AthenaIRC

Shareware; $10

Current Version: 2.1 (February 4, 2003)

AthenaIRC is among the newest of the Mac OS IRC clients, although it was also the quickest to die; the author noted in September 2003:

"Sadly, AthenaIRC eventually met the same fate as the clients it was created to rival. Constant patches to the code to add new features led to a bulk level that could not be worked with. It's like taking a house, and deciding you want to add a window, but you don't want to rebuild the wall, so you just cut a hole in it. Sure, it works, but the wall will never be as strong as it once was. Now do that over and over again, eventually that wall will be so unstable that you can't work with it any longer. AthenaIRC is that wall, and so it is time to rebuild it.

"AthenaIRC 2.1 will be the final version of the AthenaIRC legacy. Its replacement, Minerva, is a Mac OS X only rewrite of the AthenaIRC code. Numerous elements of the client have been reworked from the ground up. Parts of the client which served nothing but bloat have been entirely removed."

It bears noting, then, that the author has kept the "final" version of the software available for Mac OS 8, 9 and X for those loyal users. Some of its distinguising features include:

• Compact interface optimizes desktop space and keeps a low profile.
• OS X / Aqua Ready, fully supporting dozens of Aqua visual enhancements such as sheets.
• Easy to use Setup Assistant for configuring connections.
• Optional Single Window Connection interface for those who prefer as minimal windows as possible.
• Athena tracks your channel visiting and stores it in a Channel History.
• Athena remembers the window locations and settings for each specific channel. It's not just the order that the channel was opened in, it's the channel itself.
• Got a whole bunch of channels that you visit? Add them all to the Channel Favorites menu.
• A Channel Taskbar shows all open channels and query windows, and lets you know when something new is said in one of the windows in the background.
• Nickname Autocomplete for chat input.
• Command Aliases allow you to build your own IRC shortcuts and execute them from the command line. These aliases are stored in files which can be downloaded from the net or traded with other users.
• Athena uses SoundSet files for all event sounds. The soundset format is based on Hotline Client soundsets, and is backwards compatible with all Hotline soundset files.
• A buddy list type Notify system makes it super easy to tell when a friend is online.
• Auto re-connect if a server refuses to let you in. Very useful on undernet.

Version 2.1 sports a new and improved DCC system, and a faster userlist.