IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat.
Inside the computer system, this means the programs participate in a fun little Relay Race to transmit your messages.
Relay races usually involve passing a baton. Owing to the function of batons inside the computer world, this means the relay race is a form of triathlon
The runner carrying the baton passes it to the lightcyclist, who activates it for the cycling portion of the race. Who then trades it in for a lightjet baton to relay to the pilot, who completes the final aeronautics portion.
and….
if you wanna get into my headcanon about how often serving their programmed purpose is A Sex Thing for programs….
we can imagine that each baton handoff is accompanied by a hot little quickie
which is what actually transmits the Sacred Data of the text message from one program to another
And thus
in the act of Relay
they get Re-Laid
<3