#160 Clients vs. initial stats msgs ("Highest connection count:")
I'm bringing up a new IRC client. In the interest of creating a pleasant user experience for non-technical users, I'm doing my best to provide complete graphical UI, with as little as possible of the kind of raw and generally intimidaing messages that most IRCd's spew out on connection (yes, the MOTD gets displayed, if its changed, and yes all the server stats are tucked away in an information dialog for those who to see them.
the challenge: IRCU sends the following two messages on connect:
- Helsinki.FI.EU.Undernet.org: NOTICE bobkkfkd :Highest connection count: 19479 (19478 clients)
- Helsinki.FI.EU.Undernet.org: NOTICE bobkkfkd :on 1 ca 1(4) ft 10(10) *Helsinki.FI.EU.Undernet.org* on 1 ca 1(4) ft 10(10)
it seems to me that these should not be sent as NOTICEs. I do have to display notices in a service window because most notices are not ignorable. So everytime I connect with the cleint, these two messages of the login connect sequence end up opening the system NOTICE window. For frankly pretty mundane information. Honestly, I have NO idea what the second one means. The first is filterable (a one shot filter, for ircu servers only, maybe); the second is just nasty: difficult to filter, and about as unpleasant a message as one could possibly give to mere mortal users.
It seems to me that these should be numeric messages in the 200-range, rather than NOTICEs. In the 200s they're grouped together where they can be safely ignored (or tucked away for future reference in a Server information dialog, with the rest of the stats that are dumped on initial connection).
fwiw, bahomet provides the following extended messages:
RPL_DALNET_LOCALUSERS = 265,
RPL_DALNET_GLOBALUSERS = 266
which are similar in spirit, if not in detail. II'm not arguing, of course, that these messages should be recycled; but something along the lines of
RPL_LSERVERSTATS = 270,
for generic server statistics would be much better than the current implementation for clients.
I, myself, would rather they stay as notices. There's already enough numeric pollution as it is. And, the second message pertains more to the user, than the server itself. Using your example:
*Helsinki.FI.EU.Undernet.org* on 1 ca 1(4) ft 10(10)
This notice is basically informing you that there is one client (you) on the network with your IP address, and that this essentially your first connection attempt in some time, and that you have 10 free targets remaining
To break it down a bit more:
on - Number of clients with your IP address connected to the network.
ca - Connection attempts. The (4) in this instance means that after 4 sequential attempts you will be throttled.
ft - Free targets. This indicates how many people you can contact at once.