IRC require constant availability or proxy gateways to setup, which takes time/resources. Users who doesn't have those irc proxies are prone to miss progress updates. We prefer to use forum for the same reasons that it was posted on TMO, initially, but we don't agree to TMO's unresolved license (of content posted) issue, the way it is managed, people that are managing it, the way they were appointed, etc.

In any case, if there will be demand for IRC channel as addition to messaging board, we wills setup one on freenode, or ask our contributors to volunteer.

But, please, it is not thread about TMO replacement project Maybe it was my mistake to write about it so early (I wanted to keep you all maximally informed), as the forum isn't even setup yet. If Estel decide to try forking TMO for all TMO's intents and purposes, he will surely create announcement thread (or ask me to do so, if he will still be unable to do so).
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Arien Stokowiec