IRCd's lead teh development of IRC proggies.
Well that would be logical thinking but try telling Khaled that. He seems to dictate that IRCd coders should listen to client coders and I remind you of what Khaled has said in the past: That IRCd coders need to take into account how their work affects how clients behave. It's a bit like cutlery manufacturers telling the creator of Man how to construct a human mouth.
In all seriousness there will never be 100% compatibility without a team effort from all involved and I doubt it will happen. The first thing an IRCd coder says when he decides to write a server is "What can I change to make my product stand out from the rest? I don't want it to be better, just different." That is why there is soooooooooooooooo many variations of channel and user modes for a start, also different channel prefixes, different mode prefises for nicknames and why some IRCds support IRCX or part thereof and why others don't.
ONe last thing and about your comment on IE v's Netscape: It's hardly a cold war. Netscape still renders pages like a dog's brekky.
