Otherware/Otherware_1_SB_Development.iso/mac/util/comm/ircle10.sit/IRC Advice

Text File | 1992-09-05 | 11.2 KB | 255 lines

This file contains some items grabbed from various sources that may
give new users of IRC some advice.

Contents:
 - Frequently Asked Questions (from alt.irc), by Helen Trillian Rose
 - How to Behave on IRC (from IRCII), by Lea Viljanen and Ari Husa
 - Users Behaviour on the Internet Relay Chat system (from IRCII), by Ove Ruben R Olsen
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** Frequently Asked Questions, by Helen Trillian Rose <[e-mail]>
(slightly modified by Olaf Titz <[e-mail]> - * lines)

(1) What is IRC?

    IRC stands for "Internet Relay Chat". It was written by Jarkko
Oikarinen ([e-mail]) in 1988. Since starting in Finland, it
has been used in some 20+ 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
"channels" (a virtual place, usually with a topic of conversation) to
talk in groups, or privately.
    IRC gained international fame during the late Persian Gulf War,
where updates from around the world came accross the wire, and most
people on irc gathered on a single channel to hear these reports.

(2) How is IRC set up?

    The user runs a "client" program (usually called 'irc') which
connects to the irc network via another program called a "server".
Servers exist to pass messages from user to user over the irc network.

(3) How do I use a client?

    You either compile the source yourself, have someone else on
your machine compile the source for you, or use the TELNET client.
"telnet bradenville.andrew.cmu.edu". Please only use the latter when you
have no other way of reaching irc, as this resource is quite limited.

(4) Where can I get source for the irc client?

UNIX client-> cs.bu.edu /irc/clients
          plod.cbme.unsw.edu.au
          nic.funet.fi pub/unix/irc
          ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de pub/net/irc
          slopoke.mlb.semi.harris.com
          there is also a client avaliable with the server code.
EMACS elisp-> cs.bu.edu
          nic.funet.fi
              ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de
          slopoke.mlb.semi.harris.com
EMACS elisp "irchat"->  lehtori.cc.tut.fi:/pub/irchat
            nic.funet.fi:/pub/irchat
VMS ->          coombs.anu.edu.au
REXX client for VM-> ftp.informatik.uni-oldenburg.de pub/irc/rxirc
MSDOS-> freebie.engin.umich.edu:/pub/irc/clients/MSDOS
* Macintosh -> ftp.ira.uka.de:/pub/systems/mac
*      sumex-aim.stanford.edu:/info-mac/comm

(5) Which server do I connect to?

    It's usually best to try and connect to one geographically
close, even though that may not be the best. You can always ask when you
get on irc. Here's a list of servers avaliable for connection:
        csd.bu.edu
        ucsu.colorado.edu
                badger.ugcs.caltech.edu
        ug.cs.dal.ca
        nic.funet.fi
                vesuv.unisg.ch
        coombs.anu.edu.au
        sunsystem2.informatik.tu-muenchen.de
*   nz11.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de

This is, by no means, a comprehensive list, but merely a start. Connect
to the closest of these servers and join the channel #Twilight_Zone
When you get there, immediately ask what you want. Don't say "I have a
question" because then hardly anyone will talk.

(6) OK, I've got a client and I'm connected to a server? Now what?

    It's probably best to take a look around and see what you want
to do first. All irc commands start with a "/", and most are one word.
Typing /help will get you help information. /names will get you a list
of names, etc.

The output is typically something like this-> (Note there are more
channels than this, this is just sample output).

Pub: #hack      zorgo eiji Patrick fup htoaster
Pub: #Nippon    @jircc @miyu_d
Pub: #nicole    MountainD
Pub: #hottub    omar liron beer Deadog moh pfloyd Dode greywolf SAMANTHA

"Pub" means public (or "visible") channel. "hack" is the channel name.
"#" is the prefix (see number 7 below). A "@" before someone's nickname
indicates he/she is the "Channel operator" of that channel. A Channel
Operator is someone who has control over a specific channel. It can be
shared or not as the first Channel Operator sees fit. The first person
to join the channel automatically gets Channel Operator, and can share
it with anyone he/she chooses (or not).

(7) I hear this talk about "+" channels, but I don't see any. What were
they?

    "+" channels were in older server versions. They no longer
exist, and probably will stay dead in later code revisions.

(8) What are good channels to try while using irc?

    #hottub and #initgame are almost always teeming with people.
+hottub is meant to simulate a hot tub, and #initgame is non-stop game
of "inits" (initials). Just join and find out!
    Many irc operators are in #Twilight_Zone ... so if you join
that channel and don't hear much talking, don't worry, it's not because
you joined, operators don't talk much on that channel anyways!
*  Germans will find a number of channels named after German university
*towns with talk about everything imaginable.

(9) How can I find out more about how + and # channels are changing?

    ftp to cs.bu.edu and look at irc/irc-2.7.CHANGES

(10) What if someone tells me to type something cryptic?

    Never type anything anyone tells you to without knowing what it
is. There is a problem with typing a certain command with the ircII
client that gives anyone immediate control of your client (and thus can
alter your account environment also).

(11) What is NickServ? What if I can't remember my NickServ password?

    To quote from NickServ's help text, NickServ's purpose is to
keep unique nicknames on irc. NickServ sends a warning to anyone else
who signs on with your nickname.  If you don't use IRC for 10 weeks,
your nickname expires for reuse.

    Only a NickServ operator can change your nickserv password.
To find out which NickServ operators are online, send
/msg [e-mail] OPERWHO

Nicknames with a "*" next to them are online at the time.

(12) What is IPCLUB? GIF-Archives of IRC-persons?

        IPCLUB stands for IRC Picture Club. It is an E-Mail service
provided by [e-mail] for all the users of the Internet. For
more help, mail [e-mail] with the subject of "IPCLUB/HELP".

(13) Where can I learn more?

    A good place to start might be downloading the irc tutorials.
They're avaliable via anonymous ftp from cs.bu.edu in
/irc/support/tutorial.* .. You can also join various IRC related mailing
lists. "operlist" is a list that discusses current (and past) server
code, routing, and protocol. You can join by mailing
[e-mail]. You can join the irchat mailing list by
mailing [e-mail]. There is a low traffic ircII mailing
list, mail [e-mail] to be added. Another mailing list,
[e-mail], exists to discuss protocol revisions for the 3.0
release of the ircd, currently in planning. Mail
[e-mail] to be added to that.

(13) What do I do if I'm still confused or have additions to this posting?

    email [e-mail] or ask for help (in #Twilight_Zone) on irc.

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** HOW TO BEHAVE ON IRC
(ETIQUETTE from the IRCII documentation)
Authors:      Lea Viljanen (LadyBug)  [e-mail]
              Ari Husa     (luru)     [e-mail]
Modified by:  Troy Rollo   (Troy)     [e-mail]
                            Olaf Titz  (praetorius)         [e-mail]
1) Language
   The most widely understood and spoken language on IRC is English.
However! As IRC is used in many different countries, English is by
no means the only language. If you want to speak some other language
than English (for example with your friends), go to a separate channel
and set the topic (with /topic) to indicate that. For example
   /topic Finnish only!
would mean that this channel would be reserved for Finnish discussion.
On the other hand, you should check the topic (with /list command)
before you move to a channel to see if there are any restrictions about
language.
   On a channel not restricted by /topic, please speak a language
everybody can understand. If you want to do otherwise, change channels
and set the topic accordingly.
2) Hello/Goodbye
   It's not necessary to greet everybody on a channel personally.
Usually one "Hello" or equivalent is enough. And don't expect everybody
to greet you back. On a channel with 20 people that would mean one
screenful of hellos. It's sensible not to greet, in order not to be rude
to the rest of the channel. If you must say hello to somebody you know,
do it with a private /msg. The same applies to goodbyes.
3) Discussion
   When you come to a new channel it's advised you to listen
for a while to get an impression of what's discussed. Please feel free
to join in, but do not try to force your topic into the discussion
if that doesn't come naturally.
4) Limits
   On channel numbers above 10 there can be only 10 persons
per channel. So if the channel is full and you don't actively
participate, please move to another channel to let someone else in.
5) {}|[]\
   IRC has quite a lot of people from Scandinavian countries,
the above characters are letters in their alphabet. This
has been explained on IRC about a thousand and one times, so
read the following, do not ask it on IRC:
   {     is an A with 2 dots over it
   }     is an A with a small circle above it
   |     is either an O with 2 dots over it or an O with a dash (/) through it
   [, ], and \ are the preceding three letters in upper case.
6) ATTENTION!
   Remember, people on IRC form their opinions about you only by
your actions, writings and comments on IRC. So think before you type.

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** Users Behavior on the Internet Relay Chat system
(RULES from the IRCII documentation)
Author: Ove Ruben R Olsen ([e-mail])
Definitions:
   IRC-ADMIN - Person who have access to all files concerning ircd.
   IRC-OP    - Person who have privilegies given to him by an IRC-ADMIN.
           And who is in charge at HIS server.
   USER      - Person who is using IRC.
The Internet Relay Network (IRC) is a system for comunicating with other
peoples.
IRC is a free speech system. Users may exchange viewpoints with other
users. But to protect people from abuse there are certain rules that the
user MUST respect.
If a USER doesn't respect the guidelines/rules stated below, then the
IRC-ADMIN may suspend or reduce the availability for the USER.
These things are prohibited:
   * Using offensive words in channel topics.
   * Harassing another user. Harassment is defined as behavior towards
     another user with the purpose of annoying them.
     Harassment is a matter of opinion of the IRC-OP.
   * "Dumping" a lot of text to a channel.
   * Annoying another user or a channel with constant beeping.
   * Any behavior reducing the functionality of IRC.
What kind of action a user is doing to break these rules are up to the
IRC-OP to decide.
Violation should be straighted out via a civilized conversation between
the IRC-OP and the USER.
If the USER is not on-line then the USER should be notified by EMail.
If the USER wont respect what he's been told then it is up to the IRC-ADMIN
what to do with the USER.
If someone finds a USER violating these rules he may contact the USER's
IRC-ADMIN.
To find a USERS IRC-ADMIN one may use the /ADMIN <nick-name>.

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