BitchX is the Enhanced Programmable (I)RC-II (C)lient.                  

BitchX is about 90% backwards compatible with ircII and close too 99%
compatible with EPIC because BitchX is based on epic.  BitchX
was originally built upon the ircII 2.8 client, until the epic client was
able to run phoenix.irc. At which time I switched the BitchX codebase from
ircII to an epic base.

BitchX is quite abit larger than ircII/epic, but that is mostly because of 
the multitude of new features and the large amount of re-written code in an
attempt to make ircII faster, more efficient, and more powerful as well as
have color and a semi functional client right out of the box WITHOUt scripts
of any sort.

BitchX is derived directly from EPIC which is derived from IRC-II which is 
currently maintained by Matthew Green, and includes in whole all the 
additions included in the "plus" clients by Jeremy Nelson and all of the 
modifications in the "mod" clients by Jake Khuon.  BitchX is currently 
maintained by Colten Edwards and a few others. EPIC is maintained by Jeremy
Nelson aka "hop". Alot of changes that appear within BitchX are backported
to EPIC as I am a contributor to epic.

You can get a copy of the BitchX client via ftp from these mirrors:
Not all sites will be always up to date, but many of them try.

   Site                 Directory                         Maintainer
   ftp.bitchx.com       /pub/BitchX			    Mhacker/panasync
   ftp.bitchx.org       /pub/BitchX                       sideshow

If you want to mirror the BitchX client, please drop an email to Colten
Edwards (panasync@BitchX.com) telling him the host and directory where 
we can count on you to keep a copy of the current version of the BitchX 
client.  The BitchX client takes about 1.2m, the help files take about 150k, 
and from time to time there are other patches that range from 5k to 30k in 
size.

A mailing list for all things related to BitchX exists.  Send email to
majordomo@lists.bitchx.com with the words "subscribe bitchx" in the body
(and nothing else!).  This list exists for bug reports, discussion about and
requests for new features, and anything else that has to do with BitchX.

 * BitchX is completely safe:  There are no hidden trap doors.  
   We value your trust, and will not do anything to abuse it.

 * BitchX is programmable:  While ircII does contain a wide range of commands
   and functions, BitchX contains hundreds more.

 * BitchX supports bots:  We do not agree with those who feel that script 
   bots are all the evil of irc, and we feel that scripts bots must not be
   squelched by those who have the stranglehold of control on irc.  BitchX
   will support bots for as long as we maintain it.

 * BitchX is complete:  EPIC supplies over 100 various functions and
   commands which allow you to do things very quickly things that required
   very large or slow scripts in the past. BitchX adds too the list of
   functions and command so that with BitchX you do not need that same 
   script to run a good easy client as most of those same scripted commands 
   are available in the client itself. This has a problem however in a 
   increase in memory usage.