistake to predict the death of IRC. I'm convinced that the wave protocol offers enough potential to get some hardcore IRC users really enthusiastic. They will probably be among the first ones themselves to experiment with Wave, and amaze us with new quiz gadgets and IRC like functionality.

/quit (see you in the Wave)

Google Wave compared to SIP and XMPP

Michael Morisy compares the potential of Google Wave to "unify" communications to enterprise favorites such as Cisco Webex, and adopted standards such as SIP for telephone and XMPP for messaging.

The post states that: While these open technologies have proliferated and even penetrated the enterprise market, few have offered the flexibility, interoperability, real-time and open source that Google Wave promises. XMPP is an IM protocol with some extensions, and SIP is a voice protocol with some extensions. Google Wave lacks a clear central application; instead, it enables or transforms any number of existing communication methods.

Maybe it lacks a clear central application ... for now. Before the web was invented, the internet lacked a clear central application as well. By creating the hype and the enthusiasm worldwide, armies of developers and conceptual thinkers are planting the seeds for great applications. Sure, Wave will have no trouble winning over thousands of early adopters. However, in order to move millions, the real killer functionality will need to encompass a dramatic optimization for a large, mainstream audience. And that audience needs to be ready for it as well.