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uncountable
(computing) An instant messaging feature that automatically marks a user as being away if the user does not interact with the computer or device in a set period of time. quotations examples
You should notice that the whole session is reproduced, and nobody ever noticed you were away (unless you enabled the autoaway module).
2004, Paul Mutton, IRC Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools, page 382
Also, ERC, like Emacs, is extremely modular and flexible. It is, of course, a free software program, but there are also many existing modules from nick highlighting to autoaway that you can use.
2014, Josh Datko, BeagleBone for Secret Agents