What is the Freenode Project?

There are quite a few online projects which deserve a lot more attention than they are getting right now. The Freenode project is an initiative that is designed to bring developers and enthusiasts of open source projects closer together. It is worth mentioning the Freenode project has been around for nearly 23 years right now, and they have been quite successful in their own way ever since 1994.

What Is The Freenode Project About?

Even though this project has been known under multiple different names in the past, the Freenode project has been quite a success so far. It is a service of Peer-directed projects Center, which serves as a tax-exempt corporation. Even though the Peer-Directed projects Center shut down in 2013, the Freenode project successfully remained operational. As of right now, the service is home to about 90,000 internet users and 50,000 register channels on the IRC protocol.

What is even more intriguing is how the entire Freenode project is managed by about a dozen people. Every team member does so on a voluntary basis. That is not surprising since these people share a passion for open source software. While there are a lot of paid applications and services in existence, open source software should not be overlooked either. In fact, anyone can make improvements to open source projects, including the Bitcoin protocol.

Most people use the Freenode project as a way to conduct interactive discussions regarding open source projects, technical questions, and coding. Unlike platforms such as Reddit, the Freenode project is all about friendly interaction rather than flaming. While there will always be some type of emotional response, the maturity level of people discussing topics on Freenode is well above that of any other online platform in existence right now. A positive and open-minded approach to discussions is far more productive than baseless arguments.

Considering how Freenode is driven by volunteers, there are multiple ways people can contribute to the project. Staff positions are always open, and additional servers are in high demand at all times. It does not take a powerful computer to host a Freenode server either, as can be seen on the website. Throughout the years, the project has received overwhelming support in terms of both human and technological resources.

Fast forward to today, and it appears the Freenode project will undergo some major changes. To be more specific, the project and its team of volunteers are joining forces with Private Internet Access, a well-known VPN service provider. It is worth mentioning PIA has been a dedicated supporter of the Freenode project for several years, thus this partnership has been in the making for quite some time now.

As a result of this partnership, little will change for Freenode in terms of management and principles. However, PIA will provide the team with more resource and opportunities than ever before. With an operating budget and mentorship in place, Freenode will be able to implement some of its bigger plans with relative ease. Moreover, the Freenode project “owner” has become a full-time employee of PIA, which provides him with a chance to promote both projects at future conferences. It will be interesting to see which new features will come to the Freenode project in the coming months.

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