if we got an IRC channel, would you guys log on?

[Pirotechnix]

I do know about chat logs, but they aren't very easily reference-able, at least not in any convenient way available to all.

copy/paste?

If you have a discussion, you make sure you keep the log, or you actively paste it into a notepad while chatting, and edit it so that pertinent information is kept. Active conversation over a topic generally yields more results than forum posting, and the fusion of both can spark conversation both on IRC and on the forums.