How do I do IRC?

May 2, 2003 4:24 AM

I know there is a metafilter IRC channel but I am clueless about how to setup and use IRC. Can someone explain it to an IRC newbie?
posted by srboisvert to MetaFilter-Related at 4:24 AM (32 comments total)

This may help, srboisvert - the mf wiki on the subject. Until the people who have a clue get here, that is.
posted by iconomy at 4:34 AM on May 2, 2003

The wiki page tells you pretty much anything you need to know, but pay particular attention to the parts about the atmosphere and non-PC nature of the #mefi world. Don't say you weren't warned.

*sits down and waits for someone with a clue to turn up*
posted by dg at 4:41 AM on May 2, 2003

1. Get an IRC client (mIRC is best if you're on Windows).
2. Clicky.
3. If that doesn't work, enter
server: irc.metafilter.com
port: 6667
Then when you get in, type "/join #mefi".
4. Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 5:00 AM on May 2, 2003

you'll know you got in when a bunch of text you don't care about stops scrolling up your screen. that's when you type (without quotes) "/join #mefi"

anticipates new blood, rubs hands together briskly
posted by quonsar at 5:16 AM on May 2, 2003

trillian is a good windows chat program, too, especially if you've already got a collection of instant messaging accounts. it might not be as easy to use as mIRC though.
posted by crunchland at 6:50 AM on May 2, 2003

anticipates new blood, rubs hands together briskly

*badly mimicking clavdivs' Vlad The Impaler impersonation*
ah new blood
posted by matteo at 6:57 AM on May 2, 2003

ircle's good too, and free trial for a month (for macs)
posted by amberglow at 7:49 AM on May 2, 2003

I'm adding this to a general page in the nav soon:
http://www.metafilter.com/irc.mefi
posted by mathowie (staff) at 8:05 AM on May 2, 2003

Good page Matt. I suggest you link to mIRC as well. Easiest and most popular client and all that. Also, the wiki article. And point out that all the different addresses point to the same machine and channel. And a pony.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 8:19 AM on May 2, 2003

you'll know you got in when a bunch of text you don't care about stops scrolling up your screen. that's when you type (without quotes) "/join #mefi"

...and then you'll see even MORE text that you don't care about start to scroll up your screen. And it never stops!

on preview -- maybe identifying the channel ops in your page? as in the wiki? that way newbies can know who to seek out for extra advice. (riffola was the one that explained it all to me.)
posted by Vidiot at 8:27 AM on May 2, 2003

the maintenance on that would be daunting, considering the list of ops keeps growing exponentially.
posted by crunchland at 8:44 AM on May 2, 2003

Matteo, concerning that... May issue
(Il parabrezza si rotto)

:)
posted by clavdivs at 8:49 AM on May 2, 2003

the maintenance on that would be daunting, considering the list of ops keeps growing exponentially.

ah, I didn't know that. THought it was just salmonberry, riffola, ecrivain, and Pretty_Generic.
posted by Vidiot at 9:17 AM on May 2, 2003

yes, exponentially up from only riffola a few months ago.
posted by quonsar at 9:48 AM on May 2, 2003

Great, now could somebody explain what's going on here?

I get it's a big warez type of thing, but that's an entire sub-culture about which I know almost nothing. I hate it when there's stuff I know nothing about - particularly stuff with geeky jokes. I'm a big old geek. I should get the geeky jokes gosh darn it all.
posted by willnot at 10:42 AM on May 2, 2003

Does it like firewalls (at work)?
posted by Shane at 10:43 AM on May 2, 2003

It may not like firewalls, as there are some hacks that use ports 6666 and 6667 to send compromised client info to cracker channels. It depends on who set up the firewall.

Also, try not to mess with riffola when you get on. He's a mean drunk.
posted by eyeballkid at 11:00 AM on May 2, 2003

Hmm--I think Yahoo Mxger is the only thing that gets thru here at work. I'll try from home, but by the time I get home my eyes are sometimes shot.
posted by Shane at 11:06 AM on May 2, 2003

Look, I had to sleep with a LOT of people to get ops. It's not my fault if they don't find you attractive, crunch.

The new page on irc is great matt, thanks for that. And srboisvert, once you're in you'll see we're very friendly. Except for riffola when he's drunk, as ebk has pointed out. ;)
posted by Salmonberry at 11:16 AM on May 2, 2003

IRC terrifies me (horrible typist), but I'll maybe be there when VOIPRC or whatever they're going to call voice chat starts to happen. I'll be the quiet one going "Hmmm" and "Uh-huh" and "oh". Or maybe I'll just let the cat do the talkin'.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 11:53 AM on May 2, 2003

Don't listen to them go on about how nice they all are. They'll beat you up and take your milk money soon as look at you.

I kid because I love.
posted by padraigin at 12:49 PM on May 2, 2003

I would suggest to anyone using OS X to use X-Chat Aqua. It is a port of the popular X-Chat, that runs native.

While still in development, it is easily one of the best clients for OS X, and more than a couple of #mefi regulars use it.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 1:03 PM on May 2, 2003

Ooh, thanks Steve. I am using Snak, and it's sort of lame.
posted by padraigin at 1:26 PM on May 2, 2003

I second the X-Chat Aqua shout out from Steve. I use it when in #mefi on the mac, trillian when on the pc.
posted by Salmonberry at 2:05 PM on May 2, 2003

Great, now could somebody explain what's going on here?

refrigerator: wanna affil on .se site!!!
garfield: Blah! i got BBB's coming out ears
refrigerator: fine, anyone else want a 300mbit
garfield: W00T!!!

Isn't it obvious?
posted by eddydamascene at 2:16 PM on May 2, 2003

The whole 'ops' thing always wierded me out with IRC... Damned hierarchical social structure... (no offense, Matt!)
posted by kaibutsu at 2:50 PM on May 2, 2003

PkinStainnlessTal - no one typse worse than me on the fly, nad I am tolraterated...coem on in, teh watres fine, llollo.
posted by madamjujujive at 3:15 PM on May 2, 2003

LOL, thanks for the link willnot. I got pretty much all of those 'toons (looks out for cops).

Ask away and I'll explain what you don't understand as well as I can. :-)
posted by shepd at 3:44 PM on May 2, 2003

what is affil?

what is racing?

I assume pre is pre-release material yes? It seems to be used in lots of ways on this strip - WTF?

I assume leech rights means you can download files yes? Does that mean most people have to upload before they can download?

what does "now I can trade 0.1 sec after pre and get mad credits" mean?

I assume rzr, flt and dev are wares sites yes?

what is BNC?

What are .SE and .NL?

What is trial?

How does an autotrader work?

What is 6X nuke?

Why is somebody saying "I just got a +v for good mircing" funny/stupid?

Why were there so many Garfield strips and not a bleeding one of them had to do with lasagna?
posted by willnot at 4:00 PM on May 2, 2003

I assume rzr, flt and dev are wares sites yes?
release groups, i believe.

What are .SE and .NL?
.sweden (think) and .netherlands.


assume leech rights means you can download files yes? Does that mean most people have to upload before they can download?

right. on ratio sites you usually have to ul X amount of meggage, and then you get rights to dl X (times 2 or 3, often times) of meggage.

what is affil?

affil, from what i understand, is affliation -- like you'd be affiliated with RaZoR 1911 or whatever (are they still around?)

meanwhile, this strip is perhaps the only garfield strip you need ever read.

anyways, hilarious.
posted by fishfucker at 5:09 PM on May 2, 2003

/me glares at eyeballkid and salmonberry, and pencils them in at the top of the list for the next roasting.
posted by riffola at 7:49 PM on May 2, 2003

There's plenty of room there now srboisvert!

Why not join in and see how long YOU last?
posted by shepd at 4:35 PM on May 3, 2003