IRC is Internet Relay Chat, it is a way to chat that predates the World Wide Web. However one probably has already used a variety of it, popular Internet chat clients such as AIM are basically IRC slightly modified with a nice Graphical User Interface to provide ease of use.
What is IRC used for?
To chat was the main purpose, and still there are many channels (not rooms! channels, more on that later) that carry nice conversations. IRC can be used as a meeting place, a place to plan, or just simple chat. As broadband has become more prominent IRC channels dedicated to file serving have grown tremendously. Gone are the days of small groups crackers sitting in channels sending each other cracks and warez (or so they want you to think) Big channels can have 2000 people sending files over the internet. Bad in the legal sense, good in the fact that they usually don't have their computers infected with popup causing, information gathering spyware that is installed with KaZaA and various other so called peer to peer crap.
Client? Server?
Not really important in using IRC, but I'm going to tell you anyway \o/
Basically the client is you, with your personal computer. You can access things on servers. The client is you running mIRC to connect to an IRC server, or you running Internet Explorer (bad monkey use Phoenix) to access web pages.
The server does what the name implies, it serves. With IRC the server directs all the chat around making sure it gets to the correct text. A web server will send web pages (html, images, ect) to a client that requests it.
Enough of that! Tell me how to use the damn thing!
Well, as implied in the previous blurb you need a client.
The most popular one for Windows is mIRC so go download it
There is also X-Chat which is very nice, has bad assed scripting options, and is available precompiled for MacOSX, Windows, and other Operating Syatems.
So go download a client and install it.
Did that yet?
If you are felling adventurous you could snag a mIRC client with a script installed over it.
These scripts usually have most things set up for you, and overall look nicer than a flat mIRC.
System Reset is a nice file server script, it has good support if you are behind a firewall.
Invision is another good fileserver script, but it has way to many bells an whistles for my taste.
Magus mIRC (done by a former IRCop on Aniverse) is pretty good if you have your monitor set to a high (ungodly) resolution.
Alright as this guide is for mIRC, hopefully it is installed. Run the darn client.
Filling out the required fields.
Mirc should start up and the following screen apears
Unhit the little check box at the bottom and then close that window.
Another box should pop up, select Aviverse from the 'IRC Network' pulldown, and fill out the forms then hit connect.
Alternativly you could fill out the options then hit the ok button. Then one could specify the server manually in the status window by typing something along the lines of "/server irc.aniverse.com" or "/server -m irc.mircx.com"
(The -m will allow you to connect to multible networks at the same time)
After a few seconds, this window should pop up. You can either type in the channel you want to join and click join, or do as I do and unclick the 'pop up folder on connect' checkbox and close the window.
I prefer to use the command '/join #channel' simply do that for the channel you wish to join.
You are in!
Power Structure.
Unlike AIM there is a power structure in the irc channels. There are IRC Operators, Channel Operators, Channel Half-Operators, Voiced Users, and Normal users.
IRC Operators (IRCops): Recognized by the fact that they do anything that an Channel Operator can do a channel with out being oped; these are the people that keep the IRC server going. We wary they are not to be trifled with as they can ban remove you from the whole server.
Channel Founder: These are the people that start a channel, they set OPs, and other things. They generally are the last word on the policy on a channel.
Channel Operators (Ops): Usually denoted by an @ in front of their name on the user list. Guardians of the channel, they can kick you out and keep you from returning, they can also change the topic. Can effect other Ops.
Channel Half-Operators (Half-Ops): Usually denoted by an % in front of their name on the user list. Same as Ops but they can not kick out Ops.
Voiced Users (voice): Usually denoted by an + in front of their name on the user list. When the mode of the channel is set to +m (moderated) they can still talk. Usually denotes status in a channel these days.
Normal users: Normal user...
Modes.
+m 'moderated' Only Ops, HalfOps and, voiced people can talk
+s 'secret' The channel will not show up in /list
+n 'no external messages' People outside of the channel can not go '/msg #channel SPam n Stiff'
+t 'topic' only ops and HalfOps can change the topic
+c 'color' if the channel it +c no colors may be used
A Few Commands.
/me eats pie (the action command you will see something like * YourNick eats pie)
/whois Nickname (provides info on user Nickname)
/join #channel (Joins channel #channel)
/leave #channel Bye Bye (Leaves channel #channel with message 'Bye Bye')
/quit I am dead to you (Disconnect from server with message 'I am dead to you')
/topic #channel The old topic was boring (Changes the topic of channel #channel to 'The old topic was boring')
/MOTD Will show the Message of the day of the server, rarely updated every day...
Nick Serv
So you want to register you nick so no one else can use it? Then you must deal with nickserv.
Nickserv can be thought of as an bot IRCop that enforces people's usernames. Only if you have your password can you use your nick.
Also you have to be identified to nickserv for chanserv to op you if you are on the access list.
On mircx and aniverse you talk to nickserv using the command "/msg nickserv TEXT" This sends a message only to nickserv.
For help try "/msg nickserv help" and "/msg nickserv help commands"
If you just want to register then after you are connected and have the nick you want type
"/msg nickserv register PASSWORD EMAIL" Where PASSWORD and EMAIL are your password and email obviousally.
Weee there we are.
Now ever time you sign on nickserv will bug you with a message
"-NickServ- This nickname is registered and protected. If it is your nickname, type /msg NickServ IDENTIFY password. Otherwise, please choose a different nickname."
And you have to type
"/msg nickserv identify PASSWORD"
Make sure to do this before you join any channels you happen to have OP/HOP/Voice access to, or otherwise chanserv will not give you the status.
Now if someone is using you account you can go
"/msg nickserv ghost USERNAME PASSWORD"
FIXME nickserv spelling, pic?