freenode

Freenode is an IRC network providing discussion facilities for the Free and Open Source Software communities, not-for-profit organizations, and related communities. Feenode, formerly known as Open Projects Network, is an IRC network used to discuss peer-directed projects.Their servers are all accessible from the domain name chat.freenode.net, which load balances connections by using the actual servers in rotation. In 2010, it became the largest free and open source software-focused IRC network and, as of 2013, the largest IRC network, regardless of focus, encompassing more than 80,000 users and 40,000 channels, gaining almost 5,000 new users per year.