SAGE IRC Channel
The following topics are available:
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a dynamic form of client/server-based
chat on the Internet. You run a local client that connects to a
server; the servers connect to each other and distribute the public
and private communications. The protocol, for those of you who
care, is discussed in RFC
1459.
Once your client connects to a server, it registers your nickname
(or handle, up to 9 characters long) and allows you to join channels.
These channels are like rooms in the house of IRC; you can go in
and out at will.
Clients are available for most major operating systems:
- MacOS:
MacOS X users can also use UNIX clients.
- Windows—mIRC
(30-day trial)
Additional information is available from irchelp.org.
Back to top of page
The /JOIN command allows you to join any channel
on the network. If the channel doesn't already exist, it is created
for you. Errors can occur if the channel (a) has been set to require
invitations before people join it, (b) has a limit of clients that
can join and is full, or (c) has been configured to deny connections
from your client. The #sage-members
channel does not usually have any of
these conditions set.
Back to top of page
- What does the @ mean (/names,
/who, /whois)?
The person is a channel operator and can set channel modes
(including whether it is private, secret, password-protected,
invite-only, or limited in number of people on it; whether a
nick!user@host triple is banned; whether the topic can be changed
by anyone or just channel operators; and whether folks can speak
to the channel without being on it) and even kick out people who
offend or break rules.
- What does the * mean (/names,
/who, /whois)?
The person is a server operator and can control the server-to-server
network, as well as terminate your IRC session.
- What does the G mean
(/who)?
The user is Gone (marked as /AWAY from the irc client).
- What does the H mean
(/who)?
The user is Here (not marked /AWAY from the irc client).
- How do I see who's online?
It depends on the level of detail you want. On some clients
you can issue /WHO with no arguments and get
everyone online — which on big networks can and most
likely will flood your client off the network. Similarly,
/NAMES with no arguments will list every (public)
channel and the (visible) nicknames thereon. Finally, the
/WHOIS * tells you who is on your current channel
with more detail (nickname, user@host setting, and
$IRCNAME).
- How do I see who's on the channel?
The /NAMES * tells you who is on your current
channel (nickname and channel operator status only). The
/WHO * tells you who is on your current channel
with more detail (nickname, user@host setting, and
$IRCNAME).
- How do I keep my real name from showing up?
Unix users can set the $IRCNAME environment
variable before starting their IRC client. MacOS and Windows
users should be able to set this up in their
preferences.
- How do I send a private message?
The /MSG nickname text command sends a private
message containing the specified text to the specified
nickname.
- How do I send a public message?
If you're on a channel, just type the message and it should
be public. If you're in a different window, you may need to
use the /SAY command. (/SAY is
also useful to use the command character, / by
default, as the first letter of the line.)
- How do I perform an action in private?
The /DESCR nickname command does this. For
example, the command /DESCR Wilma waltzes with you
generates something like *> Fred waltzes with
you (assuming your nickname is Fred) and only Wilma
can see it.
- How do I perform an action in public?
The /ME command does this. For example, the
command /ME does the hokey pokey generates
something like * Fred does the hokey pokey
(assuming your nickname is Fred).
- How do I make color or formatting changes?
First, don't. Colors are nonstandard and vary widely in how
well (or more often, unwell) they're implemented. But if you
absolutely have to use formatting changes, there are three
standard toggles: Ctrl-b toggles boldface, Ctrl-v toggles
reverse video, and Ctrl-_ (underscore) toggles underlining.
These can be combined for boldlining and boldverse and
verselining and even boldverselining (gack).
Back to top of page
|
