IRC Basics for TriZPUGlians

TriZPUG at Duke on 5/22/08

Chris Calloway and Josh Johnson

University of North Carolina

What is IRC?

• An acronym for Internet Relay Chat
• A collection of IETF RFCs
• A collection of networks on teh intarwebs

Internet Relay Chat

• You have an IRC client
• You connect your client to an IRC network
• You join one or more channels on that network
• You chat with other people connected to the channel
• You chat to one channel at a time
• You are chatted at by many people in many channels at once

IETF RFC

• Internet Engineering Task Force
• Request for Comments
• RFC 1459 = IRC Protocol in 1993
• First RFC in 1969
• SMTP in 1982
• HTTP in 1996

RFC 1459

• Superceded in 2000
• RFC 2810 IRC Architecture
• RFC 2811 IRC Channel Management
• RFC 2812 IRC Client Protocol
• RFC 2813 IRC Server Protocol

A Collection of Networks

• Channels exist on one network
• Connect to one channel at a time
• Chat on one network at a time
• Many networks

Single Network Architecture

                           [ Server 15 ]  [ Server 13 ] [ Server 14]
                                 /                \         /
                                /                  \       /
        [ Server 11 ] ------ [ Server 1 ]       [ Server 12]
                              /        \          /
                             /          \        /
                  [ Server 2 ]          [ Server 3 ]
                    /       \                      \
                   /         \                      \
           [ Server 4 ]    [ Server 5 ]         [ Server 6 ]
            /    |    \                           /
           /     |     \                         /
          /      |      \____                   /
         /       |           \                 /
 [ Server 7 ] [ Server 8 ] [ Server 9 ]   [ Server 10 ]

Many Networks

• EFNet
• First
• Eurocentric
• Finnish
• Anarchist ("Eris Free Network")
• IRCNet
• Split from EFNet in 1996
• Europe and Asia
• GalaxyNet, GamesNet, QuakeNet, UnderNet

Freenode

• Tax-exempt volunteer organization
• Mostly open source projects
• #python
• #zope3-dev
• #mapserver
• #openplans
• #vice
• #getpaid

#trizpug

Get Started

• Get a client
• Firefox :: ChatZilla
• Mac :: XChat Aqua, Colloquy
• Linux :: XChat, Pidgin (Gaim)
• Install from repository
• Windows :: XChat, mIRC ($$)

Get Connected

• Client dependent
• May send other commands to server
• Select a network
• /networks
• Pick a nickname
• /nick name
• Connect
• /attach network
• /server hostname [port [password]]
• Port 6667 by default
• May need identd port (113) and service enabled for some networks

Get Help

• Client
• /commands
• /help
• /help command
• Server
• /msg ChanServ help
• /msg NickServ help
• /msg NickServ help command

Get Registered

• So you can keep your nickname
• So you can privately chat
• So you can join #python
• So you can register channels
• So you can operate channels
• /msg NickServ REGISTER password
• No SSL on freenode!!!

Get Registered Part Two

• /msg NickServ SET PASSWORD newpassword
• /msg NickServ SET EMAIL me@me.com
• /msg NickServ HELP SET

Login

• /msg NickServ IDENTIFY password
• You should not do this in a channel window

Join a Channel

• /join #trizpug

Address the Whole Channel

• somebody 2 teach me how to plone, plz?
• Not a command
• No leading /
• Take time to understand good IRC netiquette
• Some channels are logged
• #trizpug is not logged
• However, individual users might keep their own logs
• Impolite to publish logs you keep without warning

Explain Youself

• /me feels pretty today
• Results in cbcunc feels pretty today
• Addressed to no one in particular

Address Individuals on the Channel

• cbcunc: what time do you want to meet for lunch?
• robline: idunno. when does the bbq joint open?
• Not a command
• Simply a convention
• Most clients will flash when your nickname is detected
• Courteous to use when addressing one person in the channel
• But extensive one on one communications should be taken off-channel

Private Chat

• /msg robline did you get my email?
• Not seen by rest of channel
• Opens a new channel window with robline
• Opens a new channel window in your client if robline replies
• Conversation can continue in private channel
• Impolite to overuse
• /query robline message opens new private channel immediately

Party Channel

• /msg robline,jjmojojjmojo which of you is the nerdiest?
• nicknames separated by commas

Presence Check

• robline: ping
• Simply a convention
• cbcunc: pong
• Conventional response
• Seen by entire channel
• Equally valid in private chat
• Impolite to overuse
• Not to be confused with /ping command

More Secure Private Chat

• /dcc chat robline
• Sends robline a request for DCC chat
• Direct Client Connection
• /dcc chat cbcunc
• Completes the DCC connection from the other end
• Bypasses IRC servers
• Unaffected by "net splits"

More Secure Private Chat Part Two

• /msg =robline are you coming to the meeting tonight?
• Notice the =
• Messages robline over previously established DCC channel
• /dcc close
• Ends DCC channel

More Secure Private Chat Part Three

• /dcc send robline setup.py
• Initiates file transfer to robline
• /dcc get cbcunc setup.py
• /Accepts file transfer invitation

Broadcast Code to Channel

• http://pastebin.com/
• Then send resulting URL to channel
• Do not paste code in a channel!!!

Leave a Channel

• /part #trizpug smell ya later
• Sends smell ya later to entire channel
• Message optional
• Stay connected to network and other joined channels

Disconnect from Network

• /quit see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya
• Sends see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya to entire channel
• Leaves all channels
• Disconnects from network
• /attach or /server to reconnect

Probe Users Registered Identity

[16:44] === cbcunc  �cbcunc�
[16:44] === cbcunc: member of #mapserver, #python, #zco,
            #zope3-dev, #nycpython, #openplans, #zpugdc, #plone,
            @#trizpug, and @#secooradm
[16:44] === cbcunc: attached to leguin.freenode.net �Ume�, SE, EU�
[16:44] === cbcunc is identified to services
[16:44] === cbcunc: idle for 5 hours, 41 seconds
            (on since Wednesday, May 21, 2008 9:33:50 PM)
[16:44] --- End of WHOIS information for cbcunc.

Ignore User

• /ignore robline ALL
• Suppresses output from robline to your screen
• /ignore robline NONE
• Turns robline output back on

Create a New Channel

• /join #jjmojoisking
• /msg ChanServ REGISTER #jjmojoisking password
• /msg ChanServ ACCESS #jjmojoisking ADD robline
• /msg ChanServ OP #jjmojoisking
• /msg ChanServ SET #jjmojoisking EMAIL jjmojo@isking.com
• /msg ChanServ SET #jjmojoisking ENTRYMSG channel entry message

Channel Management

• Requires channel operator status
• /topic channel topic
• /kick bac bad boy!
• Knocks bac off the channel and send him a bad boy! message
• /ban bac
• Adds bac to the list of banned users for the channel
• /unban bac
• Removes bac to the list of banned users for the channel

Channel Management Part Two

• "bot" - a program
• Acts like a logged in user
• Can be joined to a channel
• Listens/responds to the channel
• /msg ChanServ SET channel GUARD ON
• Creates a perpetual "nanny bot" on the channel
• Keeps channel from expiring

Python

• irclib
• Build clients and bots
• Must understand RFCs
• Documentation: read the included sample programs