#xkcd-coding

#xkcd-coding is a friendly and welcoming place for discussion and discovery by coders, scripters, hackers, server operators, builders, printers, and so on. From FORTRAN to Scala, from assembly to JavaScript, from Python to AutoCAD!

This channel is the 'something more comfortable in to which you can slip' when your discussion of coding is getting hot and heavy in #xkcd, and people there may be starting to stare.

Want an edit to this page? Ask CO₂!

Rules & Recommendation

2024 Rule update: IRC bot policy

We recently had some people bring in new IRC bots. That's perfectly fine, but it made it a good idea to clarify some old unwritten rules and actually write them down.

Bots are allowed in #xkcd-coding, as long as the following rules are followed:

1. The bot isn't excessively spammy. It's fine if you're actively testing and the channel is idle otherwise, but it shouldn't start spamming in the middle of an unrelated conversation.
2. The nickname of the bot's operator should be mentioned clearly in the bot's /WHOIS response, and the +B (bot) user flag should be set.
3. Your bot should ignore all messages from all other approved bots (see list below).
4. The following rules aren't required if you're testing out a new bot for the first day. However, if you plan to keep it or bring it back a second day, please complete the following steps as soon as possible.
5. Your bot should have a nickname that does not change.
   • It's recommended but not required to register it with NickServ (you can do that by impersonating the bot once, completing the registration, then adding the 'identify' private message to NickServ as a startup command for your bot).
6. It is YOUR responsibility as bot operator to contact all the other bot operators (in the approved bots list below) and get them to ignore your bot as well.
   • If you have a way of testing that your bot is fully ignored by all others and vice versa, please do so.
7. Once that is all done, please ask CO2 to add your bot to the approved bots list below.

List of currently approved bots:

General channel rules

Don't be a dick!

The one rule to rule them all.
 

Offtopic discussion

It's ok to have it here, this is an easy going space, but be aware that coding is the predominant topic of conversation. So if you're having an offtopic talk just make sure you don't let it get in the way of others who wish to discuss coding; be considerate and perhaps take it to private message.
 

Political Discussion

There's a whole channel dedicated to just that, and that's where it belongs. However, broader discussion of coding can and often does involve political issues. In this case, use your best judgement, and be considerate.
 

No piracy or blackhat links

Discussing piracy and blackhat issues related to the coding community is fascinating and welcome. But linking to illegal or destructive material directly is not welcome. If you are unsure, check with a channel moderator before you do.
 

Don't discourage or mock

We're all in different places with our knowledge and ability, it can be harder for some than others, so encourage and support one another.
 

Don't share commercial in confidence information

None of us want to put on a monkey suit and sit to give testimony because you said things we weren't supposed to know.
 

Don't touch the poop

A security investigators' rule of thumb that means: if you find or hear about a security flaw in a piece of software or website that isn't yours, feel free to talk about whatever's already public knowledge but don't ever go digging into it yourself (there might be private information behind it). That's both unethical and, in most countries, extremely illegal.
 

Don't stop yourself sharing open source code!

Sharing confidential information and copyrighted code is bad, but do share open source code and projects! We want this community to be a place for people to share, collaborate, and create together.
 

Don't be passive-aggressive

Being passive-aggressive toward each other is one of our worst behaviours as coders. You know you're doing it, everyone else knows you're doing it, even plausible deniability knows you're doing it. Don't do it. Do be direct with each other.
 

Don't stress

We all make mistakes, and this is an easy going place :)
 

FAQ

How can I solve $coding_problem?

Please realize that most problems aren't new! Try searching for it online first. Stack Overflow and Github are very good resources with lots of information. You should understand that even experienced programmers spend lots of time searching online for existing solutions to complex problems. It's not something to be ashamed about. On the contrary, we should be proud that programmers love to share their knowledge with everyone else through a worldwide network of their own making!
 

Can I add a FAQ or handy link to this webpage?

Sure, just ask CO₂!