#linux was a troll channel, so that's a poor example. #e (The Enlightenment Window Manager) had people very eager to help. So did #redhat, #mandrake, #debian #stampede, #slackware, and even #linux-users. All were quite active from '98-2002, before freenode swallowed everything.

source: I got trolled by swedes in #linux before abandoning that wasteland for greener pastures listed above.