1) Four of those friends are not technical, and wouldn't know what to do with irssi. The remainder are using laptops that get disconnected a lot.
2) I reboot to Windows to play games. There goes the screen session.
3) Skype on iPhones. Seriously. I ain't screwing around with a phone keyboard and terminal app to SSH in, screen -dR and scroll around just to get back into a chat.
I don't use IRC for specific people, if specific people want to speak with me, they can be-bop into mumble, call my phone, IM me, visit me, email me...I'm just explaining why the rationale specific to IRC doesn't make much sense.
2) I reboot to Windows to play games. There goes the screen session.
3) Skype on iPhones. Seriously. I ain't screwing around with a phone keyboard and terminal app to SSH in, screen -dR and scroll around just to get back into a chat.