The fundamental problem they "solve" is to be more hip and cool than the last, since no regular human being has heard of IRC, let alone many "hardcore programmers" that I know.
I wish IRC was overhauled SOMEHOW and made more accessible to the common person.
I never understood how IRC was somehow not accessible. Connect to a server, join a room, (usually from a helpfully provided list), enter text and other people see it. Those are the basics, and my gran could understand them.
I wish IRC was overhauled SOMEHOW and made more accessible to the common person.