Fine. As this windows / MSN generation is so helpless, here's a walkthrough to IRC.
IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat. It is not peer to peer chat like MSN as in IRC you are on "channels" where people are chatting. Every channel has a "#" before them, so FullyRamblomatic irc channel is: #fullyramblomatic. This tutorial will guide you to #fullyramblomatic using mIRC - program.
1. Install the program. Installing is not different from any other program, but in case you are virtually limited, check
http://www.mirc.co.uk/install.html2. When installing is done, you should see a menu like this:
.
Write your name, email addres and nickname. Nickname should be unique, as "Matt" or "Joe" or "Yahtzee" are already taken.
3. In the same window, open the "servers" page. Here you can select the network you want to join. Every channel is on a network. We are on quakenet network, but there could also be a #fullyramblomatic channel on a different network. Select quakenet as Irc Network and then select a server to IRC Server box. Selecting Quakenet: Random server works in most of the cases. Hit "connect to server"
4. A lot of text should show up. These are normally the basic rules of this network, some ads or other not-important stuff. In case you get a error message, check your firewall or try different server (NOTE: Not network, server. Server such as Quakenet: Random US server. Do this in options -> servers - page).
5. If you succesfully connected to quakenet network, you should now see screen with lots of text and a typing area at the bottom of the screen. Type /join #fullyramblomatic or /j #fullyramblomatic to join our channel. You can also do this in "favorite channels (or "channel list")" window, which can be found under "Tools" menu.
6. If you see something similar to this:
http://koti.mbnet.fi...b/mirc_pic1.jpgyou have succesfully connected to #fullyramblomatic channel. With normal mIRC style settings your windows are most likely white. I have installed NoNameScript - plugin for mIRC and changed style settings, so it doesn't look like the template skin.
7. Chat. If you look at the user list to right, you can see the channel operators with @ in front of their names. Operators are normal irc users who "guard" the channel, remove unwanted visitors and change channel settings. The mysterious "L" on our channel is a quakenet "bot". He stays at the channel around the clock to keep the channel in our control, so someone doesn't come in when we are away and capture the channel for his own needs (don't know what he would benefit from that, though...). The L can be told different types of things he must do. For example, when I join the channel, L automatically makes me an operator. All you need to do now is chat. In case we don't answer, we are somewhere else. Just leave the channel window open and we will answer when we are back.
8. Pimp my ride - stage. There are dozens of features to be discovered. You can send files, make your mIRC connect to channels automatically when opening the program, changing skins... You can ask us about these things when you have joined the channel.
This post has been edited by Gekko: 12 October 2007 - 06:25 AM