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====Chat Room (Internet Relay Chat)====
~**IRC** is a form of instant messaging over the Internet. It is intended for group (many-to-many) communication in discussion forums called channels, but also allows one-to-one communication.

~The easiest way to join our chatroom when you are using Puppy is to **click on the Chat icon on the desktop**

==Using IRC Programs==
~If you have an IRC-enabled browser (e.g. [[Opera]] or [[SeaMonkey]]/[[Firefox]] with [[ChatZilla]] installed), go to irc://irc.freenode.net/puppylinux in your browser and then pick your nickname. If that doesn't work then with other IRC-capable programs like [[Ayttm]], [[Pidgin]]/[[Gaim]], [[XChat X-Chat]] (now called 'Hexchat'), irrsi, etc. enter **irc.freenode.net** as the chat server and **#puppylinux** as the channel in the appropriate places.

==Accessing the Puppy Linux Chat Without an IRC Program Installed==
~If you have no IRC program installed or prefer not to you may use the [[http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=puppylinux Freenode Web Access]] site and any browser. You may either enter any nickname you wish but to [[http://freenode.net/kb/answer/registration use a Freenode registered nickname]] then check the box for “Auth to services” and also enter your username and password.

==Chat Room Rules==
~Use of the [[http://freenode.net Freenode]]-hosted channel is subject to [[http://freenode.net/policies#off-topic-use Freenode's policies]] //and// [[http://freenode.net/changuide guidelines]].
~Also see, [[ChatRoomRules | Puppy Chat Room Rules]]

==Using Web-based Clients==
~SearchIRC offers [[http://searchirc.com/search.php?I=%23puppylinux&N=59&F=exact another Java chat]] that requires [[http://www.java.com/ Java]] & [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript JavaScript]]. Make sure to click on the **#puppylinux** link for it to popup the new chat window.

~You may also use the normal [[http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=puppylinux Freenode Web Chat]] site and most any somewhat modern browser. You may either enter any nickname you wish but to [[http://freenode.net/kb/answer/registration use a Freenode registered nickname]] then check the box for Auth to services and also enter your username and password. There's also the secure [[https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=puppylinux Freenode Web Chat]] which sometimes doesn't stay connected as long.

==Once Connected==
~{{image url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/HolyGeek/tuxfurryIRC3.png" title="connect graphic" alt="connect graphic"}}

==Registering a Nick name==
Click on Freenode
type
**/nick mynickname**
where **nickname** is your preferred name
(you will be prompted if not available)

Then register that preference by typing
/msg nickserv REGISTER <password> <email>
adding your preferred password and email
like so
**/msg nickserv REGISTER mypassword mynickname@gmail.com**

you will then get an email
and you can then follow the instructions
to complete registration

==Hints and tips on using IRC (Gaim specific but helpful)==
1) When using Gaim across several networks (Yahoo, MSN, IRC, etc.) simultaneously I find the Auto-login to every network rather cumbersome. My personal preference is to set all of my accounts so I have to manually log in.
1) When you open Gaim, instead of selecting a specific account and then clicking the sign in button, I click the ACCOUNTS button and then place a checkmark in the ONLINE button of each account I wish to use during that Gaim session. This way you only have one instance of Gaim with several network windows, rather than 3 instances of Gaim with 1 network each.
1) When chatting on multiple channels, if someone types something, that channel tab text will turn red (or another color) letting you know that someone is talking there.
1) You may hold a private conversation with someone by double clicking their name. This opens a new window where you and that person may chat "backchannel". //See rule #4 above!//
1) Gaim and others have a nice file-sharing system called DCC. If you want/need to share a file, it is nice to open a private conversation to discuss the file, then right click the recipients name and select send file. They will only receive the file if they accept it. IT IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA TO SET YOUR DCC TO AUTO-ACCEPT.
1) Some channels have "bots". Bots are applications that loiter on an IRC channel to keep it open, log visitors, play trivia games with you, etc. Don't chat with them...they don't talk back. Wink Bots may be programmed to be malicious however, so be careful.
1) Some IRC servers parade your IP address for everyone to see by using a simple /whois command. Puppy is a nice OS in that if you have your firewall on, it appears relatively "invisible" and doesn't seem to respond to ping attempts.
1) See [[http://irchelp.org IRChelp.org]] for lots more info about using IRC.

==Puppy Chat Rooms==
~Chat rooms (irc.freenode.net server)
~English: # puppylinux
~Spanish: # puppy-es
~Spanish: # puppy-click

==Related Pages==
~[[ChatRoomRules | Puppy Chat Room Rules]]
~[[ChatRoomTranslate | IRC Translation]]
~[[WikiPedia:Internet_Relay_Chat IRC on Wikipedia]]
~[[http://www.meebo.com/room/puppylinux1/ Meebo]]

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==Categories==
CategoryCommunity
CategoryNetworking