IRC
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a chat protocol that involves connecting to a server and joining a "room", where text is sent back and forth in real-time between everybody currently in the room.
The MegaZeux community uses IRC on a regular basis, mainly on EsperNet and MZXIRC. The usual community channel is #mzx on SlashNet. For a time there were #mzx and #zeux on SlashNet, and #dunno on MZXIRC.
The MegaZeux community actually has a long history of migrating between different IRC channels and IRC networks altogether, with some rather sordid details of feud and conspiracy.
Notable regulars of the early IRC years include yenrab, mono, Kev Vance, Matt Williams, Scott Hammack, zztzed, ZZTOmega, piman, MenTaLguY, Luke Drelick, inmate2993, Legendd, Monthigos, and so on. Most have all but disappeared from the community. A majority of these individuals were in fact quite young at the time, with the typical age range being 13-15.
Mid 1996: The first MegaZeux channel, #megazeux, is formed on the Undernet network. Many established MZXers from the AOL community as well as the MZX Mailing List find their way here. Alexis Janson is initially present in the channel but is gradually driven off due to harassment and a disinterest in the community.
Early 1997: A flame campaign against other channels on the network, led by Luke Drelick and some of the other less mature members of #megazeux, results in the channel losing its registered status and effectively being kicked off the network. #megazeux migrates to the Australian operated AustNet, under the guidance of some of its IRCOps.
1999: #megazeux moves to pfnet, which consists of servers owned and operated by community members. This results in server administrators gaining more power in the IRC community than they had previously.
2000: The "old regime" of #megazeux operators, having become increasingly frustrated with the state of the community, decides to abandon the channel while instating new operators with the deliberate intention of causing the channel to become even worse, leading in its self destruction. This is basically exactly what happens, with internal disputes and abuse of services causing heated arguments and bitter feelings to erupt, eventually leading in the channel's migration to espernet. Sometime later, a remigration to pfnet occurs. However, soon only two servers are available as options, and with one of them being ran on a low bandwidth cable modem the other becomes the only viable option for most. The operator of this server, an individual not heavily involved in the MZX community, ends up massively abusing his power, by punishing people he doesn't like (even for using the other server). Many eventually leave this network for this reason, and the previously private #mzx on espernet becomes the new recognized hub for the MZX community.
2002: #megazeux moves to to the Sorcery network, where some of its long present remembers stay with it. Many of the regulars still present were found to actually ridicule MZX, MZX users, and MZX development, despite continuing to chat in a channel named "#megazeux."