Furry (EsperNet IRC)


 * 1) furry is a furry-themed IRC channel on the EsperNet IRC network.  It was founded on 17 June 2003 by Rask.

Though its main theme is topics related to the furry fandom, this is not enforced. Channel members vary widely in their preferences with respect to remaining in or out of character, but it is suggested that in-depth role-playing sessions that develop be taken elsewhere to keep the channel open.

History
The channel now known as #furry originated as a combined Sonic the Hedgehog/furry-themed channel called #mobius on DALnet, founded on 8 September 2002 by members of Team Artail's IRC channel Rask and John Coonfox, known then as Kit-Foxx.

Shortly after this channel was founded, DALnet was the subject of a series of DDoS attacks, under pressure of which the channel relocated to a little-known IRC network called Mediadriven. A dispute caused Rask and Kit-Foxx to part company, and the channel very briefly moved to an IRC network called StarChat before finally settling on EsperNet as #furry.

Since moving to EsperNet, the channel has experienced notable growth, with an average occupancy of 50-70 users from the initial 10 or so, and is consistently among the top channels on EsperNet, as well as one of the largest furry-themed channels not on a furry-themed IRC network.

EsperNet
EsperNet, which hosts #furry, is an IRC network founded in 1996 by Andy Church (alcan) and Ian Justman (IJ). Its round-robin DNS is irc.esper.net. Further connection information can be found on the network's website.