# Inofficial irc channel? **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Created:** [October 26, 2018, 11:00am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872 "2018-10-26T11:00:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hyper\_ch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19adc/32.png) [@hyper\_ch](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/hyper_ch)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 11:00am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872/1 "2018-10-26T11:00:15Z")
I find the forums here not really well suited and prefer irc. Wouldn’t it be possible to just let #letsencrypt on irc run but make it clear in the channel topic that it’s an unofficial channel? ---
**Author:** ![JuergenAuer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/juergenauer/32/26491_2.png) [@JuergenAuer](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/JuergenAuer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 11:03am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872/2 "2018-10-26T11:03:50Z")
Hi @hyper_ch there was an irc channel. But it's closed. > [@Closing #letsencrypt on Freenode IRC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/closing-letsencrypt-on-freenode-irc/75496): > > W… ---
**Author:** ![hyper\_ch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19adc/32.png) [@hyper\_ch](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/hyper_ch)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 11:04am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872/3 "2018-10-26T11:04:34Z")
I know, that’s why I make this post. Lets continue the channel as unofficial channel. No need for closing it down. ---
**Author:** ![cpu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cpu/32/84514_2.png) [@cpu](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cpu)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 12:44pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872/4 "2018-10-26T12:44:07Z")
> [@hyper\_ch](#): > > Wouldn’t it be possible to just let #letsencrypt on irc run but make it clear in the channel topic that it’s an unofficial channel? I think an unmoderated "unofficial" channel would do more harm than good. IRC requires constant moderation to keep conversations on-topic and in-keeping with our [community guidelines](https://community.letsencrypt.org/guidelines). > [@hyper\_ch](#): > > I find the forums here not really well suited and prefer irc. Can you expand on what you find isn't well suited about the community forums? ---
**Author:** ![hyper\_ch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19adc/32.png) [@hyper\_ch](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/hyper_ch)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872/5 "2018-10-26T13:16:19Z")
Forums are just one big pita. and if everyone would do just forums it would require me to follow countless stuff… IRC just just way more convenient. ---
**Author:** ![cpu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cpu/32/84514_2.png) [@cpu](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cpu)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 1:22pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872/6 "2018-10-26T13:22:08Z")
> [@hyper\_ch](#): > > Forums are just one big pita. and if everyone would do just forums it would require me to follow countless stuff… IRC just just way more convenient. These seem like personal opinions. The community forums have more activity than the IRC channel did, are easier to moderate, easier to join/use, and leave a persistent record that other people can reference. I'm sorry that you don't find the community forums as convenient to use as IRC was but I still believe this was the right decision and that an unofficial IRC channel wouldn't be justified. ---
**Author:** ![hyper\_ch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19adc/32.png) [@hyper\_ch](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/hyper_ch)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872/7 "2018-10-26T13:25:55Z")
There’s still no good reason to not let an unofficial channel continue to live. there’s plenty of people still in the irc channel. ---
**Author:** ![cpu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cpu/32/84514_2.png) [@cpu](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cpu)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872/8 "2018-10-26T13:37:08Z")
> [@hyper\_ch](#): > > There’s still no good reason to not let an unofficial channel continue to live. I already gave you a good reason: > [@cpu](#): > > IRC requires constant moderation to keep conversations on-topic and in-keeping with our [community guidelines](https://community.letsencrypt.org/guidelines). You're of course free to create whatever IRC channels you want within the [Freenode policies](https://freenode.net/policies). If its "unofficial" you don't need a blessing from Let's Encrypt. Good luck, ---
**Author:** ![cpu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/cpu/32/84514_2.png) [@cpu](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/cpu)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/inofficial-irc-channel/75872/9 "2018-10-26T13:37:12Z")