ChatIRC

How To IRC
Some of us, geeky as all get-out, are IRC challenged. One of us can MSN Messenger message, NetMeeting meet, Skype chat, and even hook up video (sometimes), but fail the IRC challenge test.

Here are some questions, who's got answers?

Picking a Client
Rumor has it that it all began with ICQ, although I always thought that VChat and Comic Chat were fun enough. Those two clients didn't take much to install. mIRC is too much of a challenge. Running as a "limited user" created install and configuration difficulties -- but I think I have it now. Maybe not. I have never been able to get into an irc.freenode.net account in a way that had me be able to watch a conversation, let alone participate in one. I would not be surprised to learn that I have firewall and other settings that may inhibit my having the full experience. In any case, I have enough of an "ick" experience to want to uninstall mIRC and try something else that works on Windows XP.


 * I would like to use a Jabber/XMPP-compatible client. Some of those provide federation across different IRC walled fortresses, so that I can still access MSN and AOL and Yahoo oriented friends, for example, without needing a different chat client for each.  Does anyone have a recommendation for something that works well for them?

Dennis: on my Mac OS X system I use an application called Colloquy. Very easy to install and operate. I know this doesn't help you. There is a Mozilla-based browser plug-in called Chatzilla that, I believe, several of our participants have used. You might look at that. I don't worry about the Jabber/IM/Skype compatibility. I look at IRC Chat as a separate animal. But that works for me. [BillAnderson]

Finding a Chat
Chat's are hosted by an intermediary server, like irc.freenode.net. Chats have funny names, like #joiito and I'm not sure how these are specific to the intermediary or whether they work across servers.

Here is what I understand: Chat's are carried out on channels (sometimes called "rooms"). Channels are denoted by the "#" sign followed by a string. If that channel has been established, and is open (that is, someone has joined it (join is the action you take to participate)), you are automatically added to the chat. If that string is available, then a new channel (room) is created and you're the first participant. When all participants have left the chat the channel disappears.[BillAnderson]


 * Do I have to register an IRC user id with every service or can I use just one? Does it cross-over to Skype?  What's the relationship between user names and chat names, if any?
 * Where can I go to practice? I feel as vulnerable and as much an intruder as someone getting their first waterwings for a wiki.

orcmid: 2005-08-30T20:54Z