On: Comparison of XMPP based Group Chat and IRC based Group Chat

[0x0]

On a related note, bitlbee is a really nice xmpp client implemented as a "fake irc server". I use it all the time with irssi.

[philsnow → 0x0]

To be clear, bitlbee sits in between chat services (like AIM, ICQ, qq, various xmpp-based ones like gchat / facebook chat) and your irc client.

  MSN/AIM/qq/XMPP/etc <-> bitlbee <-> your irc client

so you tell your irc client to connect (typically) to localhost where bitlbee is running, and bitlbee acts as a bridge between your irc client and various chat services all at the same time.

It's the bee's knees.

[ben0x539 → 0x0]

There's also irssi-xmpp, a plugin that does a slightly better job at exposing xmpp functionality to irssi, imo. Unfortunately it does not seem to be under active development. :(

[AdamGibbins → 0x0]

minbif is an alternative that uses libpurple. It also tries harder to behave like native IRC, with better command mappings etc.