Internet IRC


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Live Talk on the Internet: IRC

IRC networks are basically thousands of live connections that are grouped by your software to appear as ``rooms" or topics. Enter IRC, choose any room or channel that appeals to you, and step right into the middle of a live discussion. There are established IRC channels dedicated to particular subjects—especially, support groups, politics, and computer subjects. Many participants are just socializing, however, in a very ad hoc way. Anyone can create a channel on any subject, and when no one is using it any longer, it dies. IRC ``rooms" or channels do not live independently from the person who set them up.

While not required for IRC, having the same software as a friend you are going to talk to makes sense. Especially if you are inexperienced. Most IRC programs are free to download or inexpensive to buy, and you may already have software on your computer capable of running an IRC chat. IRC II is the latest technology. Proprietary online services like CompuServe, America Online and Netcom offer direct IRC connection and you can access IRC from there with no additional software, as long as you are logged on to their computer.

IRC Software. There are numerous IRC clients or software applications. One good shareware IRC program for Windows is mIRC (http://www.mirc.co.uk). The mIRC web site has considerable helpful information. Other programs include pIRCh and vIRC. IRCircle is a popular one for Macs. Many of these programs are available to download from popular shareware sites on the Internet, like Tucows (http://www.tucows.com), Davecentral (http://www.davecentral.com), or the Jumbo site (http://www.jumbo.com). The software usually comes with help and "readme" files as well as IRC FAQs.

The channel operator can also make a channel private, limit the number of participants, make it ``invitation only," or limit who may speak (e.g., create a lecture rather than discussion environment in the channel).

IRC is a lot of fun and promises to be useful to business, too. Here are a few things to remember:

Though programs like mIRC and others put an accessible face on it, IRC is not a place for rank beginners. IRC is powerful, and the most users are anonymous (they use a ``handle" or nickname to avoid disclosing their true identities). Many people use pseudonyms, and everyone knows that anonymity can make people prone to mischief. If you are joining friends and colleagues IRC is pretty tame. Otherwise, one of the best things you can do is spend some time reading the newsgroups dedicated to IRC and learn your way around before accessing.

IRC Pointers:

Never give your password to anyone. If anyone ever asks for your password, refuse and report the incident to a system administrator.

Never type any command because someone asks you to. Never! You are inviting trouble.

Never accept any files or scripts offered by a stranger. Just say ``no." This is an open invitation to a destructive virus.

There are no ``private" rooms in IRC. If you are starting your own channel, give it a dull sounding name and it will help to prevent strangers from entering your discussion.

Women may wish to create gender-neutral nicknames.

Think carefully before deciding what nickname to use. It is often possible to identify your name from your E-mail address, even if you are using an alias.

Get completely familiar with the technical aspects of using the Internet and managing information on your own machine (e.g., learn how log files save to your hard disk, how to download).

Some things to be aware of when using IRC:

You are not limited to the IRC channels your own provider offers.

Hackers can circumvent protections, so avoid sensitive or secret topics and NEVER type your password while in IRC. Ever.

Depending on network traffic, ``lag" can be a problem on IRC. It simply means that the system, either your own or the one where the IRC server is housed, is slow. This can be difficult to see at first. If you are typing and the letters don't appear on your screen as soon as you type them, or if people are responding to something you said several minutes before, these are signs of system lag. Expect lag during the peak early evening and weekend hours. Relogging on to your provider may help the problem.

Most Internet providers have a discussion of IRC on their own systems in a place where they store Help files or FAQs. Give IRC a try. It's really a lot of fun!




		Page last updated: January 4, 1999