[Talk] Quasi-Administrativia: Status of #flux IRC channel on Freenode

[Samuel Greenfeld]

Let me clarify this slightly, as I have a tad more information now.

Basically, #flux (the LUG channel) fell victim to a social engineering
attack against the person who registered the channel.  While I have
some idea as to how this occurred, and if we were the direct target of
said attack versus just being a side casualty, I would prefer not to
archive all the details on the web on a publicly visible mailing list.

As a result, I am told the IRC staff of Freenode basically recognize
us as the valid channel holders, and would like to know if we want the
registration for the IRC channel back. If we ask for it we are very
likely to just get it.  To them, whether we had a dozen people in the
channel or just one or two is somewhat irrelevant.  The fact we had
the channel registered for over four years, and a very obvious
legitimate claim to the name is more of a factor.

So if we want to try to restart up the IRC channel where it was
(#flux/irc.freenode.net) basically all I have to do is pass on that we
want it back.  Otherwise, the status quo (new ownership) will remain.

{And yes, you might be able blame me a bit for stating I'd ask first
if we wanted it back.  While I can only speculate, they might have
just restored the old information had I not intervened.}

---
SJG

Quoting Danny Rathjens <dannyr@wirespring.com>:

> I think it's kind of silly for flux radio to need another channel, but
> I don't think it matters since we all stopped using the channel ages
> ago.    It went from about 2 dozen people 3-4 years ago, to just prakash
> and myself idling there forever last year, which is when I dropped it
> from my autojoin list.
>
> I used it couple months ago to help someone on the list debug a problem
> in "real" time, but that type of thing can be done in any temporary
> channel.
> So I don't think we should bother objecting. ;)
>
> Samuel Greenfeld wrote:
>> (This is not an official FLUX email per se; but given the   =20
>> circumstances, I suppose it has to be discussed.)
>>
>>
>> Historically, members of FLUX have had an IRC {Internet Relay Chat} =20
>>   channel, #flux, registered on the Freenode IRC network for the  =20
>> past  few years.  However, the person with the IRC nickname who  =20
>> first  "registered" the #flux IRC channel had not been on IRC for a =20
>>  while,  and as a result, registration for their nickname, and =20
>> hence  the  #flux IRC channel, was dropped from Freenode's database.
>>
>> As a result, a project with a similar name (Fluxradio) now has   =20
>> re-registered the #flux channel on the Freenode IRC network, to   =20
>> match a similar channel they hold on the OFTC IRC network.    =20
>> However, I am on good terms both with one of the founders of said   =20
>> project, and in general with a few Freenode IRC staff members.
>>
>> While yielding the channel might be the polite thing to do (and in  =20
>>  general, likely will be the action taken unless we request   =20
>> otherwise), I have been told that the circumstances under which   =20
>> this occurred were a bit awkward.  As a result, it needs to be   =20
>> determined if we (FLUX the Linux Users Group) would like usage of   =20
>> the IRC channel back, and if such a discussion should be held.    =20
>> Currently, Fluxradio has about as many people in the IRC channel as =20
>>   we did in the past few months (3-6 daily), and has only had the   =20
>> channel for less than a week.
>>
>> Alternatively, we always could yield the IRC channel, move to   =20
>> another (##flux, #flux-lug, etc.), or just not have an IRC channel. =20
>>    Obviously, we should try to be polite.
>>
>> But I stated I would pose the question to the Linux Users Group as  =20
>>  a whole; so here it is.
>>
>> I would appreciate hearing any feedback as to how we want to handle =20
>>   this, put this to a vote, just an email thread, etc.  After we  =20
>> have  come to some sort of conclusion, I will simply just pass our  =20
>>  group's consensus on.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Samuel Greenfeld
>> _______________________________________________
>> Talk mailing list
>> Talk@flux.org
>> http://www.flux.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
>>
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