Archive for internet relay chat
The conceptual model of Internet Relay Chat(IRC)
From Yesterday’s post you now know how to connect to IRC, it’s time to get familiar with the way it works. It is essential to understand the IRC model of networks, servers, channels, and users to chat with individuals and groups alike. IRC is quite often a free-for-all, where unique nicknames are allocated to the first people to ask for them. If you are lucky enough to get the nickname you want, this chapter will show you how to protect this valuable asset and ensure that you can always use it when you reconnect to that particular IRC network.
If you are totally new to IRC, you may be wondering where to begin. Understand the conceptual model of Internet Relay Chat for a good start.
Internet Relay Chat was originally implemented so that users of bulletin board systems could chat with one another in real time. It has grown considerably since then, and thousands of networks of servers are now available for public use. The IRC protocol is text based, so programs that connect to IRC servers are easy to write.
Network of Servers
Each IRC network consists of at least one server. If there is more than one server, they are linked together to form a spanning tree. A spanning tree is a structure that allows each server in the network to communicate with all the other servers in the network, even if there is no direct connection between them. Because the servers in an IRC network are connected like this, two users can talk to each other even if they are using different servers on the same IRC network.
Clients
Anything that connects to an IRC server that is not another server is called a client. This includes the set of programs that most people use to chat with each other on IRC. An IRC client can connect directly to one of the servers on the IRC network and allow the user to chat with other users on the network. When a private message is sent to another client, it is sent via the IRC network, so there is no need for a separate connection to be made.
Each client that connects to an IRC network must have a unique nickname. Some servers still enforce a limit of nine characters for this nickname, but most servers these days allow much longer nicknames. Nicknames cannot contain spaces or certain punctuation characters.
Newbies Guide to Internet Slang
I have tried to collect here some of the slang used around the Internet in chat rooms and forums and on IMs. Bookmark this for future reference.
0-9
1337 (written in ASCII) – From the word Leet, derived from the word elite
2 – too, or to
4 – For
A
AFAICR/S/T – As far as I can recall / remember / see / tel
AFAIK – As far as I know
AFK – Away from keyboard 
ANFSCD – And Now For Something Completely Different. Used to change the subject of conversation.
ASAP – As soon as possible
ASL – Age / sex / location
ATEOTD – At The End of the Day
ATM – At the moment
AWOL – Absent Without (Official) Leave
AYBABTU (also abbreviated as AYB) – All your base are belong to us (from the video game Zero Wing)
B
B2B – Business to Business
B& and/or B7- Banned
BBIAB – Be back in a bit Read More
