IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat. The global chat. The idea is just like any other chat system... webchat, javachat and so on... You choose a nickname and joins a channel (chatroom). But IRC is far more advanced than any other chat. First of all you need a client (program) so you can connect to an IRC-network, an IRC-network is built up by many IRC-servers that are linked together. Often it can be up to 800 users on one server and 30 000 on one network.

Now what exactly is a channel?

A channel is a 'place' on IRC where group conversations occur. People can join the same channel and see each other. Depending on its topic and time of the day a channel can be VERY crowded. Channels can also be quite chaotic, or calm. Channels can be open to everyone but also closed and private and only open to friends. On the large IRC networks 100's of channels can exist, on smaller networks (corporate or even one-node-nets) there will be fewer channels. Whenever you want to refer to a channel's name, it should be prefixed with a #.

How do I join #AmigaWorld?

To join #AmigaWorld, type /join #AmigaWorld. Once you get to the channel, you will see people talking. Note that you will often come in during the *middle* of a conversation. Unless you're familiar with the channel you may want to sit and watch it for a minute or two to see what the conversation is about. To start talking, just type! And when you're done saying what you have to say, just hit the [return] key. You can start with something simple like "hello!". In the channel window that opens once you join a channel you'll see an alphabetical list of people that are on the channel on the right side of the window. Some of them have a @ or a green dot in front of their name to point out they are the channel operators.

Why do some people have a @ or green dot next to their name? What is an channel operator or op?

A person with a @ or green dot in front of their nick is a channel operator. They moderate the channel and have access to special commands called mode commands that non-channel operators do not. ops have the power to set the topic, and to kick and ban troublemakers. Channel Operators are experienced users, so if you have a question, don't hesitate to ask. A Channel Operator can also decide if control is shared or not.

Why do some people have a + or a yellow dot next to their name? What is voice?

These are just people who hang out in our channel a lot and have gotten to know the ops. If the channel were moderated, the + or yellow dot would indicate that these people are allowed to speak, which is why it's referred to as "voice."

What is a nickname and how do I change my nickname?

On IRC you are known to others by a nickname. You are free to choose any nickname you like, up to 9 characters long. Do not use spaces and avoid unusual ASCII characters in your nickname. It is also very common to find people that use the same nickname and you may be asked or choose to switch nicknames to avoid confusion. To change your nickname, type /nick newnick. Example: /nick JoeBloggs

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