let 5 or 6 people sit at a table talking to one another.. I'll take the 7th seat (thats an open challenge to anyone who would want it). The only way someone could win would be to be very very good at cheating, I wont explain how for obvious reasons. However you are losing money, 5-6 sit, making only 3-4 people to make money from, what a dumb concept, you might get a hit here and there, but you will lose in the long run.

As for people talking hands on IRC, what do you do at a live table? I'm generally very friendly with the people around me, and more often then not they start showing me their cards before the muck them, sharing their thoughts on the player who just raised, ect. Its no different.