Thread
Mibbit
Freenode no longer accepts connections from mibbit.com, so you may want to change the link at the top of the page to something different, such as instructions on how to connect.
Cheers for pointing that out. I've switched over to the official Freenode web interface, unless anyone else has a better suggestion?
http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=68kmla
http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=68kmla
No problem. I guess that'll do fine, anybody that can't stand the Freenode webchat (me included) can use a real IRC client. I think this is the first time I've actually helped out here. ;D
Any word on whether or not this change is permanent? On dozens of occassions before I've tried to connect to freenode with mibbit only to find that it had been blocked for a few days. I suspect it's a spam management tecnique whereby they probably (maybe even correctly) estimate that like 5% of the people using mibbit are legitimately chatting, and the rest are evading bans (common in #68kMLA unfortunately) or otherwise spamming.
The notion an individual can be truly and permanently banned from any service on the internet is fallacious.
I remember this one BF1942 server. It was the only good one where you could play "Battle of Britain" with a lot of people. They were (are?) super nazi about using expletives. Even using "damn" would get you auto-kicked, and "shit" got you a week's ban if an admin was on. If you typed "s***", it would evade the auto-kick but piss off an admin who would ban you for two weeks for evading the auto-kick. (If I am grateful for one 68kMLA forum policy, it's that we don't have language nannies here. In respect of that, I try to self-regulate my use of expletives. This is in stark contrast to the IRC channel, where language rules are arbitrarily enforced, as if a 12 year old child is going to figure out how to log on to that particular IRC network and channel, and then be scarred for life because he saw the s-word. I avoid the IRC channel and do not feel welcome there for that reason.)
I had to play on there using a number of VPNs, proxies, and "other" CD keys (I purchased the game legitimately though), because I would inevitably type an expletive into the chat for some reason. Maybe it was a day, or a few weeks, but it would happen. I understood the ban on expletives, even if their argument was weak (children playing the game - it's a war game that's rated "T"), but I also thought that being banned for typing "s***" was just plain ridiculous. It even got to the point that they banned two Germans because they were typing in German into the chat and the admin thought they might be using expletives.
I only bothered because I wanted to play that map online and no other Battle of Britain servers ever had any people on them. Everyone gravitated towards this one server for whatever reason, so they had a de-facto monopoly on that map. I even tried to run my own server for a couple of months but nobody would use it.
Before everyone here rattles on about how it's their server and it's their rules and all that other rot - yes, I'm fully aware of that. Go start your own server, you might say - I did that, and it just doesn't work that way. It was a lot easier and cheaper to just find a new way to log into their server and keep playing. I followed all the other rules except for the one about language.
The problem with banning Mibbit is that you are just inconveniencing some legitimate users while causing the malicious users to come up with a new solution - which they inevitably will, without fail, every time, just as I logged onto that server again and again and kept on playing.
I remember this one BF1942 server. It was the only good one where you could play "Battle of Britain" with a lot of people. They were (are?) super nazi about using expletives. Even using "damn" would get you auto-kicked, and "shit" got you a week's ban if an admin was on. If you typed "s***", it would evade the auto-kick but piss off an admin who would ban you for two weeks for evading the auto-kick. (If I am grateful for one 68kMLA forum policy, it's that we don't have language nannies here. In respect of that, I try to self-regulate my use of expletives. This is in stark contrast to the IRC channel, where language rules are arbitrarily enforced, as if a 12 year old child is going to figure out how to log on to that particular IRC network and channel, and then be scarred for life because he saw the s-word. I avoid the IRC channel and do not feel welcome there for that reason.)
I had to play on there using a number of VPNs, proxies, and "other" CD keys (I purchased the game legitimately though), because I would inevitably type an expletive into the chat for some reason. Maybe it was a day, or a few weeks, but it would happen. I understood the ban on expletives, even if their argument was weak (children playing the game - it's a war game that's rated "T"), but I also thought that being banned for typing "s***" was just plain ridiculous. It even got to the point that they banned two Germans because they were typing in German into the chat and the admin thought they might be using expletives.
I only bothered because I wanted to play that map online and no other Battle of Britain servers ever had any people on them. Everyone gravitated towards this one server for whatever reason, so they had a de-facto monopoly on that map. I even tried to run my own server for a couple of months but nobody would use it.
Before everyone here rattles on about how it's their server and it's their rules and all that other rot - yes, I'm fully aware of that. Go start your own server, you might say - I did that, and it just doesn't work that way. It was a lot easier and cheaper to just find a new way to log into their server and keep playing. I followed all the other rules except for the one about language.
The problem with banning Mibbit is that you are just inconveniencing some legitimate users while causing the malicious users to come up with a new solution - which they inevitably will, without fail, every time, just as I logged onto that server again and again and kept on playing.
I've gone ahead and banned the web client for now, as it has caused more problems than anything else. This is a result of a rash of people who don't know how to use IRC, haven't read our guidelines, and continue to defy them, even after having been spoken to by multiple operators, then having been kicked multiple times.
My sincerest apologies to anybody who legitimately uses the freenode web gateway, or anybody who just doesn't have a traditional client set up yet. If you need help with client setup, please ask here.
My sincerest apologies to anybody who legitimately uses the freenode web gateway, or anybody who just doesn't have a traditional client set up yet. If you need help with client setup, please ask here.
Banning the web client (with Mibbit also being banned) along with the nazi channel policies, pretty much removes any possibility I'll ever visit the channel again.
The ban will be removed at some point -- The big problem is that today we've had some issue.
You have absolutely no idea of what went on in the channel that lead to Cory's decision to block the Web client. Let me just say from first hand experience that the decision was entirely justified.
You are correct, I don't know. All I do know is that it's no longer convenient for me to visit on occasion, and therefore I won't. Losing a few visitors may very well be a fair tradeoff.
Fair, perhaps not... but necessary, definitely. Unfortunately it's a case of "one ruins it for the rest". There must be a fair solution in there somehow, it's just yet to be found.
Then why are you involving yourself in this thread? I can safely say banning the web client was a very very good decision. I'm in the IRC every day and log what goes on there. If you are serious about the IRC, then join on a more regular basis using a real client.
Because I'm not serious about the IRC. I don't visit any other channels at all, and have only visited #68kMLA twice using the web client.
A few years ago I wrote my own IRC client - and it's still not worth digging it up just to visit #68kMLA once a month.
Ok, I must confess.
What is Mibbit?
What is Mibbit?
Mibbit.com is a web based IRC client. It's pretty handy in that it allows just about anyone to access IRC with nothing more than a web browser, but it's main downside is that it can be easily used for ban evasion.
As an update, we've changed the ban on the web client to a mute on the web client. If you need to join with the FreeNode web client, please send one of the channel operators a PM so we can add a ban exception for you.
Failing that, you can also get a telnet/ssh/web-telnet account on my server, tacgnol. It's a pretty modest system but there's no reason it would have any problems handling as many people from this community that wanted irc access via an :80-accessible telnet gateway, that they could use to gain screen/irssi or ircii access to the channel.
For more information, please join the channel and send a PM to Cory5412-*, um|* or Ulterior-Modem, techfury90 or defor* and we can either add a ban exception for your IP or host, or we can give you an account on tacgnol.
Failing that, you can also get a telnet/ssh/web-telnet account on my server, tacgnol. It's a pretty modest system but there's no reason it would have any problems handling as many people from this community that wanted irc access via an :80-accessible telnet gateway, that they could use to gain screen/irssi or ircii access to the channel.
For more information, please join the channel and send a PM to Cory5412-*, um|* or Ulterior-Modem, techfury90 or defor* and we can either add a ban exception for your IP or host, or we can give you an account on tacgnol.
Accessing IRC through an archaic telnet interface is hardly what I consider the ease of use brought forth by the web-based clients.
At least it works. :
At least it works. :
I could hand-code an RTF file if I wanted to, but I think I'll use TextEdit and those nice WYSIWYG and GUI features pioneered in the 1980s.
Mike, seriously, if you only visit once per month (if even that) then you are the minority here and the rest of us should not have to bend over backwards just to support you and the troublemakers.
You and other legit users have been provided with other options. Please stop pushing for mibbit.
Also, Cory, I support the ban of mibbit and believe that it should last. Any web based client that masks user`s host addys should not be permitted.
You and other legit users have been provided with other options. Please stop pushing for mibbit.
Also, Cory, I support the ban of mibbit and believe that it should last. Any web based client that masks user`s host addys should not be permitted.
Yeah, instead of a telnet interface, I went ahead and installed a java SSH client onto tacgnol. You can access it by going to http://www.stenoweb.net/term/
It takes a moment to load, but it works perfectly, at least here.
By default you have to hit enter to connect SSH to stenoweb.net, then it'll ask for your uid/password and you'll be able to log into access screen, irssi or ircii. It also has a few other nice things like an SFTP/SCP file transfer module, and it can do remote X forwarding (however I don't have any X applications installed on tacgnol.)
If anybody wants an account to tacgnol, just let me know and I can create an account for you!
It takes a moment to load, but it works perfectly, at least here.
By default you have to hit enter to connect SSH to stenoweb.net, then it'll ask for your uid/password and you'll be able to log into access screen, irssi or ircii. It also has a few other nice things like an SFTP/SCP file transfer module, and it can do remote X forwarding (however I don't have any X applications installed on tacgnol.)
If anybody wants an account to tacgnol, just let me know and I can create an account for you!
OS X already has an SSH client. I'm not sure how this is useful. I thought you meant you had installed a Java IRC client.
You can bend as much or as little as you like. I'm not dictating the amount of bend-age you or others should endure. I used Mibbit twice and found it convenient. The convenience is gone so I probably just won't visit anymore. It doesn't matter if the tool is called Mibbit or Freenode or Grandma.
OS X has an SSH client, but Windows doesn't have one built in, and I don't want to open a public telnet port, which is the biggest reason I went for a java ssh client instead of (any) telnet client.
I can investigate installing an IRC client, this just happens to be the first step, and for gauranteed access, having an account on tacgnol or people-eater (or even one of your own machines, nothing stops you from using my web client to access another server) is the best way to go, because as MacJunky says, I'm done with supporting methods that allow users to evade bans easily.
I can investigate installing an IRC client, this just happens to be the first step, and for gauranteed access, having an account on tacgnol or people-eater (or even one of your own machines, nothing stops you from using my web client to access another server) is the best way to go, because as MacJunky says, I'm done with supporting methods that allow users to evade bans easily.
You have to agree, though, that if someone really wants to, they can evade the ban whenever they want to. It's just a matter of proxies, VPNs, shell accounts, renewing IP, etc. There's no way to actually ban someone from a channel 100%.
Yes, but we can significantly reduce their options.
That is, however, not an excuse to not even bother.
This is not an insignificant move.(as you would have seen if you had been around the IRC channel)
That is, however, not an excuse to not even bother.
This is not an insignificant move.(as you would have seen if you had been around the IRC channel)
As yet another update to the web chat situation, the web client now lets you join and watch the action, however currently (until July 5) you will need to ask an op to get +v set so you can speak. On July 5, we're transitioning the channel to such a state where you will need to log into freenode services before you can enter the channel, but once you are logged into freenode's services, you should be able to join the channel without any problems from any client.
Also: shell accounts on tacgnol are still available for anybody who just loves having shell accounts.
Also: shell accounts on tacgnol are still available for anybody who just loves having shell accounts.
To post an update: The IRC channel is joinable by anyone with a regular client, or by using the freenode web client. You must be logged in to freenode services to talk. This is a fair trade off, without outright blocking a certain service. Mibbit is still blocked by freenode, but you can use their webclient.
//wthww
//wthww
I'm curious...what was this big bad thing that happened on IRC?
We had users repeatedly use the service for ban evasion. Became quite tiresome trying to keep track of just who was who, who was using a fake name and who was hiding behind Mibbit to do all of it.
???? I'm not sure I understand....users were banned, and then they used this web based IRC to get around the ban?
If this is the case, to re-phrase my original question, what was the big bad thing that they did to get banned? Purely from a curiosity point of view.....
If this is the case, to re-phrase my original question, what was the big bad thing that they did to get banned? Purely from a curiosity point of view.....