I. What is IRC, and how does it work?

IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a way of communicating in real time with people from all over the world. It consists of various separate networks (or “nets”) of IRC servers, machines that allow users to connect to IRC. The largest nets are

• EFnet (the original IRC net, often having more than 32,000 people at once).
• Undernet
• IRCnet
• DALnet
• and NewNet

ACPO meets on Efnet in the channel #ACPO, there will be more information on how to join us. Generally, the user (such as you) runs a program (called a “client”) to connect to a server on one of the IRC nets. The server relays information to and from other servers on the same net.

II. RECOMMENDED IRC CLIENTS:

• UNIX/shell: ircII (ftp://ircii.warped.com/pub/ircII/) or
  BitchX (ftp://ftp.bitchx.com/pub/BitchX/clients/)
• Windows: mIRC (http://download.tucows.com/partners/mirc/) or
  PIRCH (http://www.pirchat.com/)
• Macintosh:: Ircle (http://www.ircle.com/download.html)

Then you’ll connect to an IRC server on an IRC network.

III. SERVERS [short list]:

• irc.ais.net
• irc.exodus.net
• irc.concentric.net
• irc.phoenix.net
• irc.mo.net
• irc.mindspring.net
• irc.rt.ru
• irc.du.se
• irc.qeast.net
• irc.easynews.com
• irc.flamed.net

There are many different servers out there, you might have to try a few before you find one that will accept your connection. Next join one or more “channels” available. On EFnet, there often are more than 12,000 channels, each devoted to a different topic. Now just type the following command in your Status window or available window: /Join #acpo Conversations may be public (where everyone in a channel can see what you type) or private (messages between only two people, who may or may not be on the same channel).

IV. MORE INFORMATION ON IRC:
Channel names begin with a #, as in #acpo and #irchelp .
Channels are shared among all IRC servers on the same net, so you donât have to be on the same IRC server as your friends.
Each user is known on IRC by a “nick”, such as Natasha or Nat. To avoid conflicts with other users, it is best to use a nick that is not too common, e.g., “john” is a poor choice.
On some nets, nicks do not belong to anyone. This can lead to conflict, so, if you feel strongly about ownership of such things, you may prefer networks with “services” like Undernet, DALnet, or other smaller networks.

Channels are run by channel operators, or just “ops” for short, who can control the channel by choosing who may join (by “banning” some users), who must leave (by “kicking” them out), and even who may speak (by making the channel “moderated” +m)!

Channel ops have complete control over their channel, and their decisions are final. If you are banned from a channel, send a /msg to a channel op and ask nicely to be let in (see the /who command in the next section to learn how to find ops). If they ignore you or / no response because the channel is in secret mode (+s), may I suggest you don’t /msg them a second time.

IRC servers are run by IRC admins and by IRC operators, or “IRC ops”. IRC ops manage the servers themselves and, normally don’t get involved in personal disputes.

V. COMMANDS:
Commands and text are typed in the same place. By default, commands begin with the character / .
See examples below.
Example, your nick is Natasha and your in the channel #acpo.
Say you want to message /msg your friend Frankie. This is what happens when you type these following commands in irc.

/join #ACPO – You join the channel #ACPO.
/who #acpo – Gives some info on users in the channel.
/me is a hungry – Everyone in the channel your in sees * yournick is a hungry.
In [ircle] it would be: /action and not /me
/leave #ACPO – You leave the channel #ACPO.
/whois Frankie – If the nickname Frankie is on the irc network, it will give you some detailed information about him.
/whois yournick – This is info others see about you.
/nick newnick – Changes your nick to “newnick”
/msg Frankie Hi! – Only Frankie sees your message (you don’t need to be on the same channel for this to work).
/ctcp #ACPO ping – You will get a response back on the time the delay (round-trip) between you and everybody on #acpo.
/ctcp Frankie ping – Gives information on the delay (round-trip) between you and just Frankie.
/ctcp Frankie chat – This sends Frankie a request for a dcc chat session. DCC chat is faster secure than /msg.
/help – This works in many clients. Try it!
/quit good night – You quit IRC completely, with the parting comment so that others see Signoff: yournick (good night!)“.

VI. NICK STATUS:

@ [or +o or op] by nick = operator status
+ [or +v or voice] by nick = voice in the channel if the channel is moderated only +o and +v can talk.

VII. CHANNEL MODES:

• +s = secret channel, canât been seek if not in that channel
• +i = invite only, to join you must be invited
• +p = private channel
• +m = moderated, only people with @ or + can speak in the channel
• +n = no external messages
• +o = only ops can change the channel topic

VIII. IRC SERVER PROBLEMS AND CONNECTING TO A SERVER:

At this point, you are ready to “chat” on IRC. For the most part, the commands above should suffice for beginners, but things can go wrong in IRC.

• Net splits: Networks can become divided (called a “net split”), thus separating you from users you had been speaking with. These splits are often relatively short, though common some days, weekends are really bad for net splits.
• How to find Server Lists: On most clients, typing /links gives a list of servers on your current net. Use this command sparingly, no more than a couple times in a row, or you may mistaken for a “link looking” troublemaker.

IX. SERVERS:
Server name IP address Ports available

• AUSTRALIA efnet.telstra.net.au 203.37.45.2 6667 BRAZIL efnet.matrix.com.br 12.8.182.5 6664-6668,7000
• CANADA [AB] irc.powersurfr.com 24.108.60.60 6660-6669,7000 [MB] irc.magic.ca 207.161.152.101 6660-6669 [MB] irc.mbnet.mb.ca 204.112.54.14 6660-6669 [NB] irc.nbnet.nb.ca 198.164.211.2 6667 [ON] irc.idirect.ca 205.210.36.2 6667 [ON] irc.rift.com 205.150.226.4 6667 [QC] irc.total.net 205.236.175.138 6667
• FINLAND efnet.cs.hut.fi 130.233.192.7 6667
• FRANCE irc.ec-lille.fr 194.199.238.39 6660-6670
• ISRAEL irc.inter.net.il 192.116.253.253 6665-8,7000
• NETHERLANDS irc.nijenrode.nl 192.87.112.5 6665-6669
• NORWAY irc.homelien.no 195.159.0.90 6667 efnet.telia.no 195.18.249.231 6660-6669,7000
• SWEDEN irc.ced.chalmers.se 129.16.13.130 6667 irc.df.lth.se 194.47.252.135 6666-6669
• UNITED KINGDOM efnet.demon.co.uk 194.159.80.19 6667
• UNITED STATES
  
  • [CA] irc.home.com 24.2.6.194 6667
    
  • [CA] irc-w.primenet.com 206.165.111.241 6667
    
  • [CA] irc.stanford.edu 36.118.0.220 6667
    
  • [CA] irc.best.net 206.86.0.23 6667
    
  • [CA] irc.cerf.net 192.215.245.12 6660-9000
    
  • [CA] irc.concentric.net 205.158.23.2 6665-6675
    
  • [CA] irc.exodus.net 209.1.214.123 6667
    
  • [CA] irc.pacbell.net 206.13.28.37 6664-6667
    
  • [CA] irc.prison.net 206.251.7.30 6666,6667
    
  • [CA] irc.netcom.com 206.217.29.1 6667
    
  • [CA] irc2.netcom.com 199.183.9.7 6667
    
  • [CO] irc.colorado.edu 128.138.129.31 6665-6667
    
  • [DC] irc02.irc.aol.com 152.163.208.16 6661-6669
    
  • [DC] irc-e.primenet.com 206.165.113.241 6667
    
  • [GA] irc.emory.edu 170.140.4.6 6660-6669
    
  • [GA] irc.mindspring.com 207.69.200.132 6660-6669
    
  • [IL] irc.ais.net 207.154.187.187 6650-6680
    
  • [IL] irc.mcs.net 192.160.127.97 6666-6668
    
  • [MI] irc.umich.edu 141.211.26.105 6667
    
  • [MN] irc.umn.edu 160.94.196.192 6665-6669
    
  • [MO] irc.anet-stl.com 209.16.213.131 6665-6668
    
  • [NY] irc.frontiernet.net 209.130.129.251 6666-6668,7000
    
  • [NY] irc.lightning.net 209.51.160.6 6665-6669,7000
    
  • [NY] irc.psinet.com 38.9.15.2 6665-6668
    
  • [PA] irc.cs.cmu.edu 128.2.203.89 6666-6668
    
  • [TX] irc.c-com.net 209.127.0.66 6667
    
  • [TX] irc.idworld.net 209.142.64.5 6667
    
  • [WA] becker1.u.washington.edu 140.142.12.67 6660,6666-9,9998
    
  • [WA] irc1.sprynet.com 165.121.1.46 6660-6670,9998

Lag: A more frequent problem is “lag”, where there is a noticeable delay between the time you type something in and someone else reads it.
Choosing a server near you is one way to try to lessen lag.
Lag can be measured by using the /ping

X. IRC DICTIONARY:
Smiley faces:
🙂 is a smiley face
:c) is a smiley face
:> is a evil grin
🙁 is a frown.
=) is a punk
:~( is crying
;c) is a wink
:cP is sticking your tongue out
:c/ is perplexed
:cP~~ is drooling
:cx my lips are sealed
(c: is a lefty’s smile
*<|:c) santa clause
>=cD> is realy happy

Here are some common acronyms used in IRC :

• brb = be right back
• bbiaf = be back in a flash
• bbl = be back later
• ttfn = ta ta for now
• np = no problem
• imho = in my humble opinion
• lol = laughing out loud
• j/k = just kidding
• re = hi again, as in ‘re hi’
• wb = welcome back
• rofl = rolling on floor laughing
• cya = see you
• lmao = laughing my arse off
• heya = hey you
• ppl = people
• hehe = laughing
• hrm = thinking
• ahem = to get some1’s attention
• kewl = cool
• ttyl = talk to you later
• ugh = negative sound
• wit = with
• blah = don’t care
• bah = almost a no
• ima = I am a
• cuz = because
• wtch =watch
• sup = what’s up?
• eyeyam = I am
• lub or luv or wub = love
• da = the leet = eleete
• enuf = enough
• b4 = before
• ick = yuck
• tho = though
• n = and
• l8tr = later
• k = ok
• sux = sucks
• hrmph = thinking sound
• c = see
• u = you
• outta = out of
• thx = thanks
• thanx = thanks
• oops = woops
• lemme = let me
• sup = what’s up
• gonna = going to
• werks = works
• Caps and little letters are used often. Numbers are used sometimes in place of letters 1 = l, 3 = e, 4 = a, 7 = t, 0 = o, 5 = s, | = i, so 31337 = Eleet, N4745h4 = Natasha,