When I first started using IRC in late 2005 Halfop had already been around for quite sometime. I heard it had first started around the year 2000. I have become accustom to using it, but is it really neccessary?

In my opinion I think that it isn't a neccesity but more of a convienence for users. I think that it can be used in the "promoting" process from voice to op. I also think the different power levels are nice so it doesn't go straight from allowing to talk with +m to being able to ruin a user's experience on the channel. If it weren't there we could be able to get along just fine, but with it I think it helps out the channel a bit and spreads diveristy.

Tell me your opinion about Halfop's. I would love to hear them

Different levels always makes maintaining control in a channel easier. However, it is fine with nothing more than voice/op as well (actually, you can live with just op without any trouble).

Having more levels just makes it easier for the main people to stay in control (not get demoted by someone they promote) while allowing promotions to help maintain the channel.

Very much as to what I was thinking. I agree with your opinion I have heard others say "OMG WE NEED DUH HALFOP'S CUZ I WANTZ TO KICK PPL Y0" and then others who say that it is useless and only causes trouble. Let's here more opinions

There are some networks (I don't recall which ones at the moment) that have not supported half-ops.
Personally I like having the ability to set half-ops on a channel, since I use voice for players in a game. Using half-ops allows me to let people have a certain amount of control (ie: being able to kick players that aren't following the rules of the game), but still have others with higher control.

In regards to that will not get them half-ops on any of my channels...if they want that ability they must prove to me that they deserve to have that ability.

half-op can be really usefull in large channels but often serves no purpose on smaller ones. the big advantage of such a level is that it doesn't grant too much rights, while still being able to keep a channel nice and clean. this way you can have a few operators who can really control the channel, and a bunch of half-ops who don't have to do any more then kick troublemakers.

I myself never use them since I don't frequent channels large enough to need this.

we (a group of people I'm with) do use it as another channel rank to let new people know who has which rank inside this group.

most networks I'm on do not support half-op though and I can't be really bothered with it either :-P but it sure has it's uses.

Agreed. Also note that you can have the same control options without half-op if you have other modes.

OP > HalfOp > Voice > Regular

is the same as:

Admin > Op > Voice > Regular

is the same as:

Owner > Op > Voice > Regular

It doesn't really matter what the labels are. Yes, they may have different abilities depending on the network, but the real need for them is to allow a small number of people to really have ownership of the channel and then allow others to help maintain it. Of course, the more levels you have, the more options you have for this sort of thing.

I think its useless as tits on a bull with decent nick/chan services.

Having a decent channel access list and set chanserv up to not let anyone kick someone with a higher level than them

imho thats hitting the mark