IRC—Internet Relay Chat
Tue, 2011-11-22 17:54 — andor44
This page is a simple introduction to IRC but not a compehensive guide.
There's also www.irchelp.org which is a excellent resource on all things IRC.
What is it?
IRC (Internet Relay Chat), although quite old, is still a very popular way of online text communication—especially in the free software world.It is mainly designed for group communication, but works just as well for one-to-one chit-chat as any other instant messaging protocol popular nowadays.
IRC clients
To start chatting, you need an IRC client. IRC clients are programs to join IRC chatrooms directly so you can talk with people.Picking an IRC client
For starters, we recommend HexChat.Here's a list of some free software IRC clients:
- HexChat—Simple, runs on Windows, GNU/Linux, Mac OS and other Unix-like systems
- IceChat—A somewhat less popular client. Windows-only, free. Also scriptable, themes etc.
- Colloquy—IRC client for Mac OS X and iOS with “the look and feel of a Mac application”
- Pidgin or Miranda are actually instant messangers, but you can also use them for IRC if you wish
- Mibbit—Mibbit is a web client. Although some networks do not allow it (due to abuse), I think it should be mentioned, as it is exceptionally easy to use.
Using an IRC client to join #hedgewars
Explaining every client here would be silly. Here are just some general remarks.First, you want to pick a nick name.
Then, to connect to #hedgewars:
- Tell your client to connect to the Libera Chat network with the address
irc.libera.chat - Tell your client to join the channel “#hedgewars”
If you don't understand how to do this in your client, look for a manual.
How to chat
Just use the text box and enter a message so everyone else in the channel can read it in real time.Some things to consider
- Most people are not watching the chat all the time. Sometimes you need to be a bit patient to get a respons
- Everything in the chat is public, so don't disclose private information
- Don't be a jerk. Thank you.
