Why do irc channels start with

This is a very common problem, either try switching to another server on the same network, or just use the web search features below. For more information on why this happens, see our channel list troubleshooting guide. These external sites each boast s of channels on s of nets. This is the best way to find public channels that match your interests.

Select the link to go to those sites directly, or just type in a keyword into either of the blanks below and we will submit your request for you. To list all channels over ! Do not include wildcards like asterisks. Enter channel name or topic keyword: Number of users: minimum 2 maximum 2 if you want bigger channels, set the minimum to 25 or more. We use cookies to make wikiHow great.

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Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Download and install one of the many IRC Clients that are available. A client is the software that you use in order to interact with the chat environment.

Wikipedia has a comparison of various IRC clients here. Opera includes a built-in IRC client. These two in particular are very feature rich and highly extensible - especially the former. There are numerous web clients that can be used to access IRC. These are often found on the website of the organization that has an IRC room or channel. These will usually limit you to access to a particular channel or network. It can probably be found in the software repository of your Linux distribution of choice, if not preinstalled.

Unlike XChat before it, HexChat is completely open source software and free of charge on all platforms. Colloquy is free and open source. Refer to the user guide and help which should be available for your client; these will tell you how to perform common tasks with your software.

The first thing that you will need to do is supply the name by which you wish to be known. This may be either your real name or any other title of your choice. People often choose not to reveal their personal details. Often the software will include a list of some of the world's most popular IRC servers; and you should peruse these, if there are no servers that you have a special interest in. Their names will often indicate whether they are aimed at a particular audience.

Popular servers also known as networks include EFNet , and QuakeNet a network generally aimed at gamers. These all have over , users on around the clock. You can connect to any of these networks using your client. Before profile photos and centralized social media became common, you could easily choose an online persona and occupy it with a low risk of public repercussions.

Some found this threatening , but it was also very liberating for people in marginalized groups, who could exist online without judgment. Today, that sense of anonymity, while not entirely extinct , is rarer. For many of us, our on- and offline selves have merged on social networking platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Often, that profile is also linked to photos of you, as well as your family, friends, and coworkers.

Connecting to IRC today is easier than ever thanks to the client programs available for all major platforms. However, there are plenty of reasonable people out there, too.

You just have to find a server and channel community that fits your personal style. This IRC Channel search tool hosted by netsplit. It searches across many IRC servers for topics you might want to talk about. Ultimately, IRC is still a great way to let off some steam, make friends with complete strangers, talk about technical interests, and, potentially, even get some good advice.