Whatever happened to Internet relay chat? Well, if you use a modern instant messaging client like AIM, you probably already have an answer. But before all that, people who wanted to communicate online had one option: IRC.

IRC was great – it provided users with a place to talk with other like-minded people, had plenty of channels for technical advice (the Internets weren’t as user friendly in 1993), and was even host to the world’s first peer-to-peer file sharing networks. But times change, and as the Internet became easier for everyone to use, and other applications like instant messaging clients swelled in popularity, most people forgot about their old friend IRC.

Enter Mibbit, an easy-as-pie IRC that runs right in your browser – no installation required. Old hands in the IRC game can jump right in and begin surfing their favorite channels, but what’s really great about Mibbit is that it caters to the n00b crowd as well. A simple tab system keeps all your open channels right where you left them, and the application has a great degree of customization available. Really, it’s one of the friendliest IRCs out there.

Of course, Mibbit isn’t the only new kid on the block. For Firefox users, Chatzilla is an easy modern IRC that runs using today’s web standards like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. With tons of great IRC clients out there today, there’s no excuse not to check one out.