[Bangalore-pm] Getting on IRC, and why it is important!

Jagadeesh N. Malakannavar mnjagadeesh at gmail.com
Fri Jun 14 09:34:40 PDT 2013


Hi,

I do not see anyone on #bangalore.pm? is there any special settings needed
for irssi?

Thanks


On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 4:40 PM, Ya'akov Sloman
<yaakov at perlfoundation.org>wrote:

> *In this email:*
>
>
>    - Getting Started with IRC
>    - IRC Clients
>    - Basic IRC Command Reference
>    - IRC Networks and Connection Details
>
>
> *Hello, Indian Perl Mongers.*
>
> I wanted to take a moment to encourage you to join the #bangalore.pm IRC
> channel on the MagNet IRC network.  IRC is the most common way to create a
> cohesive community in the Perl (and F/OSS) world.  It is lightweight,
> immediate, and highly interactive. (The URI to access the channel is
> irc://irc.perl.org/#bangalore.pm  If you have a handler configured for
> the irc:// schema, clicking that link, or pasting it into your browser
> might work automagically)
>
> Many of the people you have heard of in the perl community are regularly
> available on IRC, and many of the projects you use and are interested in
> have channels there.
>
> For a group like Bangalore.pm, IRC is an important way to keep the
> enthusiasm going and coordinate activities.  It is also a very practical
> source for help and a way to help others.
>
> There is a *bit* of a learning curve, but not much, really.  A little
> effort and a little patience will get you great results.  Let me run down
> the basics for you, and get you started
>
> *IRC Clients*
> The IRC protocol allows groups and individuals to pass messages in
> realtime.  It even allows direct client-to-client connections and file
> transfer.  To use all this you need an IRC client.  There are several to
> choose from, but I will only cover five options in this email to give an
> idea of the range.  I can recommend any of these options at effective, and
> with the exception of the quick-start web page I will talk about first, any
> can be used as your "permanent" solution.
>
> IRC on the Web
> There are several options for using IRC with your web browser, the one I
> will discuss here is Mibbit (http://mibbit.com/).  This is because Mibbit
> is quite good, and this email is already going to be long enough!
>
> *A Quick Start*
> To help you get started quickly, I have set up a Mibbit applet dedicated
> to connecting you properly.  You can find it at
> http://perlcommunity.org/irc/bangalore.pm  This is certainly the easiest
> way to connect if you are new to IRC.  When you visit the page, you will
> see an iframe with the applet in it.  It will generate a random nickname
> for you.  *Please replace this with a nickname that identifies you.*
>
> Your nickname must be unique to the network.  You can use whatever you'd
> like to identify yourself.  Your name, some combination of first and last,
> some sort of autonym (self-given name).  This "nick" will be your identity
> to the IRC world.  You can change it, but think about what you'd like to be
> known as and try to stick to it.  It gets confusing to others if you change
> your nick often.  If you forget, or want to change nicks while connected,
> all IRC clients support the "nick" command in the input box.  Just type:
>
> /nick <your chosen nickname>
>
> and hit enter.  The client will notify the server to change your nick.  If
> it is already in use, you will be notified.  On the MagNet network, where
> we have our channel, you cannot "register" a nickname, so you might
> accidentally use a nick someone else uses.
>
> If you get a private message saying "hey you are using my nick", please be
> polite and choose a new one.  If you show up one day and find someone else
> is using yours, please politely ask if it is their regular nick, and if
> not, if they would mind changing.
>
> On a network like freenode (irc.freenode.com) the server allows
> registration of nicknames and this isn't a problem. On MagNet, it is a
> matter of polite convention.  The technical solution is to create a *persistent
> connection* which is important for other reasons, and which I will
> mention below.
>
> *Using Mibbit Long-term*
> Some people like Mibbit as a permanent solution.  Visit http://mibbit.com/and sign up for an account.  This will allow persistent configuration and
> make using it easier.  The full Mibbit client is better than the applet
> above.  The weakest link is the lack of a persistent connection to IRC, but
> that can be handled by a proxy.  (If you are interested in proxies, contact
> me directly and I will help.)
>
> Mibbit is quite complete as an IRC client and is popular.  However, the
> advantages of a dedicated client over a web-based one make me suggest that
> Mibbit is not the ideal option for most people.
>
> GUI Clients
> Dedicated Clients offering graphical front ends can help make starting
> with IRC easier.  In the Perl community, command line clients are quite
> prevalent but there is no reason to make it more difficult if you find GUIs
> more comfortable
>
> *mIRC for Windows*
> If you are running Windows, mIRC (http://www.mirc.com/) is the obvious
> choice for a GUI client. (If you are *not* running Windows, or prefer a
> F/OSS solution, skip this section.) mIRC is *very* mature, having been
> around for more than a decade.  It is very full-featured and widely
> popular.  For this reason, there are many resources about getting started
> using mIRC on the web.  I am not sure of the current pricing model for
> mIRC, but you can download it free to try it in any case.  The important
> facts to help you get started are:
>
> Network: MagNet
> Server: irc.perl.org
> Channel: bangalore.pm
>
> Windows users should have little trouble using mIRC once you've untangled
> the IRC-specific bits of configuration.  mIRC is highly scriptable, though
> in a proprietary language.  I personally used mIRC for more than a decade
> before switching the the Irssi command line client (*see below*) so I
> have no problem recommending it.
>
> *To maintain a persistent connection, you will need a proxy or a machine
> that is always online.*
>
> *XChat (Multiplatform)*
> XChat (http://xchat.org/) is a very popular client that started off as a
> Linux-targeted X-Window client.  At this point, it will run under Windows
> as well as pretty much any Linux/UNIX variant.  It is highly scriptable,
> and does use Perl as a scripting language.  It's a bit harder to get
> started with than mIRC, but users who prefer XChat to mIRC have strong
> opinions about it.  The same details are needed to get you started:
>
> Network: MagNet
> Server: irc.perl.org
> Channel: bangalore.pm
>
> You can find help with XChat very easily, on the web and on IRC itself.
>
> *To maintain a persistent connection, you will need a proxy or a machine
> that is always online.*
>
> *Irssi (Multiplatform)*
> Irssi is the client I use.  It is a CLI (Command Line Interface,
> text-based) client. I use it on a VPS under screen, and with some shell
> scripting magic, whenever I open my MacBook Air, the sessions are restored.
>  Irssi is without a doubt the client with the steepest learning curve here.
>  On the other hand, once you've learned it, it's fast and easy.  There are
> other CLI clients, and if you find the text environment to your liking, you
> can look around for other options.
>
> Because using Irssi with screen (or tmux) for persistence is fairly
> technical, I will just run down the basics for people who already have some
> familiarity with using the *nix shell environment.  Screen is a program
> that allows you to have a program run, then "detach" from it and have it
> continue running.  Later, you can "reattach" and continue your session as
> if you never left.  All of the content will be there.  The basic invocation
> is:
>
> screen -S <session name>
>
> This provides a screen session with a name (making reattachment easier).
>  You will see a new shell prompt where you will start Irssi:
>
> irssi -c irc.perl.org -n <your nick>
>
> Irssi will connect and set your nickname.  At the Irssi prompt:
>
> /join #bangalore.pm
>
> And you are in!  At this point you can either explicitly detach your
> session using CTRL + A then D (CTRL + A is the screen command key) or
> simply disconnect (intentionally or unintentionally).  Later if you want to
> reattach, just ssh to your shell and execute:
>
> screen -X <session name>
>
> Using the -X flag means that you can have multiple connections at the same
> time, which is convenient if you have more than one machine and want to
> connect from more than one of them.
>
> As I said, Irssi is the most difficult of these options to get started
> with, but in my opinion, it is worth the trouble.  It's a different view of
> how to get things done than the GUI clients, and you might think of it as
> the vim (or emacs!) or IRC clients.
>
> *Basic Command Reference*
> To get started with IRC you only need a few commands.  All the clients
> support typing these commands into the input box.  Practice makes perfect.
>
> *Changing your Nick: /nick <nick>*
> Different networks have different limits on length of nickname.  If your
> nick doesn't change, check the status window of your client.  You may find
> that it is too long or contains an illegal character ("erroneous
> nickname").  The other possibility is someone else is already using it.
>
> *Joining a Channel: /join #<channel name>*
> The pound sign/hash (#) is part of the IRC convention.  Some clients will
> assume it, and put it in for you, but you can be sure by including it.
>  Channels are like "rooms" but don't call them that.  They are channels.
>  Channels can be "invite only" in which case someone in the channel must
> use /invite <your nick> to allow you to join.  You might also be banned
> from a channel.  This can be in error, or because a ban mask (e.g.:
> *!*@*.in) was made very broad.  Don't take it personally.  If you can find
> someone to help you who is on the channel, that's good.  But, keep in mind,
> IRC is not *always* the friendliest place.  People are like people
> everywhere, different from each other.  Of course, you will *always* be
> welcome on #bangalore.pm (unless you act like one of those other people!).
>
> *Sending a Private Message: /msg <nick>*
> This command allows you to send a message that only a single user can see.
>  In some clients it will open a new window for the conversation.  Be
> careful to make sure if you *think* you are speaking privately you really
> are, and to the right person!
>
> *Creating a Private Channel: /query <nick>*
> This command creates a new tab or window with a session for private chat.
>  It is otherwise like /msg, just intended to be persistent.  The same
> warnings about being certain your private talk is private and to the person
> you think apply.
>
> *Finding out about a Person: /whois <nick>*
> This will give you some information about the connection from the
> specified nick.  It can be helpful but also may not be.  It might appear in
> the channel window, the status window, or somewhere else depending on the
> client.
>
> There are many other commands which you can learn as you need them.  These
> will get you started.  In GUI clients, right-clicking on something will get
> you some of these options, or there may be menus to access them.  Under the
> hood, these options are doing what is described above.
>
> *IRC Networks*
> There are *many* IRC networks.  Each has it's own strengths and
> weaknesses.  A network is one or more servers running the IRC daemon, and
> linked together.  Any channels created are shared among the servers.
>  Connecting to the generic server name (e.g.: irc.perl.org) will provide
> you with one of the several servers in a round-robin fashion.  I will only
> mention three networks, but you will see in the clients that there are
> dozens.  These three should be more than enough unless you have some
> special need.
>
> *MagNet*
> MagNet (irc.perl.org) is the closest thing the Perl community has to an
> "official" IRC network.  Many projects on CPAN host IRC channels on the
> network.  This is where I established the Bangalore.pm since it is a Perl
> community group.  The channels of interest on this network are:
>
>    - #bangalore.pm
>    - #perl-help A friendly help channel
>    - #perl This is a "perl hackers' channel", it is *not* a help channel.
>     Join and read before talking!
>    - #<cpan project> You might find your favorite module or framework
>    here.
>
> *Freenode*
> Freenode (irc.freenode.net) is a network dedicated to F/OSS projects.  It
> is very popular, and the Perl channel on it is quite good.  It is worth
> checking out.  All clients can now connect to multiple networks so once you
> get used to MagNet, you can add Freenode.  The perl channel is #perl, and
> it is "friendlier" than #perl on MagNet because it is a help channel.
>
> *OFTC*
> OFTC (irc.oftc.net) was started as an alternative to Freenode.  Some
> (non-perl) F/OSS projects and interesting vendors (e.g.: Linode VPS) are
> hosted on it.  Try it out once you are more adept.
>
> So, get on IRC, today.  In fact, *now*!  It is a key part of most Perl
> groups, and really helps to keep the communication and enthusiasm flowing.
>  I am also here to help however I can.  I am very excited about Perl in
> India today.  I see a lot of smart, enthusiastic people with a great
> attitude.  Let's make India a center of Perl excellence and an example to
> other regions about how to do Perl community right!
>
> Namaste,
> Ya'akov
>
> --
> Ya'akov Sloman
> Community Advocate
> The Perl Foundation
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Bangalore-pm mailing list
> Bangalore-pm at pm.org
> http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/bangalore-pm
>



-- 

Thanks,
Jagadeesh N.Malakannavar
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