Read my IRC mission statement.
Once
again, this is a simplified version of how to use IRC on a Windows based
machine (Sorry Steve Jobs fans). There are many more pages out there that
can explain how to use IRC much better than I can. But if you wanna just
get the gist of it, by all means, read on.
IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat. It's the infamous chat rooms you always hear about! In order to use IRC, you have to use what's called an IRC Client. My personal favorite is MIRC, which can be downloaded HERE for free.
After you download and install this program, you have to enter your identification information under File, Options (This window will come up when you run MIRC for the first time).
Click on "Connect" on the left and make sure it is highlighted (if it isn't already done). After that, enter the following information in the fields:
Real Name: Your real name (i.e. Tjerk Vonck)
E-Mail:
Your E-Mail address
(i.e.
t.r.vonck@student.utwent.nl)
Nick Name: A nickname to use on the chat system (i.e. Krejt)
Alternate: If someone else is already using the nickname you've chosen on IRC, you will be known by this alternate name instead. (i.e. Krejt2)
If
"Invisible Mode" is checked, other people on IRC won't be able to see you.
This is NOT recommended if you want to use MIRC efficiently.
Make
sure to set the pull down menu to either Random US Dalnet server (the server
will route you to any available Dalnet server) or if you have problems
connecting this way, use the pull down menu to find an Dalnet server closest
to where you live (i.e. in my case, the closest Dalnet server is listed
as "Dalnet: US, NY, New York City".) After you have selected your Dalnet
server, click on "Connect to IRC server" or click OK and manually click
on the File menu and select Connect (or click on the lightning button in
the Toolbar). After a short wait (up to 20 seconds) you will see
some meaningless blurb appear in the status window. If the last line says
something like "End of MOTD command", and the top of the status window
reads "Status: <your nick> on <server address>.Dal.Net" then you
have successfully logged on to the Dalnet. If it gives you an error message
starting with "Closing Link", followed with your provider's name and a
message such as:
"Unable
to Connect", "Connection Refused", "K-Lined", or "(Sorry, your connection
class is full - try again later or try another server)", then either try
connecting again, or if that doesn't work, choose another Dalnet server
in the File, Options pull-down menu. After successfully connecting, If
this is your first time running MIRC, you should have a pop-up window called
"MIRC Channels Folder" come up. Uncheck the "Pop-up folder on connect"
option and click OK (since this is not a valid channel list, but rather
channels that the programmer believes should be common on all nets.)
Now you have 2 options:
You
can msg me by typing (in any MIRC window):
/msg
SADBUTTRU <msg>
The <msg> part is the actual message filled in by you.
If
in the status window, the message:
SADBUTTRU
No such nick
comes
up, then I am currently not online.
If
I am online, then a pop-up window with my reply should come up very shortly.
I
have worked very hard to secure this nick. A long time ago (when I started
IRC'ing back in 94), I was known as Hellsfire (an original name that I
came up with). People used to compliment me on a great nickname. Then all
of a sudden, Hellsfire's that were not me started surfacing. When I asked
the person in question where they got that nick, they would usually give
an answer like "I saw someone with it once and I liked it". It is for this
reason (due to my webpage address, E-Mail address, etc.) that I have been
trying very hard to secure this nick for me and only me! When confronting
people wanting to pay homage to the Metallica song, I often ask them nicely
to change their nick to SadBuTrue (as most IRC nets only allows 9 character
nicknames), and quite frankly many people are understanding and comply
with my advice, however, there are those newbie dicks out there who don't
care that I've had this nickname since 1996 and have a webpage / E-Mail
based on this nickname. If, by any chance, you get through to a SADBUTTRU
and it is not me (AKA has no idea what your talking about) please do me
this favor and explain to the person my goal in securing this nick. If
that is too much trouble for you, then at least forward him/her this URL:
http://SADBUTTRU.tripod.com/irc.htm#mission
so
he/she can read this paragraph for themselves. If the person still chooses
not to co-operate, then you have my permission to NUKE THE SHIT OUT OF
HIM! That's right, use every hacking/nuking trick you know how to totally
fuck this guy over (hint: /dns <nickname> gives his ip address). Don't
worry, if you get in trouble for it, I'll take the blame :) Another important
note: before you start nuking, if the person doesn't answer, it might be
me but I may be away from my PC. To find out if it's me, type "/whois SADBUTTRU".
If, in the status window this line comes up:
SADBUTTRU
is SBT@<server>* John Doe
then
it's yours truly behind the nick. Feel free to message me, but please,
no nukes :)
Anywho,
back to IRC. If you can't get through to me and/or you want to find out
what this thing has to offer, I'll give you a short tutorial on how to
use it.
To
list the channels available on the Dalnet, either click on the green globe
in the toolbar and click on "get list". After that's done, you can enter
search criteria in the space provided and click "apply" to find channels
with that word either in their channel topic or in their channel name.
Alternatively, you can just type "/list". This brings up a channel list
of all the current channels on the Dalnet. The "Channel List" format is
as follows: the channel name, how many people are currently in the channel,
and the topic of the channel". You enter rooms by double-clicking on them.
Alternatively, you can type "/join #<channelname>" to join channels.
When
you join a channel, a new window will appear on your screen. The names
on the right side column are those people who are currently joined in the
channel. The left hand window is where everyone's conversation takes place.
To talk to the people in the channel, just type your comments in the single
row box at the bottom of the channel's window, followed by the "Enter"
key. To chat privately with someone in the channel, double click on their
nickname on the right. This opens up a chat window with that person. To
leave a channel, just click on the close box which is located at the top-right
hand corner of the channel names window (X). Alternatively, you can type
"/part #<channelname>" to quit a particular channel, or "/quit" to quit
all channels and log off of the Dalnet. Keep in mind that nicknames with
a @ in front of them are operators, more commonly known as ops. Ops control
what goes on in a channel and can kick or ban you from that channel if
you do something that they do not like. So try to keep on your best behavior
if you want to stay in the channel.
That
concludes our lesson of MIRC Basics 101. Just to let you know, MIRC has
hundreds of features, possibilities, etc. that you might like to learn
in order to use MIRC efficiently. The help option (the life boey icon in
the toolbar) is a good place to start, as well as the official
MIRC homepage.
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