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[Andrew Church]

To quote the RFC (RFC1459 4.4.2):

   The NOTICE message is used similarly to PRIVMSG.  The difference
   between NOTICE and PRIVMSG is that automatic replies must never be
   sent in response to a NOTICE message.  This rule applies to servers
   too - they must not send any error reply back to the client on
   receipt of a notice.  The object of this rule is to avoid loops
   between a client automatically sending something in response to
   something it received.  This is typically used by automatons (clients
   with either an AI or other interactive program controlling their
   actions) which are always seen to be replying lest they end up in a
   loop with another automaton.

While this section doesn't explicitly say "automatons MUST NOT send PRIVMSG
messages", the last sentence is, IMO, semantically equivalent to at least
an RFC 2119 "SHOULD NOT", as in "automatons SHOULD NOT send PRIVMSG
messages, lest they end up in a loop with another automaton".  That's
more than enough justification in my eyes to not add a PRIVMSG sending
option/command.

     In any case, if you do want to send a global PRIVMSG, you can always
use /msg $*.whatever.net as an oper.

  --Andrew Church
    achurch at achurch.org
    http://achurch.org/

>On Mon, 20 Jan 2003, Russell Garrett wrote:
>
>> Sending a privmsg is in breach of the RFC - a msg is used when you need to
>> solicit a response, wheras a notice is used for information. If people (or
>> their scripts) ignore it then that's their problem. Note that sometimes
>> scripts ignore notices from Global, and I think a global notice from an oper
>> is usually better (on Bahamut: /notice $*.yournet.net your message). Oh, and
>> don't post to this list in HTML please :).
>
>chapter and verse of the RFC please. It only says that it's illegal to 
>REPLY TO A NOTICE, not to send a privmsg.
>
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