Freenode

Freenode, originally known as the Open Projects Network, is an IRC computer network that served as a hub for discussions surrounding peer-directed projects. Accessible via the hostname chat.freenode.net, the network utilized round-robin DNS to efficiently manage connections.

On May nineteenth, two thousand twenty-one, Freenode experienced a significant upheaval characterized by what some staff members referred to as a 'hostile takeover.' This event prompted the resignation of at least fourteen volunteer staff members, leading to a substantial shift in the network's user base.

In the aftermath, numerous organizations that had relied on Freenode, including notable entities such as Arch Linux, CentOS, FreeBSD, the Free Software Foundation, and Ubuntu, transitioned their channels to Libera Chat, a new network established by former Freenode staff. Other projects, like Haiku and Alpine Linux, opted to join the Open and Free Technology Community (OFTC).

By August sixteenth, two thousand twenty-one, the impact of these changes was evident, with over one thousand projects having departed from Freenode, marking a significant transformation in the landscape of online collaboration.