My Little Pony XXXV: The Thread Everypony Should Know

[Titanium Fox]

Here's the IRC info. First page too, for once!

Titanium Fox & Jade's IRC info:

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Good News Everypony!

The #ponythread IRC channel is now online! Below is Jade's handy dandy guide to IRC! And for those who already know how IRC runs, the server and channel information is below the spoiler.

Jade Aurora's Handy Dandy Guide to IRC!

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Hi everypony, and welcome! I'm Jade, and I'll be your lovely assistant for this lesson! Not too many ponies are familiar with the Internet Relay Chat protocol, and that's where I'm here to help! For those who don't know, IRC is a chat protocol similar to AIM and MSN, instant messengers we're all familiar with. There's a few things you need to get IRC working, so let's take a look at what they are.

1. IRC Chat Client
2. Server and Server Information
3. Channel Name
4. Brief List of Important Commands

1. IRC Chat Client

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So, the first thing you need is a program that can handle IRC. These programs tend to be lightweight, and in some cases can be, or already are integrated into programs you already use every day. For example, do you use the web browser Opera or the Instant Messaging Client Pidgin? Then you already have a program capable of supporting your server. If this is the case, you can skip on down to the next section. If not however, you're gonna need to download one.

Personally, I recommend one such as XChat 2 or mIRC, but it's really not hard to find your own alternative. Just remember, don't be tricked into paying for an IRC client. There are tons upon tons of free options out there.

2. Server and Server Information

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Okay, so you've got a program that can run IRC. Now what do you do? Well, first things first you need to do is figure out what server you're going to be connecting to. In our case, you will be connecting to:



This is usually pretty simple. It'll be a different process for each separate client, but they all tend to be pretty similar. There's generally a tools tab, followed by an options tab. There will be a field looking for the server to connect to. Type in what's in the quote box above, enter a username (you don't need to register it if you don't want to, that will be covered in section 4), and you're good to go! It should connect to the main page of the Sorcery IRC server. From there, you can go hunting for your channel.

3. Channel Name

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This is a pretty simple one. In our case, the channel name is:



And you know how you join that? Just type into the text box at the bottom of your IRC client "/join #ponythread" and you're in! There's a bit more we can do with chanels though. Say you want to see if there are any other pony related channels in the server. Well, from any window on the Sorcery server, you can type in "/list" to get a list of all of the channels on the server. From there, you can use the "/join" command to join that channel too! Most channels have a # preceding their name, so remember that.

4. Brief List of Important Commands

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/msg [NAME] This allows you to send a private message to [NAME].
/msg NickServ This allows you to send a message to the Nickname Server on the Sorcery IRC network. You can type "/msg NickServ HELP" from any window to get help with your nickname. This includes registering a floating nickname, changing the password on your nickname, and other different commands you can check out from there.
/list This allows you to see a list of all channels on the current server.

This list will be edited as time goes on, and more commands become pertinent.

IRC Server Information Standalone:

ATTENTION ONCE AGAIN EVERYPONY.

...Wow, I should probably stop doing that, huh?

We have a mibbit link for those ponies who don't want to download anything! Just click the mibbit link at the bottom of this post and you'll be brought to a web based IRC client, and dropped directly into the chat room.

#ponythread on IRC.Sorcery.net

Also, Trixie, can I request that both this link and the prior post about IRC which includes the Guide and Server information go in the next OP?

It's really not that hard!
You know I hate you, right? I just want that on record.
...This can't be any more embarrassing than that picture Psycho drew of you in Midnight's Leather.
Point.

All you have to do is get a brand new client,
Download it, don't pay!
Next just figure out the server credentials,
So easy, child's play!

Just /join, and you're almost there,
Ponychat is in your future.
Make sure you've got the username you want,
And you'll be in the chat in seconds!

IRC! So quick and easy!
IRC! Don't get so queasy!
IRC! IRC! IRC!

I know where you sleep Titanium.

Hello, everypony! There have been a lot of questions about certain IRC features, and so I was convinced (by myself) to write up a list of FAQs to supplement Jade's guide. Hers includes everything you need just to connect, mine includes some slightly more advanced material. When this is reposted in the new thread, it can either be kept separate like this, or we could just combine them.

Inkblot's Answers to Common IRC Questions!

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1. What does it mean to have a voice?
   
   There are a number of different designations that can be assigned to IRC users, to determine what privileges they hold in a channel. The designation you'll see most frequently is +v, for voice. This is represented in the list of people in the channel by a + before someone's name in mIRC, or the image of a speaker after someone's name on mibbit. What having a voice means is that the user in question can continue to chat unhindered even if the channel is set to +m, for mute!
   
   Setting a channel to mute prevents anyone without a voice from speaking. This is something that we might do if we were to ever be infested by spammy parasprites who were making it impossible to have real conversation, so that then only the ponies we know and recognize could talk.
   
   You can be given a voice by anyone with OP (operator) or H-OP (half-operator) status, the former represented by a @ (or a star in Mibbit), and the latter by a % (or half of a star). These are the people who can kick or ban disruptive users, change channel modes, etc etc. Ops have more privileges in this regards than hops do.
   
   
   
2. How do I speak using colored font? Or in bold, or italics, or underlined?
   
   This will vary depending on your choice of IRC client.
   
   In Mibbit, it's simple! You just use the "colours" button down at the bottom of the screen, below the chat bar.
   
   In mIRC, pressing ctrl+k will bring up a box showing a number of different colors. You can then choose one and it will automatically enter the appropriate color code. You can then type whatever it was you wanted colored. If you put a comma immediately after your color code, and then enter another color code, the first number will be the color of your text, and the second will be the color of your text's background. For example, ctrl+k - 4,1Testing would result in red font with a black background.
   
   In mIRC, you can also use ctrl+b for bold text, ctrl+i for italics, ctrl+u to underline, and ctrl+o to make any text entered after that point default to normal. Alternatively, you can highlight whatever it is you want changed with your mouse, before entering it, and then use the ctrl+k/b/i/u commands to change just that part of what you had written.
   
   If you use a different IRC client, please consult its documentation, or try Google. We can't help there!
   
   
   
3. How do I register my nickname?
   
   Registering your nickname is a requirement for you to be auto-voiced or auto-oped upon joining (otherwise, a moderator needs to do so manually). It also allows you to protect yourself from anyone who might try and "steal" it, using your name for themselves. All you need is an e-mail address; just follow these easy steps!
   
   First, type "/nickserv register *DESIRED PASSWORD* *your e-mail*". So, for example, "/nickserv register mypassword123 [email protected]"
   
   Make sure that the e-mail address you entered was valid. Your IRC nickname will be tied to it.
   
   Wait a few minutes, then go and check your e-mail. You should have one that looks something like this:
   
   

   Hi,
   
   You have requested to register the nickname "PoniesAreAwesome".
   
   Please type " /msg NickServ confirm yLh5NhewS " into your IRC client to complete the registration.
   
   If you don't know why this mail has been sent to you, please ignore it.
   
   This mailbox is not monitored. Replies to this e-mail will NOT get responded to.
   
   Thanks for using SorceryNet

   It will be from [email protected], and the topic will be something following the format of "Nickname Registration (YourNameHere)." Just follow the instructions in the e-mail, and you're registered!
   
   After registering, you'll need to confirm yourself each time you log in, by typing "/nickserv identify *insert password here*". You don't /need/ to, but features like auto-op won't function unless you do.
   

If anyone has more questions, feel free to ask, and I'll do my best to answer.