Reference sheet prepared by Jolene M. Morris, District Technology Director, Grand Co. School District
The Internet Relay Chat (IRC) can be one of the most exciting yet the most confusing parts of the entire Internet. IRC allows you to carry on simultaneous conversations with one or many people from all around the world. You can just listen to a conversation or participate in the conversation. You can leave one conversation and join another one. When you become more expert at using IRC, you can participate in several conversations at the same time.
The software that makes these conversations possible (IRC) was developed in Finland in 1988. The official language of the Internet is English so most conversations are carried on in that language. However, some conversations are in a different tongue.
Listen/Converse via Computer?
The conversations on the Internet are accomplished by typing your comments. Listening is actually reading the typed comments of other users. This is why the IRC can be very confusing.
Talk to people who just started wearing hearing aids -- they will tell you they have to learn to hear all over again. They need to concentrate and learn to "tune out" other comments. The IRC is very much like this. You must read rapidly and ignore many of the comments on the screen. It also helps if you can type your comments and read others' comments at the same time.
Accessing the IRC (UNIX)
IRC is client/server software. From the prompt, type irc to start your client software. Many system administrators believe the IRC is a waste of time so you may have to convince your administrator to support the IRC client.
Because IRC is very complicated, you should download and study the IRCprimer from any one of the three ftp sites listed below:
Anonymous ftp:
Address: nic.funet.fi
Path: /pub/unix/irc/docs
Address: cs.bu.edu
Path: /irc/support
Address: coombs.anu.edu.au
Path: /pub/irc/docs
All IRC servers in the world are inter-connected so you only need to attach to one IRC server to join the worldwide conversation. Be aware of the symbols you'll see on the screen when you're connected to the IRC:
Symbol Represents
/ user command (type a
slash before all commands)
# name of a channel
* action message
*** system message
<nickname> Nickname is speaking
*nickname* Nickname is speaking
to you privately
-> A private message you
send to a user.
Channel Commands
The following is a partial list of all the commands you can use in the IRC. Notice that all commands begin with a slash. Once you are in a channel, you simply type your message. As soon as you press <Enter>, your message will be sent.
/nick nickname select temporary
nickname
/list list all channels
/flush pause a long display
/list -min # list channels with # or
more members
/list -max # list channels with # or
less members
/join #channel-name join channel
/leave #channel-name leave channel
/quit quit IRC
/help obtain help
/msg username text send private message
/msg . text private message to same
username
/msg , text reply to private message
/query username start private conversation
/query stop private conversation
/whois nickname find out more information
about a user
/who * list all users in channel
IRC Jargon
To save typing time, IRC users use a shortcut jargon all their own. Here are just some of the acronyms you'll see:
bfn Bye for now
brb Be right back
btw By the way
cul See you later
flame Insulting message
<g> Grin
ga Go ahead
gmta Great minds think alike
imho In my humble opinion
jic Just in case
lag Annoying time delay on IRC
lurk Monitoring an IRC channel
wihout contributing
msg Message
oic Oh! I see...
Favorite IRC Channels
There are hundreds of channels on the IRC at any one time; but here is a list of the top ten channels:
#talk Free-wheeling talk about current events
#chat The same as #talk. A younger crowd
#hottub The same as #talk plus flirtation
#disney Sweet talk -- a little wacky
#30plus For users over age 30
#jeopardy 24-hour automated trivia
#initgame Permanent game-playing channel
#england Started by Brits but open to all
#croatia One of many political channels
#israel Mideast & general intn'l discussion
#twilight_zone The IRC-admin types are here to
answer your questions
What do to if your network doesn't have IRC:
Many sysops believe the IRC is a waste of time or that it is more work to keep running that it is worth. In these cases, you'll have to telnet to a site where you can join the IRC. At Grand County School District, we suggest you use this site:
obelix.wu-wien.ac.at 6969
Other publicly accessible IRC sites are listed below. The server ports are assumed to be 6667 unless otherwise noted:
merlin.acf-lab.alaska.edu (Alaska)
nova.unix.portal.com (California)
irc.colorado.edu (Colorado;
try ports 6665 or 6666)
irc.math.ufl.edu (Florida)
irc.uiuc.edu (Illinois)
irc-1.mit.edu (Massachusetts)
sluaxa.slu.edu (Louisiana)
hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu (North Carolina)
irc.csos.orst.edu (Oregon)
irc.duq.edu (Pennsylvania)
irc.bga.com (Texas)
irc.math.byu.edu (Utah)
poe.acc.virginia.edu (Virginia)
organ.ctr.columbia.edu (New York)
cs-pub.bu.edu (Boston)
