I don't like freenode for their policy of mandatory registration, at least it was true for 90% of the channels I tried to connect to, maybe it isn't freenode but channel OPs doing it? Some threw me to 'non-registered' channels instead. And also for a while most of Private Internet Access (VPN) IPs were banned (which is ironic considering that PIA was/is the official sponsor of freenode). It also kind of suck from centralization standpoint, yes you can register your own IRC server, but when majority of people are on freenode it makes it difficult to attract new users. And now this. Datamining and corporate interest, acquiring the last 'free' crums no one thought about picking-up yet...