Index: lib/rbot/ircbot.rb
===================================================================
--- lib/rbot/ircbot.rb  (revision 750)
+++ lib/rbot/ircbot.rb  (working copy)
@@ -440,15 +440,15 @@
     @plugins = Plugins::pluginmanager
     @plugins.bot_associate(self)
     setup_plugins_path()
+
+    @socket = IrcSocket.new(@config['server.name'], @config['server.port'], @config['server.bindhost'], @config['server.sendq_delay'], @config['server.sendq_burst'], :ssl => @config['server.ssl'])
+    @client = Client.new
+
     @plugins.scan
 
     Utils.set_safe_save_dir("#{botclass}/safe_save")
     @httputil = Utils::HttpUtil.new(self)
 
-
-    @socket = IrcSocket.new(@config['server.name'], @config['server.port'], @config['server.bindhost'], @config['server.sendq_delay'], @config['server.sendq_burst'], :ssl => @config['server.ssl'])
-    @client = Client.new
-
     # Channels where we are quiet
     # Array of channels names where the bot should be quiet
     # '*' means all channels
Index: lib/rbot/ircsocket.rb
===================================================================
--- lib/rbot/ircsocket.rb       (revision 750)
+++ lib/rbot/ircsocket.rb       (working copy)
@@ -258,6 +258,26 @@
     # max lines to burst
     attr_reader :sendq_burst
 
+    # an optional filter object. we call @filter.in(data) for
+    # all incoming data and @filter.out(data) for all outgoing data
+    attr_reader :filter
+
+    # default trivial filter class
+    class IdentityFilter
+        def in(x)
+            x
+        end
+
+        def out(x)
+            x
+        end
+    end
+
+    # set filter to identity, not to nil
+    def filter=(f)
+        @filter = f || IdentityFilter.new
+    end
+
     # server:: server to connect to
     # port::   IRCd port
     # host::   optional local host to bind to (ruby 1.7+ required)
@@ -271,6 +291,7 @@
       @port = port.to_i
       @host = host
       @sock = nil
+      @filter = IdentityFilter.new
       @spooler = false
       @lines_sent = 0
       @lines_received = 0
@@ -380,7 +401,7 @@
         return nil
       end
       begin
-        reply = @sock.gets
+        reply = @filter.in(@sock.gets)
         @lines_received += 1
         reply.strip! if reply
         debug "RECV: #{reply.inspect}"
@@ -483,7 +504,7 @@
         if @sock.nil?
           error "SEND attempted on closed socket"
         else
-          @sock.puts message
+          @sock.puts(@filter.out(message))
           @last_send = Time.new
           @flood_send += message.irc_send_penalty if penalty
           @lines_sent += 1