~kris/dots

srice

ref: f5fc91419850ee5f2652bdce0dcc214de18b4a22 srice/doc/report.md -rw-r--r-- 26.4 KiB
f5fc9141 — Kris Yotam add wallpapermenu script (was untracked); auto-detect output so cw works on any machine 2 months ago

#IRC and Private Tracker Network Research

Date: 2026-05-28

Scope: src/srice/.config/catgirl currently has catgirl configs for public IRC networks and private tracker entry points. This report ranks candidates worth adding or expanding before touching the configs.

#Executive Ranking

#Add First

Rank Target Network Channels Why
1 9front / Plan 9 OFTC #cat-v, #9fans Highest relevance to Inferno, Plan 9, 9front, small-trust hacker culture.
2 Asahi / Apple hardware hackers OFTC #asahi, #asahi-dev, #asahi-re, #asahi-gpu Best Apple-adjacent hacker community in the classical systems sense, not Apple cybersecurity.
3 Math Libera ##math, ##math-offtopic Already partly configured, but the off-topic channel is useful for repeated presence and trust.
4 Physics Libera ##physics #physics merged into ##physics; update current EFnet-only physics coverage.
5 Computer science and programming Libera ##programming, #python, ##rust, #haskell, #lisp, #scheme, #c, #git Large, active, still IRC-native, good for depth and repeated help.
6 BSDs Libera #openbsd, #netbsd, #freebsd Strong fit for old-school Unix culture; OpenBSD and NetBSD are especially IRC-shaped.
7 GNU/Linux distributions Libera/OFTC #archlinux, #gentoo, #debian on OFTC, #alpine-linux on OFTC High-density support and contributor communities.
8 Security hackint / Libera / 2600 hackint, #security, irc.2600.net/#2600, #nyc2600 hackint is the best network-level bet; Libera #security is large; 2600 has older social roots.
9 Suckless / minimal Unix OFTC #suckless Best match for dwm/st/catgirl/ii taste. Verify live membership before adding.
10 Books and tracker gateways Existing + MAM/IRCHighWay/Undernet Existing mam, irchighway, undernet Keep, but treat as content acquisition networks, not high-trust community by default.

#Keep But Do Not Prioritize

Target Network Reason
EFnet irc.efnet.org Valuable old IRC culture, but weak services and lower identity stability.
IRCnet open.ircnet.net Historically important, European old-school, but usually lower practical yield.
Rizon irc.rizon.net Useful for BakaBT and anime culture; less relevant to research and systems trust.
Tilde.chat irc.tilde.chat Good social layer for tilde/pubnix culture; uneven signal.

#Current Catgirl Configs

Config Host Current join Status
bakabt irc.rizon.net #bakabt Already present. Add #bakabt-support if you want official support.
dime irc.canternet.org #dimeadozen Already present. Good for live recordings.
efnet irc.efnet.org #physics,#math Already present. Consider moving serious math/physics to Libera.
hackint irc.hackint.org none Already present. Needs channels.
irchighway irc.irchighway.net #ebooks Already present. Useful, but low-trust DCC book network.
ircnet open.ircnet.net #science Already present.
libera irc.libera.chat ##math,##philosophy,##books,#science Already present. This is the best general expansion target.
mam irc.myanonamouse.net none Already present. Add only official interview/support channels from site instructions.
oftc irc.oftc.net none Already present. This is the best Plan 9, Debian, Asahi, Alpine expansion target.
ops irc.orpheus.network #interview Already present.
red irc.interviewfor.red #recruitment Already present, but RED's current prep docs say interview flow uses IRC and may use #RED-invites; verify before changing.
rizon irc.rizon.net #chat Already present.
tilde irc.tilde.chat none Already present.
undernet irc.undernet.org #Bookz Already present.

#Quality Rubric

Score Meaning
A+ Core network/channel for your stated goals; add now.
A High-quality community with strong trust-building potential.
B Useful, but more support-oriented, noisy, or less directly aligned.
C Keep as optional/legacy/context; do not spend daily attention.
D Avoid adding unless you have a specific reason.

Trust signals used: official project ownership, stable network identity, channel age, topical depth, operator culture, logs/transparency, route into offline or contributor networks, and fit with your Plan 9/BSD/suckless/academic interests.

#Public IRC Networks

#Libera.Chat

Quality: A

Current config: libera

Connection: irc.libera.chat, TLS port 6697.

Libera is the default modern FOSS IRC network. Official docs say to connect to irc.libera.chat:6697 with TLS, and its own positioning is FOSS and peer-directed collaboration. It has thousands of channels, and Libera's alis service is the right way to discover channels from inside IRC.

Best additions:

Channel Score Use
##math A+ Main mathematics community; official channel page says it is on Libera TLS and is for mathematics at all levels. Already in config.
##math-offtopic A Trust-building side channel for regulars.
##physics A Use this instead of #physics; indexed topic says #physics merged into ##physics.
##programming A General programming and CS; has its own rules/site and is large.
#science B+ Already in config. Broader and more casual than math/physics.
#security A- Large general computer/network/physical security channel. Keep ethical and defensive.
#linux A- Very active broad Linux community. Good people discovery, noisy support floor.
#archlinux A Official Arch support community.
#gentoo A Official Gentoo support and culture. Good fit for source-based Linux.
#openbsd A Unofficial but very active OpenBSD support; high Unix signal.
#netbsd A- Smaller than OpenBSD, strong systems signal.
#freebsd A- Official FreeBSD IRC presence is on Libera.
#git A- Useful for source workflows and contributor culture.
#emacs B+ Strong culture, long-lived regulars.
#qutebrowser B+ Relevant to your browser/tooling world.
#lobsters B+ Computing-focused social room, useful for trust and taste.
#python B+ Very active, mostly help-oriented.
##rust B+ Active Rust channel; useful even if not core.
#haskell, #lisp, #scheme, #c B+ Language communities with deeper CS overlap. Verify activity with /msg alis list.

Notes:

  • Register and SASL-auth your nick before joining large channels.
  • Do not run unattended LLM bots. Libera posted a bot/LLM policy update in 2026 noting privacy problems and unsanctioned LLM bots.
  • For channel discovery use /msg alis list <pattern> -min <n> -topic <term>.

Sources:

#OFTC

Quality: A+

Current config: oftc

Connection: irc.oftc.net, TLS port 6697 or 9999.

OFTC is the best expansion network for Plan 9, 9front, Debian, Alpine, postmarketOS, and Asahi Linux. Official OFTC docs support TLS, IPv4/IPv6, Tor, and an onion service. This matters if you care about older Internet identity plus practical privacy.

Best additions:

Channel Score Use
#cat-v A+ Main 9front/Plan 9-adjacent room. Multiple community references point people here.
#9fans A Plan 9 discussion, smaller than #cat-v.
#suckless A Minimal Unix/suckless culture; verify current topic/activity.
#debian A Debian official IRC is on OFTC; irc.debian.org aliases to OFTC.
#debian-devel A- Development channel if you want contributor exposure.
#alpine-linux A Official Alpine moved to OFTC; channel is active.
#alpine-devel A- Alpine development.
#asahi A+ Apple Silicon Linux porting. Best Apple hacker room.
#asahi-dev A Asahi development.
#asahi-re A Reverse engineering Apple Silicon. This is the closest fit to classical Apple hacking.
#asahi-gpu A GPU work; high technical density.
#postmarketos A- Mobile Linux, ports, embedded Linux.
#openwrt A- Routers, embedded networking.
#fdroid B+ Android/FOSS app ecosystem.
#tor B+ Privacy infrastructure, verify channel norms before speaking.

Sources:

#hackint

Quality: A

Current config: hackint

Connection: irc.hackint.org, TLS port 6697.

hackint describes itself as an IRC network for the hacker community worldwide. It is the best network-level candidate for general hacker culture, CTFs, privacy infrastructure, and event rooms. It is also actively maintained: hackint is moving away from in-band NickServ IDENTIFY and toward SASL/CERTFP-style authentication.

Best additions:

Channel Score Use
#hackint or network help channel B+ Learn network norms first. Verify exact help channel with /list.
#dn42 A Decentralized networking, BGP lab culture, trust graph via real technical work.
CCC/event channels A- Event-specific, high value during congress/camp/conf season. Use /list *c3* and /list *ccc*.
CTF/team channels B+ Usually event-specific or private. Discover by /list *ctf*.

Do:

  • Use SASL instead of /msg NickServ identify in channel or logs.
  • Treat hackint as a trust network. Lurk, contribute technically, do not look like a drive-by.

Sources:

#2600net

Quality: B+

Connection: irc.2600.net

2600 is historically important and socially useful, especially if you want older hacker culture and meeting-adjacent trust. NYC2600 says 2600 operates its own IRC server; #nyc2600 is the official meeting-goer channel, with #2600, #offthehook, and #offthewall also called out.

Add as separate config:

host = irc.2600.net
port = 6697
nick = khr1st
join = #2600,#nyc2600
mode = +i

Verify TLS support before committing the port. If TLS fails, decide whether plaintext is acceptable.

Source:

#Squick

Quality: B

Connection: squick.me

Squick explicitly frames itself as hacker-friendly in the MIT/maker sense, not the cybercriminal sense. It is probably worth a trial idle if you want a smaller general-purpose network with a lighter culture than Libera.

Recommended status: candidate, not first wave.

Source:

#Tilde.chat

Quality: B

Current config: tilde

Use it for pubnix/tilde culture and small social trust. It is less directly tied to your requested research domains than OFTC/Libera/hackint, but worth keeping.

Recommended discovery:

  • /list *plan*
  • /list *bsd*
  • /list *linux*
  • /list *program*
  • /list *books*

#EFnet and IRCnet

Quality: C+

Current configs: efnet, ircnet

These are historically meaningful. Keep them for old culture and chance encounters, but do not use them as the main trust base. Identity and channel ownership are weaker than on modern services-backed networks.

#Domain Recommendations

#Mathematics Research

Add to libera:

join = ##math,##math-offtopic,#science

Optional channels to verify with alis:

  • ##statistics
  • #math
  • #mathoverflow
  • #lean
  • #coq
  • #agda
  • #sage
  • #julia
  • #latex

Ranking:

Target Score Note
##math on Libera A+ Primary room.
##math-offtopic on Libera A Trust-building, not just homework/help.
Proof assistants (#lean, #coq, #agda) A- Strong bridge between math and CS, verify activity.
#latex B Useful, mostly support.

#Physics

Add to libera:

join = ##physics

Keep EFnet #physics as a legacy probe, but current evidence says Libera #physics merged into ##physics.

Optional:

  • #astronomy
  • #space
  • #gnuradio
  • #sdr

Ranking:

Target Score Note
##physics on Libera A Best current target.
SDR/GNU Radio rooms A- Practical physics/radio overlap.
EFnet #physics C+ Keep for old network culture.

#Computer Science

Add to libera:

join = ##programming,#git,#python,##rust,#haskell,#lisp,#scheme,#c

Ranking:

Target Score Note
##programming A General CS/programming community.
#git A- Excellent for real contributor competence.
#haskell, #lisp, #scheme A- Higher theory-to-systems density than many language rooms.
#python, ##rust, #c B+ Large and useful, more support noise.

#Plan 9, Inferno, 9front

Add to oftc:

join = #cat-v,#9fans

Optional:

  • Watch 9fans Topicbox.
  • Use gridchat only if you want the deeper Plan 9-native chat model; it is not a catgirl IRC target.

Ranking:

Target Score Note
#cat-v on OFTC A+ Main 9front/Plan 9 hacker channel.
#9fans on OFTC A Smaller Plan 9 room.
9fans mailing list A More archival and less real-time.
gridchat B+ Interesting, but separate workflow.

Sources:

#BSDs

Add to libera:

join = #openbsd,#netbsd,#freebsd

Ranking:

Target Score Note
#openbsd on Libera A Active, direct, high Unix signal.
#netbsd on Libera A- Smaller but deep.
#freebsd on Libera A- Official FreeBSD IRC presence.
FreeBSD project/team channels B+ Add later if contributing.

Sources:

#GNU/Linux

Add/expand:

Project Network Channel Score Source
Debian OFTC #debian, #debian-devel A Debian says official IRC channels are on OFTC.
Alpine OFTC #alpine-linux, #alpine-devel A Alpine says it moved these channels to OFTC.
Arch Libera #archlinux A Official Arch IRC is on Libera.
Gentoo Libera #gentoo, #gentoo-chat A Gentoo docs point to Libera channels and CoC.
Fedora Libera #fedora B+ Active support.
Ubuntu Libera #ubuntu B Very large, support-oriented, less aligned with your taste.
OpenWrt OFTC #openwrt A- Embedded/networking value.
postmarketOS OFTC #postmarketos A- Mobile Linux value.

Sources:

#Apple and Apple Hackers

Best interpretation: systems hackers around Apple hardware, Darwin/macOS internals, Mac filesystems, and Apple Silicon, not app-user support and not Apple cybersecurity.

Add to oftc:

join = #asahi,#asahi-dev,#asahi-re,#asahi-gpu

Add optional Libera config or libera joins:

join = #macosx,#openzfs-macos

Ranking:

Target Score Note
Asahi #asahi-re on OFTC A+ Reverse engineering Apple Silicon, exactly the high-signal Apple hacker niche.
Asahi #asahi-dev / #asahi-gpu A Kernel/GPU/platform work.
Asahi #asahi A Main room, higher noise than specialist rooms.
#openzfs-macos on Libera B+ Filesystem/systems Mac work.
#macosx on Libera B Active, but user/support oriented.
Hackintosh rooms C Practical but often low trust and legally/ethically messy.

Sources:

#General Cybersecurity

Add:

Target Network Score Use
hackint network hackint A Best general hacker network.
#security Libera A- General security room, large.
#dn42 hackint A Networking trust graph, BGP, routing labs.
#2600, #nyc2600 2600net B+ Older hacker social culture.
OWASP/project-specific rooms Libera or project-specific B Verify official current channel; many have moved to Slack/Discord.
CTF event rooms hackint B+ High signal during events, dead outside them.

Rules:

  • Keep discussion defensive, research, or community oriented.
  • Do not ask for exploit help, target help, credential issues, or anything that sounds operationally harmful.
  • Build trust by answering basic questions, sharing useful references, and being boringly consistent.

Sources:

#Private Trackers and Content Communities

Important distinction: tracker IRC is not the same kind of trust network as public technical IRC. Tracker IRC is often for interviews, staff support, announce bots, and account-linked community. It can be high-trust after you are inside, but it also carries more identity, privacy, and account-risk coupling.

Do not buy invites, trade invites, evade bans, or use ratio cheating tools. The tracker community treats those as account-ending and often cross-site-ending behavior.

#Already Configured

Tracker / community Config Score Notes
RED red A Top music tracker and major gateway. Current config uses irc.interviewfor.red and #recruitment; official prep says interviews take place on IRC. Verify current channel name from prep page before interview.
Orpheus ops A Music, easier economy than RED, strong gateway. Current config uses irc.orpheus.network and #interview; official interview prep exists.
MyAnonamouse mam A- Books/audiobooks, beginner-friendly reputation, strong community. Use site-provided IRC flow.
BakaBT bakabt B+ Anime/manga, official Rizon channels include #BakaBT and #bakabt-support; interview/signups exist.
DimeADozen dime B+ Live recordings/bootlegs community, niche and useful.
IRCHighWay #ebooks irchighway B DCC ebook acquisition, not high-trust tracker community.
Undernet #Bookz undernet B DCC ebook acquisition, active but not a curated trust network.

Sources:

#Tracker Quality Map

This table is for future recruitment goals, not necessarily direct catgirl configs. Many top trackers do not have public pre-account IRC worth adding.

Domain Top targets Score IRC posture
Music RED, OPS A Public interview/support IRC exists. Already configured.
Movies PTP, HDB, KG, Tik, BHD, BLU, ANT, SC A to B Mostly recruitment after reputation elsewhere; do not add blind IRC configs unless official support channel is public.
TV BTN, TVV, MTV, NBL A to B Mostly recruitment/application/account support.
Anime AB, BakaBT, Nyaa, AnimeTorrents A to B BakaBT has public IRC; AB usually via recruitment.
Books MAM, Bibliotik A to B MAM public path; Bibliotik hard/closed and reportedly low public availability.
E-learning TheGeeks, BitSpyder, MAM B+ MAM easiest trust start; others via recruitment/application.
Games GGn, PixelCove A to B GGn is top games tracker, usually via recruitment.
General TorrentLeech, FileList, AlphaRatio, IPT B to C Useful for coverage, weaker trust. Be careful with reputation.
Scene Milkie, TorrentSeeds, Reelflix-type scene trackers B Niche; verify current standing.
Audio/live DIME, Traders' Den, Lossless Legs B+ Strong niche communities.
Comics MAM, DC++ hubs, legacy 32p replacement spaces B MAM is safer starting point.

Secondary tracker research sources:

#Tracker Risk Notes

  • Private trackers can log IPs, emails, passkeys, snatchlists, client details, and account history indefinitely.
  • Reusing usernames, passwords, email aliases, or distinctive writing across trackers increases linkage.
  • Official recruitment is safer than random invites.
  • Do not discuss tracker-specific private details in public IRC rooms.
  • Do not paste interview answers or staff PMs into logs.
  • Never run ratio cheating software. It is also a trust signal in the worst direction.

Do not make one huge join line on libera or oftc. Split by purpose so catgirl sessions stay readable and you can idle intentionally.

#Proposed New Config Names

Config Host Join
math irc.libera.chat ##math,##math-offtopic,#science
physics irc.libera.chat ##physics,#gnuradio
cs irc.libera.chat ##programming,#git,#python,##rust,#haskell,#lisp,#scheme,#c
bsd irc.libera.chat #openbsd,#netbsd,#freebsd
linux irc.libera.chat #linux,#archlinux,#gentoo,#fedora,#ubuntu
debian irc.oftc.net #debian,#debian-devel
plan9 irc.oftc.net #cat-v,#9fans
apple irc.oftc.net #asahi,#asahi-dev,#asahi-re,#asahi-gpu
embedded irc.oftc.net #alpine-linux,#alpine-devel,#postmarketos,#openwrt,#fdroid
security irc.libera.chat #security,#networking
hackers irc.hackint.org #dn42 plus discovered event channels
2600 irc.2600.net #2600,#nyc2600
suckless irc.oftc.net #suckless

#Example Catgirl Template

host = irc.libera.chat
port = 6697
nick = khr1st
real = Kris
join = ##programming,#git,#python,##rust,#haskell,#lisp,#scheme,#c
timestamp = %H:%M
log
quiet
mode = +i

For hackint, configure SASL or CertFP before serious use because the network is deprecating old NickServ identify workflows.

#Daily Attention Plan

Cadence Networks
Always idle plan9, apple, math, cs, bsd, hackers
Often idle linux, debian, embedded, security, ops, mam
Check intentionally red, bakabt, dime, irchighway, undernet, efnet, ircnet, rizon
Trial only 2600, squick, tilde

#Best Next Edits

  1. Add separate purpose configs instead of overloading libera and oftc.
  2. Update src/srice/bin/irc categories with new groups: RESEARCH, SYSTEMS, SECURITY, TRACKERS.
  3. Register/SASL nicks for Libera, OFTC, hackint, and any tracker IRC where allowed.
  4. Run /list or alis live for exact channel validation before joining less certain channels.
  5. After two weeks of logs, prune channels with no signal.

#Sources Index

Network and IRC docs:

Channel indexes and community pages:

Project sources:

Tracker and content sources: