Foreword
In order to make it as comfy as possible to get access to our home channel, we wrote this FAQ. After reading this article everybody should be able to install the IRC (Internet Relay Chat) software, log in and chat.
What is IRC?
Source: Wikipedia
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a form of instant communication over the Internet. It is mainly designed for group (many-to-many) communication in discussion forums called channels, but also allows one-to-one communication.
IRC was created by Jarkko Oikarinen (nickname "WiZ") in late August 1988 to replace a program called MUT (MultiUser talk) on a BBS called OuluBox in Finland. Oikarinen found inspiration in Bitnet Relay Chat which operated on the Bitnet network.
Find out more about that topic: Wikipedia - article about IRC
IRC Software / mIRC
If you want to use IRC, you need an IRC client, a special program, connecting you to the IRC network and providing an interface. There is a big variety of IRC-clients available, the most popular are mIRC, Virc and Pirch. We recommend using mIRC, being a solid and approved client.
If you want to download mIRC just click here for a choice of different download sites.
Once you downloaded the software, you can install it to any folder.
Configuration of mIRC
If you run mIRC for the first time, a window pops up automatically, allowing you to do all the necessary adjustments.
In the window you insert your name, email-address and your desired nickname. If you click on the orange star, a server menu will pop up and you have to select QuakeNet: Random Server. The required settings are made and with a click on Connect to Server you will log in.
Enter the Pokerstrategy.de Channel and start chatting
While connecting to the Quakenet you might wonder what the text you see passing by is all about. Well, don’t care about it - it's just technical status messages.
MIRC is built-up like any other IRC-Client; you have a big window where you can find the text-output above and the text-input below. In order to open the pokerstrategy channel you just need to insert: /join #pokerstrategy. A new window will pop up, which consists of three different parts. The big part in the middle is the chat, on the right side you will find all users being in the channel and the part below is your text-input window.
IRC Commands
Following commands can be used on the IRC network. Every command is preceded by a /.
join: To join a chat room
i.e.: /join #pokerstrategy
part: To leave a chat room
i.e.: /part #pokerstrategy
quit: Cancels the connection to the server and sends a leaving message if wanted.
i.e.: /quit ; /quit c ya later
nick: Changes the nickname
i.e.: /nick RiverLucker
whois: Choose information of the selected user.
i.e.: /whois Stargoose
who: Even more information
i.e.: /who Stargoose
whowas: Gives information about when the user has been logged in for the last time.
i.e.: /whowas Stargoose
me: Marks an action of the writer. This action will be displayed in a different way.
i.e.: /me is on tilt. Will be displayed as: Nickname is on tilt
query: Opens a private chat room with a specific user.
i.e.: /query Stargoose
away: This command activates the ‚away’-mode. Other users who are trying to query you will be shown a message if you have left one. This message will also be displayed if someone uses the /whois command.
i.e.: /away ; /away do not bother me
list: This command will show a list of all joinable channels. Channel-Name, number of users, and the channel topic will be displayed. If you add #Channel (i.e. #*.de or #part-of-the-word) and the maximum or minimum number of chatters, you might be able to make your search more precise.
i.e.: /list #poker ; /list #poker -min 5 -max 200
names: shows all users being in a certain channel
i.e.: /names #pokerstrategy
Links
mIRC Homepage
good alternative IRC-Client (xchat)
Please feel free to give us feedback to this article. We will answer your questions as soon as possible.
Your PokerStrategy Team
Written by Stargoose