I just discovered Freenode. It’s an IRC server for general technology, mainly open source stuff, but has things like hardware and electronics (Arduino) also. Seems like a great place to gather latest information on the technology. Also has a Minecraft channel and I like that a lot

I like it how everyone ask questions very freely, and other people try to answer them the best they can. I think this kind of atmosphere is very beneficial to developers and hackers. I smell a similar atmosphere as StackOverflow; Just a lot more casual.

To join:
The server host is irc.freenode.net. Just punch that into your IRC client and you should be connected.
/list and you can list all the channels. There are many, so find however many you like.

Note:
Some channels require you to have a registered identity. You can do that easily by typing in the command

/msg NickServ REGISTER {password} {email}

Then a verification e-mail should be sent to you. Follow the instructions and you’ll have a registered account.
Channels like ##php, #python and #iphonedev require registered accounts so I think it’s worth it.

I’m looking forward to reading and maybe participating on some channels throughout the following days.