I don't like mIRC. When I was new to this game everbody told me to join #etg because IRC was the place to be, and so did I.
Still, I never really understood the obsession about it. IRC is a good way to connect a community, but not the way we use it.
Most players above a certain skill lvl advise newer players to idle in IRC, we even got a guide on the forums. Even though there were times of greater activity (on etg and first year of gg-center), most of the time it's dead still there. People do not talk on IRC and when they do it's either flaming or a strange conversation you can't really enter, especially if you're new and not respected. So why should we idle there?
I don't do it anymore, it's a waste of time to constantly check if something's happening. Usually nothing ever happens, so it's not a big loss. It doesn't improve your skill lvl, actually, it can even have a negative impact on it, since most people on IRC tend to be like "I only match, because I'm too good for anything else and only winning a XvsX satisfies my megalomania".
Ideally, IRC should be used as a place to talk and learn more about the game, whatever aspect it may be. Small talk's fine aswell, as long as everbody is allowed to participate. I often noticed player being ignored there (wether they were new or not). That's not the way it should go. If you want to talk in private, you can always PM somebody, so don't be inpolite.
It could also help in finding games to play. If you want to pub and no standart serv is populated? Go on irc and find some people, no need for a match-like PUG.
It's not about the programme itself, it's the attitude of the players. In other games, good (or "pro") players practice few hours everyday. In Pb everybody trys to avoid matches (pub included) since their sheer presence in IRC makes them better than 90% of the community (there are exceptions).
This game could be more fun when we stop idling 24/7 (yeah, you see, IDLING) and start playing it instead
