IRC #gary
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IRC FAQ GUIDE
This is the GB FANS guide to IRC. Below you will find Frequently Asked
Questions regarding the use of IRC and its varied commands. We would like
this guide to be as user friendly as possible so should you have any questions
that you want added to the FAQ or any information you want added to any other
part of the IRC Guide then please email
Julia. This guide is based on the official mIRC help files.
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What's IRC?
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What's an IRC client?
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What's a channel operator? How do I become one?
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What does DCC mean?
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How do I join the channel?
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How do I chat once I've joined the channel?
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Why doesn't X talk to me and why is he/she always there?
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Once I'm connected and chatting, can I change my nickname?
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What's a lag?
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Someone gave me a ping reply, what's that!?
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What other commands can I use on IRC?
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What does "Ghosts are not allowed on IRC." and You are
not welcome on this server." mean?
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What's a netsplit?
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What does it mean when I see: Signoff NickName
(*.lu.undernet.org)?
What is
IRC?
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a program that allows several people to talk
at the same time in a text conversation. The connection process involves
connecting to an IRC server, and joining a channel.
A channel is the same as being in a room with other people who want to chat.
The channel usually has a specific topic like ours which is about Take That,
and will have at least one operator (person who looks after the channel)
who can determine the topic of conversation and allow or disallow entry to
others.
Once you have joined a channel, conversation will appear on a scrolling window,
and will include the nickname of the person who writes each statement.
What is an IRC
client?
The client/software allows you to connect to the server ( a type of wave
band you connect to in order to talk), join a channel, and chat, for example,
mIRC program, WSIRC, etc. The IRC program was developed to respond to commands,
such as /join /mode etc. In an effort to create a more graphical interface
for IRC, many clients have supplied buttons which send various commands.
Most, however, still supply a line in which you can enter IRC commands directly.
What's a channel
operator? How do I become one?
Once you have joined the channel you should see a list of names in your window.
If one or more of these names have an @ sign by there name, they are channel
operators.
For someone who has never used IRC before it has hard to describe their role,
but in simple terms, the channel operator is a real person that looks after
the channel, ensures that all the channel's rules are obeyed at any unwanted
persons are removed.
The Gary Barlow channel (#gary is registered with the IRC governing body
and has an automatic channel operator resident in the channel at all times.
His name is W, and if you see him don't try and talk to him because he is
a computer program and only responds to commands from the channel operators
or the channel manager.
The channel manager is usually looking out for new channel operators all
the time, but you need to use the channel for a while before they consider
you for the job.
You need to be trustworthy and have a basic knowledge of IRC. If you want
to learn more about IRC and it's commands then a channel operator is the
one to ask, they're not just there to boss people about, I'd hate that to
be so, they are there to help people, so just tell them you're new!
How do I join the
channel?
To join a channel, type /join #channelname. That's it! Once you get to the
channel, you will see people talking.
How do I chat once
I have joined a channel?
You should be presented with a window, whether it be black or white, there
is normally a bar at the bottom. In order to chat, you need to type something
in the bar and press return.
Your message will be displayed in the main channel window with everyone else's
for them to respond. The chat should look something like this:-
(Ju) Hi Newbie, how are you?
(Newbie) I'm great Ju thanks for asking...this
is my first time though.
(Ju) Don't worrry you'll soon get the hang
of it.
(Newbie) What does the @ sign by your name
mean?
(Ju) I'm a channel operator, I look after
the channel
Once I'm connected
and chatting, can I change my nickname?
Yes you can, but try not to do it too many times as it will confuse other
channel users, and may even contribute to the lag.
There is such a thing as flooding the channel, and if you change your nick
name too many times over a certain period you, yourself will be disconnected
from the server and have to start all over again!
Why doesn't X (or W)
talk to me and why is he/she always there?
X or W aren't human! And that is the reason why they won't respond to you
if you try and talk to her, apart from the fact that you will look very silly
and amuse other channel users! X and W are computer programs known as a 'bot'.
They belong to Cserve the people who govern and maintain IRC and registered
out to the channel manager. The channel manager and CServe are the only ones
that has total control over X or W, and the channel operators also have part
control over her and can issue commands to X or W to do certain things, such
as ban a user, or give ops to other users, etc. X or W remembers the people
that the operators have asked her to ban from the channel and protects the
channel by preventing them from entering the channel for a certain amount
of time thereafter.
There is also many other things X and W are capable of, which is an entirely
different subject.
What other
commands can I use on IRC?
Here's a few commands that you can also experiment with on IRC once you have
joined the channel.
/HELP
/LIST
/JOIN
/PART
/QUIT
/NICK
/AWAY
/WHOIS
/INVITE
/KICK
/TOPIC
/ME
/MSG
/QUERY |
shows general help or help
on the given command
lists all current channels
to join a channel
to leave a channel (same as LEAVE)
exits your IRC session, (same as BYE and EXIT)
changes your nickname
leaves a message saying you're away or not paying attention
displays information about someone
sends an invitation to another user
gets rid of someone on a channel (operators only)
changes the topic of the channel (operators only)
sends anything about you to a channel or QUERY
sends a private message
starts a private conversation |
What does
"Ghosts are not allowed on IRC." and You are not welcome on this server."
mean?
If you are trying to connect to a server and it says "You are not welcome
on this server", don't get offended, it usually means that they would prefer
you to use a server which is closer to you geographically.
For example, people in England sometimes find it hard to connect to American
servers, but will be accepted on European ones without a problem because
'Europe' is closer...
There is an alternative answer to these too responses you get when trying
to connect and that is you may well be banned from using that server. On
IRC, you cannot be banned from every single server.
"Ghosts are not allowed on IRC" means that you are banned from using that
server. Either your machine has been banned, you personally has been banned
or your whole site has been banned.
But the most usual case for these quotes is just that you are geographically
too far away. I think if you had personally done some naughty things on IRC,
you would know if you may have been banned!
What is
DCC?
DCC stands for 'direct client-to-client'. It refers to a method of IRC that
bypasses the use of channels providing a direct link between to IRC users.
Usually the lag is non existent in DCC or will be only slight. DCC can not
only be used for chatting but for sending files as well, such as photographs
or wave files.
So what's a lag
then?
Lagging means when the server you are on slows you down, normally due to
too many users on the same server. It will take more time for your messages
to be seen by other users.
IRC is designed to be 'real time', but when you are lagging, it could take
2 minutes or more for someone to see your message, even though you, yourself
can see it on the screen.So when someone tells you that you are lagging,
you'll know what it means!
If you lag too badly, your server decides to throw you off, so that you can
re-connect. If this happens or you realise that you are lagging quite badly,
the simple solution is to just change servers.
Someone gave me
a ping reply, what's that!?
A ping reply is basically, when someone checks to see if you are lagging.
For example, if your nickname was 'Newbie', they would type /ping newbie.
After a while they will get a ping reply back telling them a certain amount
of seconds. This is how long it takes your messages to reach their screen.
What's a
netsplit?
"Immigration!" - if you see this being typed by other users in a channel
you know you have just been caught in a netsplit!
Netsplits are an unfortunate part of IRC life. You can tell if there has
been a netsplit when all of a sudden a lot of users appear to leave the channel
at the same time for no reason. They themsleves don't realise it, and you
appear to leave suddenly according to their screens!
Basically a server just decides to split from the rest of IRC stopping you
from seeing what everyone else is saying. Netsplits are usually heralded
with words from the channel users like "Immigration!", because that's just
what it looks like!
The only thing you can do is wait for IRC to sort itself out and you will
soon see all the other channel users re-appear. Try not to say, "Where did
you go?", as they will be thinking the same thing about you! Changing servers
during a netsplit may not be such a good idea as you could collide with your
nickname when you are re-connecting and you will also contribute to everyone
else's lag for no reason.
If you have a DCC chat or send in progress these shouldn't be affected so
don't shut them down.
What does it
mean when I see: Signoff NickName (*.bu.edu eff.org)?
This basically means the user has left IRC, but if there are a number of
users, using the same server that leave all at once it's most probably a
netsplit and they will be quite happily chatting to themselves, still in
the same channel, but not even seeing you.
Got a question that isn't here, then please
Email Julia
FAQ compiled with the help of
the Official MIRC Help File |
IRC Faq
IRC Guide
