| XiRCON | |
| Author: | Mark Hanson |
| Programming Language: | Borland C++/Object Windows Library, scripted with Tcl[1] |
| Operating System: | Microsoft Windows |
| Platform: | x86 |
| Discontinued: | yes |
| Language: | English |
| Genre: | IRC client |
| License: | Freeware[2] |
XiRCON is a discontinued freeware IRC client for Microsoft Windows. After TCP/IP was added to Windows, XiRCON was one of the most popular IRC clients on the platform.[3] The XiRCON client was used for a number of fields, such as library helpdesk,[4] genealogy,[5] and US Naval command. Author Mark Hanson ceased development in 1997.[6]
Due to its graphical user interface and ease of use, XiRCON is a suggested client in Learn Internet Relay Chat, Volume 1 (Toyer, 1998).[7] The client received a four-star rating "(better than most, very solid)" from IRCReviews.com, which summarized, "An IRC client that appeals to users of all skill levels."[8] With the proliferation of mIRC computer worms, Steal this Computer Book 4.0 recommended switching to competing IRC clients like XiRCON.[9]
XiRCON was approved for military use, and in the US Navy it was more popular than mIRC.[10] In an effort to evaluate how real-time communications boost productivity in US Military command, a 2004 paper by Pacific Science & Engineering Group estimated that 28-50% of command groups used XiRCON.
After its discontinuation, XiRCON fielded a steadily growing community based around the Kano script, among others. As mIRC progressed it started to include XiRCON features such as multi-server support and visual themes. XiRCON's remaining userbase began to dwindle as mIRC became more stable and popular scripts comparable to Kano were released. A very small community still keeps the program alive via moderating the official IRC channel, [irc://irc.he.net/#XiRCON #XiRCON] on EFnet.
An attempt was made to clone XiRCON[11] by David Gravereaux, who was also the author of the Falcon extension[12] for XiRCON, but has yet to complete it. Gravereaux also wrote a "hack" for XiRCON that allowed it to use any Tcl core v8.1 or higher.[13]