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I don't use Slack, but perhaps people prefer its UX?

IRC is a protocol, it has nothing to do with UX... You can tack IRC on top of a pretty client and you can get pretty similar results I'd assume.

DISCLAIMER: I never used Slack.

UX != UI

Simple example: with Slack (or another hosted, web-based chat app), I can invite the non-technical head of sales to join it via e-mail, and they can. They literally cannot install an IRC client.

I can get similar results, but "I" isn't enough for a communication tool to be useful.

Why can't you do it through the web interface of a company-backed IRC network? There's literally no difference there, IRC is just a protocol, you can still wrap around your own local stack with registration, email notification, fancy UI (I know UI != UX) and auto-invite system or whatnot.

I just don't get it...

"you can still wrap around your own local stack with registration, email notification, fancy UI (I know UI != UX) and auto-invite system or whatnot"

Or pay someone to do that and maintain it for you.

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