I never realized how easy it is to set up an IRC server until I tried it for the CPLUG and HPM box. It wasn't that much harder to add an SSL option using SSL Wrap. Of course, some people can't get to it due to port restrictions, so it's also got the web interface using CGIIRC. Many CPLUG users have been getting less work done lately :-)

Nate's been pondering an IRC to Email bot. A great Perl project.