On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 4:36 PM, James Hess <mysidia@gmail.com> wrote: <snip>
Several networks that implement realtime mask toggling have found it necessary to also provide quit/reconnect simulation, which is a strong indicator that the assumption of a hostname not silently changing is
Examples? Which networks, and what made them feel it necessary? Do they still have that and still consider it necessary today?
Three large networks (QuakeNet, Undernet and GameSurge) currently use quit/reconnect simulation, and dozens of smaller networks do as well -- for many of the same points brought up throughout this discussion. It should also be mentioned that all three of these networks do not allow toggling, as well. As for whether or not it is still necessary today, difficult to say. I'm sure there are scripts in use on these networks that probably take further advantage of this extra information they're given. On Rizon, where quit/reconnect simulation functionality is supported by the ircd, but not enabled, I have occasionally seen BNCs, scripts and the odd ball clients get "confused" because of it. I don't think anyone is arguing that by not providing quit/reconnect simulation it will break all clients/scripts/bots/bncs in use today, but rather it has been shown to cause problems with some clients/scripts/bots in the past (and even today). This is one reason such functionality has been incorporated into ircu, inspircd, plexusircd, asuka, snircd, nefarious, and other ircds that provide hostmasking. I have yet to see a strong argument for not including the same functionality in bahamut should hostmasking be optional, other than some finding it annoying. The actual "chatter" created by the few actual messages it would generate is trivial, as is is the actual "overhead." The added benefit seems to outweigh the assumption that it will annoy some users. -SecretAgent