Irc

We are not all the time in front of the IRC window.
To alert us, enter the first letters of one of the visible nicknames from the online users column and then push the "tab" key to autocomplete the nickname and then write your message.
(The fact to write a nickname in the chat sends an alert to the irc client of the nickname entered.)
If you do not do this, you take the risk to not see any answer to your question because seen by nobody.