Re:IRCv3
by esafak on Sunday October 11, 2026 @11:36AM
(#50044416)
Presence is the defining feature of chat. Without it, you're using a forum.
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The difference between a forum and a chat is mostly UI and structure.
On a forum, every conversation is within a thread for example.
Chat is unthreaded by default, even if Slack allows threads. It also allows users to create channels and manage who's on those groups, while the forum equivalent is fixed up-front and only opt-in.
So really chat is a forum that's a bit more free-form.