[IRCServices] Linked Nicks - In General

[Jonathan Morton]

>I may be wrong, but maybe it's time to redefine linked nicks, their
>benefits, why they even exist and what their future is.
>
>I only use them so that all my memos arrive in the same memo store - this is
>the only thing I (personally) gain from them.
>
>Maybe the benefits of nick linking would be better implemented in separate
>and specific ways - such as memo forwarding, the ability to identify for
>multiple nicknames etc. What are people's thoughts on this?

Personally, I've seen uses of linked nicks that would be less easy to
implement in other ways.  For example, I often use a second computer as a
'bot' which hangs around even when I'm not directly online.  I can assign
this 'bot' a new nick (QuadraServ), link it to my original nick (chromatix)
and thus give it my privileges without having to hassle the founder or
clutter the ACCESS list myself.  This of course assumes the founder is
happy about having the bot in-channel.  :)

Another use I have is for my "alternate" nick to be registered and linked
to my regular one, so that when I reconnect with a ghost still active, I
can enter the channel and gain privilege without having to first kill my
ghost and also without having to maintain duplicate entries on the ACCESS
list.  This is particualrly handy as currently all the "flat rate" ISPs in
the UK operate a 2-hour maximum connection time limit.  (Thwacks BT with a
large smelly trout)

Also, I notice that people tend to migrate to new nicks continuously, or
perhaps try out a new nick and find it doesn't suit them quite as well.
They can register their new nick, link it to their old and 'try out' their
new nick without having to hassle the founder or set up all their NickServ
preferences again.  Of course, if they permanently remain on the new nick,
the founder should move the entry on the ACCESS list to the new nick on or
before expiry of the old nick.  MemoServ is rarely used in my experience,
although it can be a life-saver when it is.

Most of the "problems" introduced by linked nicks can be avoided through
use of either the LISTLINKS or WHY commands, and/or by operating a sensible
policy with regard to channel operators (100+ ops is too many, IMHO, you
should get to know them first).

--------------------------------------------------------------
from:     Jonathan "Chromatix" Morton
mail:     chromi at cyberspace.org  (not for attachments)
uni-mail: j.d.morton at lancaster.ac.uk

The key to knowledge is not to rely on people to teach you it.

Get VNC Server for Macintosh from http://chromatix.autistics.org/vnc/

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