FAQ - IRC (#THEWORLDfORUM)

• What is #theworldforum?
• What are the basics?
• How do I join the chat?
• What are some simple rules for IRC?

What is #theworldforum?

#theworldforum is the IRC channel on SlashNet where World Forum members can hang out and chat in real time.

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What are the basics?

Server: irc.slashnet.org (or us.slashnet.org to get one of the US-based servers)
Channel: #theworldforum

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How do I join the chat?

1. Get an IRC client.

   Depending on your operating system, there are different choices available. Some clients are easier to use than others.

   • Win32 (Win95/Win98/WinME/Win2000/WinNT/WinXP): XiRCON, BitchX, mIRC, PIRCH.

   • MacOS: ircle, snak, BitchX.

   • Linux: xchat, irssi, ircII, BitchX, epic.

   • OS/2: Openchat/2

2. Setup and install the IRC client.

   Follow the instructions that come with the client. Read the README files.

3. Connect to irc.slashnet.org (or us.slashnet.org to get one of the US-based servers).

   In a GUI program like mIRC, you enter this server name in the connection box. In a text mode client like BitchX, you type "/server irc.slashnet.org" in the text area (without quotes, of course).

4. Join #theworldforum.

   After you have successfully connected to an IRC server, join the channel #theworldforum. In a GUI client like mIRC, you can do this via a dialog. In a text mode client like BitchX, you type "/j #theworldforum" in the text area (without quotes). mIRC and other GUI clients will accept "/join #theworldforum" in the main status window if you cannot find the proper dialog. Do not forget to press enter.

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What are some simple rules for IRC?

Most of these rules can be described as principles of "least annoyance" or "least effort" on the part of the person you're talking to (not on your part, necessarily, although sometimes this is also the case). If you find this principle onerous, remember that to everybody else, you are the person they are talking to and trying to avoid annoying...

• Feel free to say hi, just don't say hi to each person individually.
• Don't repeat yourself. It's entirely possible that everybody in the channel is simultaneously not paying attention, and will see what you said when they look back.
• Don't ask to ask a question. Just ask the question. If you feel this is rude, incorporate your introduction into the question. i.e. "hi, I'm new to The World Forum, can somebody tell me why I can't login?" instead of "hi, can I ask a question?"
• Don't ask a question without first attempting to figure it out for yourself, via research.
• Don't whine, beg, or guilt-trip. Questions get answered because people are friendly, not because they have a duty to answer.
• Try to phrase questions so they can be answered in as few words as possible.
• Don't use bold colons, mIRC colours, blinky text, or ANSI codes. They are considered to be obnoxious and are generally abused.
• Say nothing to an idiot, or about an idiot in his presence. It only gives the idiot attention. Simply put the idiot on /ignore as soon as you discern he is an idiot. Someone who is ignorant, but pretends to have knowledge, is probably an idiot.
• Set autoaway off. We don't care that you've been idle for 5 minutes.
• Don't let your client announce to the entire channel that you're away.
• Don't run a script that posts irrelevant things into the channel. We aren't interested in which mp3 your computer has just queued up.
• Don't initiate file transfers without the other user's consent.
• Make an attempt to chat in English, not IM shorthand. This is not to say that you must use full sentences with proper grammer and perfect spelling. Saying things like "oic" or "l8r" instead of "I see" or "later" is far more work for other people to read than it "saves" you work to type, and if you try to chat like that you will probably be ignored. See the "principle of least effort" at the top of this list.

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