[Updated 10/18/19 - fixed missing nicks due to escaping problem]
I began attempting to contact IRC administrators in order of their need for more resources based on reported number of users per server on Mon. Oct. 14th. Initially I had to take some time to figure out how to connect weechat to multiple IRC networks via a single ZNC connection, as I anticipated needing to hang around a while in the various relevant channels to get a response. After I got that working, I contacted OFTC, then Undernet, then DALnet. Other than EsperNet, where someone bothered to inform me there was a typo in my link to logs.ossasepia.com (which for some reason I keep typing as "logs.ossesepia.net"), the only response I've gotten so far was from Ahnberg in #ahnberg on DALnet, which I have quoted below.
[10:24:32] <thimbronion> Hey Ahnberg I'm coming from TMSR (http://logs.ossasepia.net). We've got a growing set of high quality people and a lot of resources and are interested in linking a (at least one) server to DALnet. Are you (or is DALnet) interested?
[10:25:53] <thimbronion> sorry typo http://logs.ossasepia.com.
[10:28:34] <Ahnberg> What is TMSR and/or ossasepia?
[10:31:21] <thimbronion> Ahnberg TMSR stands for "The Most Serene Republic." We're working on a bunch of projects related to Bitcoin, from a game, for example, to cryptography. Ossasepia has the logs of all of our channels which are currently on Freenode. BTW Welcome to join #ossasepia and #trilema to ask around.
[10:31:40] <Ahnberg> Ok. Interesting!
[10:32:30] <Ahnberg> We don't really "need" more servers on DALnet so we're not actively looking. But anyone who thinks they have the interest or passion to join the network might apply. We do prefer if someone joins after actually using the network, being active part of the community or such, not just to expand footprint on as many networks as they can. Not saying you are one of those, but just explaining what adds value to
[10:32:36] <Ahnberg> us.
[10:44:11] <thimbronion> Ahnberg I see. Is that a hard requirement? Asking because our criteria for joining a network is being able to contribute to it. And in lieu of us having an established presence here, you can see our history going back several years in the #trilema logs.
[10:45:08] <Ahnberg> Not a hard requirement, but makes it quite complicated since it usually indicates that someone just wants to grow their footprint regardless of major network they end up on. We prefer people who are passionate about DALnet itself and care about this specific network.
[10:45:18] <Ahnberg> Sounds weird coming from me maybe since I am linked to almost every major network.
[10:45:46] <Ahnberg> But to my defense I have been using IRC since early 1991 and I am really involved and fond of all the networks I partake in hehe
[10:47:48] <thimbronion> I'm not quite clear on what you mean by growing our footprint. In this case, we would actually be leaving freenode. That's not to say that we wouldn't want to join other networks that meet our criteria.
[10:53:42] <Ahnberg> Not directed at you specifically since I have no idea who you guys are. Just that people who seek to link to any major network where they haven't had any interest in the past has the risk of just seeking to expand their footprint, i.e. size/presence/reach and don't actually care about the network, is all I'm saying.
[10:53:54] <Ahnberg> Which is why it is harder to get accepted applying to a network where the staff doesn't have a known history.
[11:11:07] <thimbronion> Ahnberg can you go into more detail about what it means to care about DALnet? I don't mean this to come off flippantly in any way.
[11:13:50] <Ahnberg> "Oh DALnet is big so we might as well try to link there, if that doesn't work Undernet seems quite big too so we'll try there as well" .... vs "I have a lot of friends on DALnet, I have spent my last 8 years on the network, it would be awesome if I could help support the network since its meant so much to me over the years".
[11:19:03] <thimbronion> We definitely want to care about DALnet!
Our experience with Freenode however was that we built up a lot of infrastructure around it, but they ultimately turned our offer to link servers down, leaving us somewhat stuck. We definitely don't want that to happen again.
It's been several hours since Ahnberg last replied, and I don't anticipate hearing anything more from him. This dialog went awry where he said "I have no idea who you guys are" after I gave him a link to years of logs. I don't know how he'd know us any better if the logs happened to be from DALnet.
For reference, here were my openers on the other networks:
Undernet #routing-com
19:31:56] <thimbronion> Hi. I'm here on behalf of TMSR(http://logs.ossasepia.com/). I'd like to chat about linking (at least) one server to the network. Are you interested?
EsperNet #esper
[19:44:59] <thimbronion> Hi! I would like to chat with the network administrators about linking (at least one) server. Where would be a good place to do that?
[19:45:30] <thimbronion> Btw I'm from TMSR, which you can find more about here: http://logs.ossasepia.net.
[21:01:20] <kbuck> thimbronion: your link is dead
[21:02:45] <kbuck> looks like it's probably .com
[21:57:36] <thimbronion> @kbuck .com, yes.
[14:53:31] <thimbronion> Kramer Kristina, any interest in my proposal above?
For some reason ZNC did not log the OFTC chat.
Not really "are you interested" at all. For one thing they *should* be interested or for the other it doesn't set you right there at all so don't do it. Better something along the lines: who should I talk to about this?
And do get your link right, that's not something you can keep botching esp as intro, wtf.
re: "timid" from #ossasepia: Yes! WTF am I afraid of here? Who cares if I piss off some admins of some dying networks?
> And do get your link right, that's not something you can keep botching esp as intro, wtf.
I've got to be more present when typing into IRC. It's very odd (to say the least) that I did that TWICE.
> Not really "are you interested" at all.
Yes! They don't have a choice in fact.
Re their claims of "exposure" and "biggest network" and all that wank: you shouldn't let it just pass unchallenged, no. So go and collect some data + publish it for your own support if nothing else: have a client join some 10 networks + ALL their chans and let it log everything. Then run a script and see just how much actual conversation is going on anyway and where, you'll likely not even need anything more sophisticated than a count of words after excluding the join/part spam. For extra lulz you can ofc count separately that too and then when next challenged with that pompous stance, serve them a steaming plate with data+link and watch them go blue in the face (if they end up banning you as a result, all the better!)
Re timid, it usually gets cured with a lot of practice but you need to actually work on it and especially in the beginning quite consciously. It helps a lot if you prepare yourself better (see the data analysis above) so you *know* your ground is rock solid. Also, for starters, stop this very polite "I would like to" and state the naked, manly "I want ".
It would be nice if you had a name at the beginning of the lines, it makes it hard to figure out who is saying what. (Or combine multiple lines from the same person together)
PeterL: Fixed. There was an html escaping issue with the opening angle bracket on the nicks.