IRC: How to connect to the Llamasoft channel

[PVB]

Here's my way of doing it;

Get a chat program like Trillian:

http://www.trillian.cc/

It accepts all the other popular chat program details (ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, etc.) and you don't get loads of spam!

Once it's installed and setup for your particular requirements, you join the llamasoft channel like this:

Start up Trillian, then bring up the Connection Manager:



Then select:

IRC as the chat medium, Blitzed: Random server, the Nickname you want to use, an Alternate (if the one you want is already taken, you may have to re-do these if both are taken), your e-mail addy, User Info (whatever you want), then click on Save Personal Info.
You can choose whether to have these on all other chat rooms or not as you wish, click on the buttons as required.

On the next tab:



Ensure that the User ID is your primary Nickname. The others should already be there.

On the last tab:



Type in the box as shown here:

/NickServ IDENTIFY password;/join #llamasoft

Putting an actual password in where the word password is in the /Nickserv text.

Then you can click on the Connect button at top-right and you should connect,
although if you don't it may be Trillian/Blitzed has problems, or you did something wrong, so check it anyway.

If I've got anything wrong please let me know and I'll edit this post before it's made into a sticky!

[Dax]

Some additional information for those who may be unable to access the "irc.blitzed.org" server on the standard port of 6667 due to a firewall. The URL
http://cgiirc.blitzed.org/irc.cgi
may be used via a browser to connect to the IRC server.

Use of this method to connect is not recommended if you can use a standard client, as it is slower and imposes more of a load on the server.

If you simply find yourself on a computer where you can't install an IRC client, but can access the standard port, the URL
http://www.blitzed.org/java/chat.phtml
may be helpful (this is linked off the main page on the Blitzed website, as well). Java needs to be enabled in your browser.

Finally, if you use an Apple Macintosh, the site
http://www.ex.ac.uk/~jastaple/irc/irchelp.html
is one location that lists clients available for your platform.

- Dax

[piku]

Nicknames, and how to protect them

Your nickname (or simply "nick") on IRC is your own unique identity. Traditionally there was no way of registering your nick as belonging to you, so if you logged onto IRC as "llama" and then logged off later, someone else could come on as "llama". Two people cannot have the same nickname at the same time, which is why IRC programs prompt you for a secondary nick.

On the Blitzed server though you can register your nickname. Once you've set your IRC program up, as explained above, type the following command in to register your nickname. (IRC accepts commands, they are preceded by a '/'. Beware of people telling you to type random commands in!)

/msg nickserv register PASSWORD EMAIL

replacing "PASSWORD" with a secret password, and "EMAIL" with your email address (You won't get spam, and it must be a valid, working email address). You will then receive an email telling you to authorise yourself. Do what the email says, and from then on, your nickname cannot be used by anyone else.

If you connect to IRC and are told "This nick is owned by someone else", then you must type the following to identify yourself:

/msg nickserv identify PASSWORD

replacing "PASSWORD" with your password. Most IRC clients have ways of doing this automatically.

[Dax]

Some IRC networks, particularly the larger ones attract some of the more unsavoury types who deem it a 'victory' to compromise the security of other people's computers. While securing your system can involve a lot of work, depending on your level of paranoia, and the value of what you have to protect, plugging the most obvious holes such as patching buggy software and closing open doors is time well spent.

Guides to some of the threats and securing your system against them (as well as a lot of other useful information) may be found at the site:
http://www.irchelp.org

This is one that should be in the bookmarks of anyone using IRC.

- Dax

[Acronym]

Try irssi, BitchX, or ircII, or Xchat, or Chatzilla on Unix: choose one you like. (The first three are console, the latter two X software.)

In all of them: /server penguin.uk.eu.blitzed.org , /join #llamasoft , /nick your-nick-of-choice should work. :-)

- A