Turns out the AIM room is a ghost-town. Use the #macdev room on freenode. Seems to be pretty much the only chat around.
And, if you are a noob like me, visit http://www.mikeash.com/getting_answers.html for some helpful hints prior to jumping in. :)
– BrendanErwin
Since so many of us are on iChat, is anyone interested in keeping an iChat (AIM) chat room up and running for Cocoa Development? Seems like it would be a good resource to have all day as we sit here programming. Get stuck, ask a question in the chat room and someone is bound to come back with the answer. Then, anything people learn can be posted back to the Wiki. Thoughts?
I propose a room named: cocoadev
– JoeZobkiw
Great idea! I’ll definitely check in the next time I’m online in iChat!
– DavidRemahl
For those of us who are chat newbies this is how you join the chat:
1 - Fire up iChat
2 - Press Command G
3 - type cocoadev into the box & press return.
– DiggoryLaycock
I think it would be interesting if there was a whole IRC server dedicated to Mac development instead of one #macdev channel on FreeNode, etc. Then, there could be individual channels such as #cocoadev and #carbondev. I’d set one up, but my ISP doesn’t allow people to run servers.
Oh, and as for this chat room on AIM, you can also do command-T in Adium and type cocoadev. That would work in a similar way in other unofficial clients.
If you’re on an unofficial client such as Adium or Fire, people using an official client with a mac.com screen name (basically AOL’s client and iChat, and I heard “gaim” also uses the official Oscar protocol) will show up as UnsupportedSN.
– AdamAtlas
Lovely, but how would we use iChat to access it? ;) – RobRix
Well, fine, I’ll make an ApplicationEnhancer that adds IRC functionality to iChat! :) –AdamAtlas
…and every other application :) haha, IRC in OmniWeb, Mail, AddressBook, ProjectBuilder, the Terminal, and SystemPreferences? :) Back on topic, does anybody actually hang out in that chat room? I mean, hang out there and, like, talk. I’ve been there repeatedly, apparently at all the wrong times. – RobRix
(AppEnhancers can choose to only load themselves into some applications, for example com.apple.ichat. – DavidRemahl)
I’ve been there too a few times, often greeted only by an empty room…Perhaps an announcement on cocoa-dev (the mailing list) would get things rolling….
An aim bot that maintained questions and next time you came in told you if someone had provided an answer would be cool. If I find some time maybe ill modify adium…
Yea, I hang out there when I’m online and there are at least two or three others that I see in there regularly. We’ve actually had some good conversations over the weekend and answered a few Cocoa questions already :-) If it’s empty, don’t leave, just leave the window opened until someone comes in and say hey! - JoeZobkiw
In AIM how do you connect to an existing (ongoing) chat without being invited? DavidHinz
Most AIM-compatible chat apps have a “Join Chat” menu item someplace. It may be named differently. Just find this item, type in cocoadev as the name of the room and click OK.
So I wanted to point out, folks.. don’t be afraid to idle in cocoadev if you can. The biggest problem is people show up there, and, not seeing anyone active, leave before we can awaken from our crystalline caves of solitude to give them greetings.
We’ve already had some pretty good conversations in there and some of us even sort of know what we’re talking about :) Right now kwegibu (GormanChristian), triplesoft and I (KirinDave) are the only people active much there.
Join us :)
– DaveFayram
I agree with Dave, the room has been a great help and I’ve solved (and caused) a few problems there :-) Hope to see you there and if no one responds right away, don’t leave, we are probably just out mowing the grass.
– JoeZobkiw
I recently got cable modem so I might be able to host an IRC server. I’ve managed to get a MUD, Hotline, and web server working (on a port other than 80, OOL doesn’t like people to host web servers for some reason…)
Anyways, I’ll pass on any more information if i get anything working.
The traffic in freenode #macdev is so low, no need for 8000 channels I think…
– NicholasRiley
Oh, man, I totally didn’t know iChat had such chat rooms. To think I’ve been waiting for people to contact me before spewing my random thoughts and sample code. Now the carnage can truly begin! muahahaha!
Pity no one is around at 2am PDT.
I see Robbie too has complained about the chat room being empty. What times are more likely for people to actually be there? I, for one, live and breathe on west-coast time, and late-night west-coast time at that. Who’s around when?
– MikeTrent
Whoah, meeting the esteemed MikeTrent? I’m around the chatroom pretty much on the dark-blue side of the sundial in the PST (GMT-8) timezone. Love to chat with ya.. I am so trying to get into serious cocoa development but lots of things keep holding me back.
– DaveFayram
No, you’re thinking of the other MikeTrent…
– MikeTrent
And I’d assume that you, Mikey, were thinking of the other Robbie :P – RobRix (but at least you spelled it right ;) )
Maybe we could propose a meeting time, like a time when lots of people could show at once and form associations?
– DaveFayram
I’m pleased to announce the launch of the iHax0r IRC server! The only server dedicated to Mac geekiness and programming (and 31337ness) in general. The server is atommic.com, so point your favorite IRC client there, and babble away to whoever else is there, if any! Also, read the MOTD because IT’S INDEED FUNNY! And get the word out about the iHax0r server so there will be people on it to talk to!
– AdamAtlas
Good idea, Dave, about a meeting time. Problem is that there are folks all over the world who I’ve seen in the room. We could probably work something out for the US but then that would leave out folks in Europe and vice-versa. I tend to see various people in the room at different times and it works out. If you hang out in the room people come and go all day, some not saying a word :-) However, I’ve seen plenty of questions asked and answered.
– JoeZobkiw
Anybody still use this? – RobRix
Yes, we had about 5 in their just the other day: two now. update 30 minutes later: 4, you just come in at the wrong times :)
3:30 AM EST and again, nobody. Guess I should sleep or something :) – RobRix
14.40 CET; ≈ 8.40 EST ? I wonder if it’s any idea to ask why nobody is in cocadev…
AHA! 5:25 AM EST! DustinVoss and kwegibu (can’t remember who that actually is) and I are in the ChatRoom! w00t. – RobRix
Last two weeks have been averaging about 3-5 people in here. Stop on by! —- *Wishing there was more at 1:15am EST. —- Now, I have iChat configured correctly. I will be on cocoadev often now… – Trax —-
I like the sound of this room, but have to say that I definately prefer an iChat get together over an IRC channel. I’ve tried getting into the IRC thing several times & I have to admit Its just too confusing. iChat is so simple & intuative. Pluss I dont know of any nice (and free) IRC clients for OSX.
Just two cents fromt he new guy that no one knows so take it for whatever you think its worth. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong
I’m totally in agreement with the above. IRC would be too much hassle. – RobRix
The IRC client in Mozilla is super easy to use. If you don’t have Mozilla installed, or if you just find it ugly (I have to admit that I feel like I’m on Windows when I use Moz), you might want to download an IRC-specific client. There’s an interesting-looking one at http://akwairc.online.fr/akwairc.html though I’ve never used it, so not sure how good it is. (It’s shareware.)
Type ** /command ** for a list of commands, and ** /attach * irc://someserver.tld * ** (where “someserver” is the name of a server) to connect to a remote server. Once there, you can enter a chat using ** /join * #somechat * ** (where “somechat” is the name of a chat).
The new IRC client for OS X, Conversation ( http://homepage.mac.com/philrobin/conversation/ ) has inspired me to get back into IRC and idle in Freenode’s #macdev a bit.
Would be nice if Apple would integrate IRC channels and favorite AOL/AOLIM chatrooms in iChat . They could be listed at the bottom of the buddy list, or in a separate list window, with the number of users listed next to the channel name.
– JeffSchuler
bump
I’d prefer an IRC-based chat - it’s just more widely accessible. If I’m sitting in front of my command line-only FreeBSD box, I can still get into an IRC channel. I’m not sure if any of the non-GUI AIM clients have chat room support. C’mon, we’re all programmers here; we should be able to configure an IRC client ;) - John
As far as free and decent IRC clients for Mac OS X goes I’m partial to http://www.colloquy.info .
it’s MacIrssi for me - [http://www.g1m0.se/macirssi/]. next…
So what’s the current status? Is the iChat room still active? #macdev is pretty quiet usually, but I’ve found that if someone has a question/issue/outrageous claim, people will generally respond.
PING! Hey Everybody! Don’t forget about the ChatRoom! – MikeTrent
I’m currently getting errors when I try to join #macdev on irc.freenode.net that say it’s invite-only. What’s up with that? – ChrisHanson
The admins had a little too much booze. Everybody’s been kicked out. – DenisDefreyne
Seems to be fixed now. – ChrisHanson
I don’t know how old this chat is, but I’m up for the iChat cocoadev room, and am there now (28/08/06) and will stay for a while to see if anyone drops by. IRC via colloquy is a bit much really. – MathieuTozer
There is a mac specific IRC network called Moofspeak. I notice one person above was considering starting a new network for it; no need, we have one :)
irc.moofspeak.net is the server. Currently I don’t know if they have any development specific channels but you could start one. #apple is where most of the general people from mactalk.com.au hang out.