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61 lines
4.0 KiB
61 lines
4.0 KiB
/*
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@doc: ircintro
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@title:
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Introduction to IRC
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@short:
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Introduction to IRC
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@keyterms:
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irc,channel,channels,channel operator,irc server,server,irc network,irc user,irc users,irc client,internet relay chat,nickname,nicknames,irc etiquette
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@body:
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[big]What is IRC ?[/big][br]
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Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is one of the most popular and most interactive services on the Internet.
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When you've been wondering 'where the others are?', then IRC is what you're looking for.
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IRC allows real-time conversations with people from the whole planet, 24-hours a day, worldwide.
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[br]
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[big]How does it work ?[/big][br]
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IRC consists of various separate networks (or "nets") of IRC servers: machines that allow users to connect to IRC.
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The largest nets are EFnet (the original IRC net, often having more than 32,000 people at once), Undernet, IRCnet, DALnet, and NewNet.
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Generally, the user (such as you) runs a program (called "irc client") to connect to a server on one of the IRC nets.
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The server will relay the informations between you and the "rest" of the network (obviously including the other irc users).
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Each user is known on IRC by a nickname (or "nick"), such as smartgal or FunGuy.
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To avoid conflicts with other users, it is best to use a nick that is not too common, e.g., "john" is a poor choice.
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Some networks allow the registration of nicknames: once you have registered a nickname noone else will be able to use it.
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Once connected to an IRC server on an IRC network, you will usually join one or more [b]channels[/b] and converse with other irc users.
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On EFnet, there often are more than 12,000 channels, each one devoted to a different topic.
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[br]
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[big]Channels[/big][br]
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Channel names usually begin with a #, as in #irchelp.
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The same channels are shared among all IRC servers on the same net, so you do not have to be on the same IRC server as your friends.
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Each channel can be joined by a "virtually" unlimited number of users and every word spoken "to the channel" is
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seen by all the users that have joined it.
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Each channel has a topic that usually describes the ideas being exchanged between users in that moment.
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It is a good idea to take a look at the topic before starting to talk "randomly" :).
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Channels are run by channel operators, or just "ops" for short, who can control the channel by choosing who may join (by "banning" some users),
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who must leave (by "kicking" them out), and even who may speak (by making the channel "moderated")!
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Channel ops have complete control over their channel, and their decisions are final.
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If you are banned from a channel, send a /msg to a channel op and ask nicely to be let in
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(see the /who command in the next section to learn how to find ops).
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If they ignore you or /who gives no response because the channel is in secret mode (+s),
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just go somewhere else where you are more welcome.
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Some IRC networks have a richer hierarchy of channel users and you may find half-operators, channel administrators or
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channel owners.
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[br]
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[big]Just a bit of IRC Etiquette...[/big][br]
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You'll find all kinds of people on IRC. Some nice, and some not so nice.
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Simply behave as you would in the real world. Most people will be friendly and considerate, if you are as well.
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When you join a channel, say hello. Don't expect to get hello's back from everyone,
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especially when there are lots of people on the channel.
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If you've never visited the channel before and have no idea what to expect,
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just sit back and watch for awhile to get a feel for the flow of the channel (thats called "lurking").
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[br]
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[big]Finding more info[/big][br]
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The web is full of informations about IRC: it's just a matter of typing "IRC" in a search engine.
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An user-friendly site to start from might be www.irchelp.org: you will find a huge list of
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documents and links that will hopefully answer to all your questions.
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You may also give a short read to the [doc:kvircintro]Introduction to KVIrc[/doc] which will
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give you an idea of what an IRC client is.
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[br]
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[big]Well...[/big][br]
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Have fun :)
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*/
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