IRC Chat Manual

Compiled by Jim Pickrell, Brand X Internet

Other Sources of Information

What is IRC Chat?

IRC is an internet-based system allowing people all over the world to have live text based "conversations." IRC stands for "Internet Relay Chat". It was written by Jarkko Oikarinen (jto@tolsun.oulu.fi) in 1988. Since starting in Finland, it has been used in some 50+ countries spanning the globe. It was designed as a replacement for the "talk" program but has become much much more than that. IRC is a multi-user chat system, where people convene on "chann els" (a virtual place, usually with a topic of conversation) to talk in groups, or privately. They can also send and receive private messages and even transfer files. Chat groups are based on various topics; there are chat channels for anything you can think of. If you don't find what yu want you can easily create a new channel.

To use IRC you need to have a client for your computer. You also need to know which network you want to use, and the name of a suitable server for your location.

This document will show you how to get started. At the bottom there is also a list of other documents that may be useful.

Chat Client Software

You can use Telnet to connect to IRC channels, but many people like to use specialized programs such as "Homer" that make IRC a bit more convenient to use.

Clients vary enormously in terms of ease-of-use and functionality, but regardless of the platform on which they run, they all share some features. Every client must at least allow you to connect and sign-on to an IRC server, will display in some way any messages intended for you, and will pass on your messages to the server.

Some popular IRC clients are

A good place to find other information about IRC clients is Undernet (ftp://ftp.undernet.org/pub/irc/clients/) .

Chat Networks: Undernet and Efnet

The IRC system is built of a network of computers that provide Chat services. The two most popular networks are Undernet and Efnet. You can log into any server on either Network and it is the same as any other server on that network. This means you will find the same chat channels and users and so on. The best thing to do is to find an available server that is not too far from your home service.

IRC Servers You can access servers all over the world. Choose one that isn't too far away. There is a good list at Undernet.

Channels on IRC

Channels are where it all happens on IRC. Every person who joins a channel can send messages to it which are seen by all the other users on it. Every channel must have a name. Normal channels have alphanumeric names which begin with a pound sign ("#"). It is also possible to have channels which are "local" to a given server, and these begin with "$" instead. Such local channels are very rare as there are virtually no circumstances under which they are useful. When a user joins a channel that doesn't already exist, it is created with the user as the channel operator. It remains in existance until the last member leaves. Many channels are so popular that they always have members and always exist.

Channels have several characteristics in addition to their name. Each channel can have a topic, and there are joining options, such as private, invite-only, limited membership, moderated, etc. One of hte advantages of Undernet is that channel ownership is better controlled, which helps avoid channels being taken over and misused by bored teenagers and other annoying people.

Once you are on a Chap Network you will want to joing a channel. Typing /list will show the user all the channels which are currently formed. To join a channel, the user must type /join channelname. Normally, channels are prefixed by a # symbol, which must be entered as part of the channel name.

How to Say Something

Once on a channel, anything that is entered into irc without a / in front is treated as speech and is sent to the channel where everybody on that channel can see it. To tell somebody something privately, you need to msg them. This is done by typing /msg your message here. Where is the nickname of the person you wish to send to. Nicknames or nicks can be changed by typing /nick . This is what other people on the channel see as you. An example of a conversation:- 
	<Willy> Hey Jeff
	<Jeff> Hey, yeah, like wow.
	<Dino> You guys here again?
	<Willy> Guess so.
	<Tina> Anyone seen Roger? He said he was going to be here.

The other thing that you might wish to do is what is called an action 

	* RedRum waves
	* lleu Punches Brad
	* lleu breaks Brad's nose
	* Brad starts a brawl.
	* lleu throws brad across bar.....where he collides with saxon
	* Brad should go for dinner instead of fighting in the bar at 1 p.m.

This is done be typing /me followed by the action you want, as in; 

   /me starts a brawl
Some ofthe Chat Clients will do this kind of thing for you automatically. That's one reason the client programs are popular; it's a lot easier than typing all these actions by hand.