I have been hanging out on IRC since 2006 too. The open source communities back then were indeed caustic. #python was an exception. #python used to be very nice to beginners. #c was perhaps the worst.
The attitude of these communities has changed a lot since then. It has been 14 years since then! Right now, #lisp and #emacs and their Reddit counterparts r/lisp and r/emacs are a very pleasant, friendly, and supportive community. For those looking to becoming a part of the Lisp or Emacs community, I strongly recommend giving #lisp, #emacs, r/lisp, and r/emacs a chance.
The attitude of these communities has changed a lot since then. It has been 14 years since then! Right now, #lisp and #emacs and their Reddit counterparts r/lisp and r/emacs are a very pleasant, friendly, and supportive community. For those looking to becoming a part of the Lisp or Emacs community, I strongly recommend giving #lisp, #emacs, r/lisp, and r/emacs a chance.