Nickname and channel expiry
From Blitzed
Our IRC services automatically deletes nicknames and channels when they have not been used for a certain amount of time. This page explains how and why this happens.
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[edit] Why expire?
There is a high turnover rate of nicknames and channels on IRC. People visit our IRC network, register a nickname, and then never return. It would be unfair to leave that nickname permanently unavailable to anyone else.
We also use expiry as a way to discourage the use of too many nicknames. You may register up to 20 nicknames, but unless you actually remember to use them all, they will expire. If some of your nicknames expire then it's a hint that maybe you should not have registered them in the first place.
The situation with channels is similar although a bit less common, but we still need a way to get rid of channels that are no longer used.
[edit] Nicknames
Nicknames on Blitzed will expire based on the time since they were last identified to using /ns identify (or /msg NickServ identify, etc.). The amount of time this takes depends on how old the nickname is:
- For nicknames less than 45 days old, 30 days
- For nicknames at least 45 days old, 90 days
Older nicks are given extra time purely in recognition that they are regular users of our network.
When a nickname expires, it is unlinked from any other nickname it may be linked to, and any channels it is founder of will pass to their successor or else also be expired. There will be no warning sent to either nickname owners or the channels that may be expired because of this, though it is debatable if this is the correct thing to do. If channel founders are spending a lot of time away from IRC, they should make use of the SUCCESSOR setting of ChanServ.
[edit] Channels
Channels are much harder to expire. If neither the channel founder nor anyone on the access list of a channel enters it for 30 days, the channel will be expired. This means that anyone on the access list can prevent a channel expiring just by being in it, even if the channel is otherwise unused.
This isn't ideal, but it's the only workable way we can think of.
[edit] What if I need to be away for more than 30 days, can you keep my nickname for me?
No, we're sorry but we can't keep your nicknames registered unless you're actually using them. If you're relatively new around here then your nicknames will expire after 30 days without use. If you for some reason need to go away for more than 30 days then either find a way to log on and identify during that time, or get someone you trust to do it for you.
Remember that if your nickname is older than 45 days, you get an extended grace period. If you can't identify once in 90 days then you probably shouldn't bother having any nicknames on Blitzed.