Implement Modular IRC Frontend

[alexwilson]

An extension of the original new IRC bot plan, Arc should be able to connect to new servers via different protocols (a lá abstraction). Of course the regular IRC bot would be the main product of this, but InspIRCd, TS6 Generic and UnrealIRCd linking modules, as well as potentially a Jabber interface should be implemented.
There are plenty of examples of each of those protocols implemented on Github already (in python, no less!).

This shouldn't be considered a burning issue, but would definitely set Arc as being the leading Classic server software. (Imagine being able to run multi-network Minecraft servers that you can administrate via an IM client :D).

[alexwilson]

Example of InspIRCd Linking Protocol: https://github.com/sonicrules1234/sonicServices/blob/master/sonicServices.py (example of TS6 in same repo)
Jabber Python Library: http://xmpppy.sourceforge.net/ (extra dependencies :)

[tyteen4a03]

Twisted has a Jabber protocol, but the need of it hasn't risen yet, same for the IRCd-specific linking modules. However, I do plan on adding MSN and Skype support (except I can't get SkypeKit working, that is) and the ability for the IRC bot to relay messages to an external program/websites.

Priority for this will be lower since the IRC bot is just an add-on, but will probably happen when I redo the IRC bot all together.

[alexwilson]

Jabber support maybe, but a lot of people use Facebook and Google Plus, both of which use Jabber as their communication system -- interactive Facebook pages anyone?
As for IRCd linking, the demand is there. Plenty of communties operate on their own IRC servers, and when there are plugins like BukkitIRCd around I can understand why -- why shouldn't this also the case for classic?
Like I said: an extensible frontend, instead of just a singular relay bot. That way you can load frontends at will, whether they be IRC bots, pseudo-links, MSN bots etc... which all relay the same activity around.

Also Skype is lame (seriously).

[gdude2002]

I can see adding bots causing an awful lot of extra load.

[alexwilson]

Not really, the amount of bandwidth that IRC requires for one channel is minimal, and multiplying that by a few channels still doesn't amount to much. Load would never become a problem with multiple bots, as the players would still require most of te resources available.
I suggest putting all 'chat' in it's own queue, which can then be read from or written to by any plugin.