[ The PC Guide ]

The PC Guide Live Chat Channel - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This page provides answers to the most common questions related to The PC Guide Live Chat Channel. It is broken into several topic sections for easier reference. If there's a question you have that is not answered here, do this:

• If the question is a general one about how IRC works, please check this site for general IRC help. I beg you, please do not send me general questions about how IRC works or I may regret having set this up. :^)
• If the question is related specifically to something going on in The PC Guide Live Chat Channel, email me.
• Please do not email me before reading this FAQ--that's why it is here.

Preliminaries:

• What is IRC? What is The PC Guide Live Chat Channel? How do I participate? The PC Guide Live Chat Channel is a live discussion channel that works on the worldwide IRC (Internet Relay Chat) network called AustNet. For more information on IRC, the channel, and how to join, see this page.
• What is the relationship between the IRC channel and the Discussion Forums? Nothing, really. They are separate entities and operate independently. Some of the participants on the forums also participate on the IRC channel, of course.
• Does it cost anything to use The PC Guide Live Chat Channel? No, it's free, except that you may need to purchase an IRC client if you want to use one.
• What are the terms and conditions for using The PC Guide Live Chat Channel? Please read this page carefully.
• I am new to IRC and need a primer. What do you recommend? Please read this introduction.

IRC Command "How-To" Questions:

• Where can I get help with IRC and IRC commands? I have included some basic IRC command help below. However, note that IRC clients vary, so the answers below may not work for all clients. The best place to find help for your particular IRC client is to use its built-in help facility! Since many excellent IRC help sites exist, I chose not to re-invent the wheel. If the "how-to" you need is not below, or what I suggested doesn't work for your particular client, check this site for general IRC help.
• Where can I find more information on AustNet? Right here.
• How do I connect to a server? Use the command "/server <servername>". For example, "/server us.austnet.org".
• How do I join a channel? Use the command "/join #<channel>". For example, "/join #pcg".
• How do I change my nickname? Use the command "/nick <nickname>". For example, "/nick JohnDoe". Note that the AustNet system allows nicknames to be registered. If you choose a nickname that someone else has registered, you will need to change to a different nick.
• How do I chat? Just type something in the entry box. It will be sent to the channel.
• How do I perform an action? Use the command "/me action". For example, if you are JohnDoe and type "/me waves goodbye" then everyone will see "* JohnDoe waves goodbye". Just a different way of chatting.
• How do I send a private message to another user? Use the command "/msg <nickname> text". For example, "/msg JohnDoe How are you today, John?"
• How do I see a list of who is on the channel? Some clients will show you a list in a box on the screen. For others, use "/who #<channel>". For example, "/who #pcg".
• There is someone who is messaging me or whose comments I don't want to see. Can I block them? Yes: use the ignore command: "/ignore <nickname>" or "/ignore <nickname> all". For example, "/ignore JohnDoe all" will make JohnDoe essentially disappear for you. Note that "ignore"ing channel operators is not a great idea, as they may need to communicate something important to you.
• How do I shut down the chat when I am done? Use the "/quit" command. Or, just close your client window. Say goodbye first! :^)
• How do I register my nickname to make sure nobody else uses it? Nicknames can be registered for exclusive use through AustNet's NickOP service. For assistance with NickOP, send a message to it containing the term "help", like this: "/msg NickOP help". To register, change to the nickname you want, and send "/msg NickOp register <password> <emailaddress>". Always pick a password that is easy for you to remember and hard for others to guess (NOT your first name or your nickname, or other obvious guesses) and never tell anyone your password.

General IRC and Security Questions:

(Again here, I am covering just the very basics, to avoid duplicating excellent sites that already exist. If you need more assistance, check this site for general IRC help.)

• In the list of users, some of them have an "@" next to them. What does that mean? The "@" sign identifies those users as channel operators, or "ops".
• What's a channel operator? An operator is someone assigned by the channel owner to manage and administer the channel. Operators have the ability to do things like changing the channel topic, setting its operating modes, and removing users who do not follow the rules.
• What are all those weird acronyms I keep seeing people use? To save time typing, many common abbreviations have come into general use on IRC. There are dozensof them; try here for a complete list. These are some of the most commonly found ones on IRC (they may be upper case or lower case):
  • AFK: Away From Keyboard. Used when someone has stepped away from their computer.
  • BBIAB: Be Back In A Bit.
  • BRB: Be Right Back
  • CAPS: Someone is reminding you not to type in all capital letters, which is a breach of IRC etiquette.
  • IIRC: If I Recall Correctly.
  • IM(H)O: In My (Humble) Opinion
  • J/K: Just Kidding.
  • OTOH: On The Other Hand
  • LOL: Laugh Out Loud. Someone was amused by something.
  • NP: No Problem.
  • ROFLMAO: Rolling On the Floor Laughing My A-- Off. Someone was very amused by something.
  • TTYL: Talk To You Later.
  • <g>: Grin. Similar to varies "smileys" like :^) and :-) that convey emotion in a text medium.
• Somebody sent me a message claiming to be an administrator, asking for my password. Do I give it to them? No. NEVER give passwords to anyone on IRC.
• Somebody I don't know tried to send me a file or invite me to another channel. What should I do? If you don't know the person, ignore them. If they persist in sending you messages, use the ignore command (see the preceding section). Do not download files sent from strangers; they may contain viruses or trojans.

Also see the next section for FAQs related to The PC Guide Live Chat Channel specifically.

The PC Guide Live Chat Channel Operation and Use Questions:

• I asked a question and nobody answered. Why? A variety of reasons. First, some of the people listed as logged in to the channel may be away from their computers. It may be that other conversations are going on and nobody noticed your question. Or, it may simply be that nobody online at that time knows how to help you.
• But I really need help immediately! Be patient. Someone may answer. After a few minutes, if nobody has replied, try asking again. However, do not flood the channel with the same question over and over, or you risk being removed from the channel.
• I was told not to type in all capital letters. Why? Many IRC users find it annoying. Since capital letters are sometimes used FOR EMPHASIS, long strings of capital letters are considered by some to be the equivalent of "yelling".
• Somebody is being rude or violating the rules of the channel. What should I do? Tell an operator on the channel, using a private message (see the IRC Command "How-To" section if you need assistance.) They will take appropriate action.
• I sent a message to an operator but they did not respond. Now what? They may be away from their computer or on a different window. Try messaging a different operator. If there are no operators on the channel and there is a problem of some sort, send me an email, but please do so only if the matter really requires immediate attention.
• I see someone named "ChanOP" on the channel all the time--who is that? That's the Channel Operator, which is not a person, but actually a computer server. It is used by the (human) channel operators to manage the channel.
• I was trying to find you, Charles, but can't see you. Where are you? I am registered with the nickname "ixl".
• I sent you a message or asked you something in the channel, but you never responded. Why? I am probably not around. My IRC client stays in the channel pretty much all the time, but I am not always on the computer. I may be away from the computer or on a different window. You can try sending me a message, but if I am not online, I can't respond.
• Who are the other operators? Look for someone with "@" next to their nickname in the channel's user list. Note that they may or may not be present themselves.
• Can I be an operator? No. :^) Well, regular participants who show themselves to be well-behaved and mature may be asked if they would like to be made an operator. However, we will not grant operator status to someone just because they ask. On IRC, asking for operator status is often considered a sign that someone isn't ready to be made an operator--it's considered poor etiquette.

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