I read on Lifehacker, Obscure Google Tricks, which taught me the search query, better than [thing here]. Since then, I’ve used it many times. Today I needed to get some help on an IRC channel for CakePHP. I used to use mIRC but of course, isn’t free and I only had it for a few days at which point I’d force myself to use mozillia’s irc client.
Enter TurboIRC from Turboirc. A free and useful alternative to mIRC. I have to admit, at first, it isn’t nearly as pretty, but you get used to it very quickly. Since I’m actually doing some learning for once, I can’t take a lot of time and think about what features I like best plus I’ve only used it for about a day, but nevertheless, you can use this fancy feature list from their website. They also offer tons of other software, which, I believe is free too. A lot of good stuff there.
- Available in x86 and in x64.
- Complete rewrite in C++. More flexible code.
- Encoding UTF-8 , ANSI , or custom per channel.
- Rewritten and new MDI interface.
- Per user data configuration.
- XML configuration.
- AES/SSL encryption.
- External file transfers with Turbo Transfer.
- CTCP AWAKE.
- New system of toolbars/menus – less menu confusion.
- Both Installed-Based and Portable Version – Installer stores data in Windows folders, portable version stores data in the folder you unrar.
- XML – based tree configuration box.
- Aliases, Events, Special events and alarms are mixed to one category.
- 64-bit file transfer with Turbo Transfer DCC.
- Scripts also support external PHP.
- UTF-8 logging.
- ActiveX support is enhanced.
- Protected logging with AES.
- Auto updates are enhanced with the Turbo Update library.
- New chat enhancements: Insert unicode characters and tables.
- More efficient Indirect File Transfers.
- User information now contains custom levels and it has an unlimited size
- Scrolling row bar to get notifications.
- Script enhancements
- Static variables are now unlimited
- Custom definitions are now unlimited
- Script size is now unlimited
- Script supports scalar variables
- Variable name and value is unlimited
- Script supports external PHP (along with Javascript and VBScript)
- Multilingual
- Auto updates
- Installer / Uninstaller
- Most IRC effects (bold,italic,colors,sizes,fonts,symbols,windings, beeps,emoticons,flash,ActiveX,Voice,Clipboard).
- SSL support in both servers and DCC chats
- User lists (Notify,Talk notify,Ignore,Black list,Auto Op,Auto voice)
- Custom nick prefixes
- Scripts (Native,PHP,Javascript,VBScript)
- Plugins
- Skins
- IPv6 (both tunneled and native IPv6 supported)
- Proxies
- Inline midi
- Notebook
- DCC / TDCC chats and file transfers
- Inverse Transfers
- UPnP support
- Emoticons
- Flash and multimedia messages
- IRC tables
- ActiveX controls
I found it on CNet/Download.com, but their copy was of poor TurboIRC 6! Don’t let anyone fool you, always get the latest version of free software.
Get TurboIRC 7.
Updates
After having used it for a couple of months, I can easily say it’s a very solid IRC Client for casual users. 9.8/10. My only minor gripe about it is that on Vista (which I have), it requires Admin privilages in order to make it have some features. I could blame it on Vista but I’ve learned that it’s not always Vista’s fault.