Ircle
Encyclopedia
Ircle is an IRC client developed by Onno Tijdgat for the Macintosh computer platform. Ircle is shareware
, with free upgrade
s. The client is scriptable with AppleScript
, can support multiple channels and servers, and up to ten simultaneous connections.
by Olaf Titz and released in 1993, with the source code licensed under the GPL
up to version 1.56.
Titz then sold the code to Tijdgat. Tijdgat continued development privately, rewriting it in C under Metrowerks
CodeWarrior
Pro and updating it for the then-new Power Macs.
Ircle 3.0 was released in 1994. Some time in the late 1990s, a version of Ircle was released that could only be used with the Talk City internet chat service, which used IRC protocols.
Tijdgat announced in December 2005 that extensive work was underway to update Ircle for x86 based Macs
. The upgrades were to be backward compatible with older CPUs, while development for Mac OS 7, 8, and 9 would cease. On September 21, 2006, the Intel compatible (universal binary
) version was released with a number of new features.
allows detailed control and modification of the client. Third party developer Public Access Software hosted Ircle Scripting Resources, Applescript scripts for Ircle-based tools, applications and even games, until 1999.
The Ircle "faces" window displays updateable images of chat contacts.
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
, with free upgrade
Upgrade
The term upgrade refers to the replacement of a product with a newer version of the same product. It is most often used in computing and consumer electronics, generally meaning a replacement of hardware, software or firmware with a newer or better version, in order to bring the system up to date...
s. The client is scriptable with AppleScript
AppleScript
AppleScript is a scripting language created by Apple Inc. and built into Macintosh operating systems since System 7. The term "AppleScript" may refer to the scripting system itself, or to particular scripts that are written in the AppleScript language....
, can support multiple channels and servers, and up to ten simultaneous connections.
History
Ircle was originally written in THINK PascalPascal (programming language)
Pascal is an influential imperative and procedural programming language, designed in 1968/9 and published in 1970 by Niklaus Wirth as a small and efficient language intended to encourage good programming practices using structured programming and data structuring.A derivative known as Object Pascal...
by Olaf Titz and released in 1993, with the source code licensed under the GPL
up to version 1.56.
Titz then sold the code to Tijdgat. Tijdgat continued development privately, rewriting it in C under Metrowerks
Metrowerks
Metrowerks was a company that developed software development tools for various desktop, handheld, embedded, and gaming platforms. Its flagship product, CodeWarrior, comprised an IDE, compilers, linkers, debuggers, libraries, and related tools...
CodeWarrior
CodeWarrior
CodeWarrior is an integrated development environment for the creation of software that runs on a number of embedded systems. Prior to the acquisition of the product by Freescale Semiconductor, versions existed for Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Solaris, PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube,...
Pro and updating it for the then-new Power Macs.
Ircle 3.0 was released in 1994. Some time in the late 1990s, a version of Ircle was released that could only be used with the Talk City internet chat service, which used IRC protocols.
Tijdgat announced in December 2005 that extensive work was underway to update Ircle for x86 based Macs
Apple Intel transition
Apple's Intel transition was the process of changing the CPU of Macintosh computers from PowerPC processors to Intel x86 processors. The transition became public knowledge at the 2005 Worldwide Developers Conference , when Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs made the announcement that the company would...
. The upgrades were to be backward compatible with older CPUs, while development for Mac OS 7, 8, and 9 would cease. On September 21, 2006, the Intel compatible (universal binary
Universal binary
A universal binary is, in Apple parlance, an executable file or application bundle that runs natively on either PowerPC or Intel-manufactured IA-32 or Intel 64-based Macintosh computers; it is an implementation of the concept more generally known as a fat binary.With the release of Mac OS X Snow...
) version was released with a number of new features.
Features
Ircle supports up to ten server connections, and comes configured with a "long list of servers". The "channelbar" feature simplifies managing the otherwise large number of windows in Ircle. ApplescriptAppleScript
AppleScript is a scripting language created by Apple Inc. and built into Macintosh operating systems since System 7. The term "AppleScript" may refer to the scripting system itself, or to particular scripts that are written in the AppleScript language....
allows detailed control and modification of the client. Third party developer Public Access Software hosted Ircle Scripting Resources, Applescript scripts for Ircle-based tools, applications and even games, until 1999.
The Ircle "faces" window displays updateable images of chat contacts.