Anyone there? - Chatting on IRC...

from WinCustomize Forums
If you have ever been to the Stardock IRC server you probably recognize this question. People enter the channel and leave within a minute. Often they ask this or another question and leave. I can show you logs full of such samples.

These people are probably not familiar with IRC and think it is a kind of a phone. They expect to be answered immediately and they leave within a minute. Sometimes very angry because they didn't get an answer within a minute.

A second reason why people do that is because they want to try out the chat option in SDCentral or the WC Browser. If they don't see any activity for a minute or two they leave.

Being in such a channel and seeing those people come and go can be irritating, but we are getting used to it. However, most of them stay away from channels like #WinCustomize and #SDCentral because of that. These two channels are the ones used by SDCentral and the WC Browser to autmatically connect you to the IRC server.

You should remember that there are real people in these IRC channels, so don't be nasty to them. Stardock employees, skinners, SD/WC users and SD gamers all hang out there. These people are often connected to IRC for 24/7 and may be working with another program, sleeping, skinning, making coffee, answering a phone or away from their keybaord for another reason. So, chances are they they do not see you as soon as you appear. Remember that these people come from all over the world and may not be in the same timezone as you. Half of them are not even from the US. Nobody is rude to visitors intentionally, but if they are we will kick them off the channel. People in these channels are there for fun and may help you out if they know an answer to your question. So, next time you join please wait 15 minutes or so.

Some of you may be afraid to speak on IRC because they see "famous" names there. Don't worry about that, none of them behave like stars.

The IRC channel is intended as a support tool and should be fun in the first place. It can also be a great tool for people working on the same skinning project.

The SD IRC software is as simple as it gets, but you may need some extra information about its practical use and may need to learn a few commands. Also there are more hints and tips, like those described above. In addition, there are rules what we accept and do not accept on IRC. If you are interested I can write all of that down and make it a sticky thread (Jafo already agreed to that). Let me know if you are interested in that.

Have fun...
17,798 views 67 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If I only could connect through the firewall at my office... :
[Message Edited]
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
IRC is using port 6667. If you have a private firewall you need to open that port for reading and writing. A lot of companies have that port closed to prevent people from using IRC.

But you can always join us when you are not at the office, c242.
WindowBlinds - Free yourself of the default settings, customize your desktop.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
#2 by MadIce - 6/11/2003 1:51:39 AM IRC is using port 6667. If you have a private firewall you need to open that port for reading and writing. A lot of companies have that port closed to prevent people from using IRC.


As the firewall is one of the few things I have no access to (we are part of a big WAN here) I fear I have no chance to change that.

But you can always join us when you are not at the office, c242


Well, some times in the evening my wife wants to speak to me , too, You know.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, some times in the evening my wife wants to speak to me , too, You know.

She does? How quaint...
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well being an Internet and computer addict herself, we have no problems. And our computers are actually on the same desk. But getting OT now, so I will stop.



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Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Bump



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Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The SD IRC software is as simple as it gets, but you may need some extra information about its practical use and may need to learn a few commands.


ahha!
/me recognises this highly specialist use of the word "simple"
/me notices that using vim is very simple to

i went in there once, the night i was trying to work out how to report an interesting (weird, significant) bug in a new WB alpha build.

i needed to pass on many lines of info to someone. that seems to have been a problem.

strange thing happened, weird commands were issued.

/me concluded that it was a totally alien environment

i couldn't see what was going on, or why, so i left, never to return.

/me suspects i am not the only one who innocently clicked on this strange button in stardock central, only for "something" to happen



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Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i couldn't see what was going on, or why, so i left, never to return.

How about me trying to write it through the eyes of an user instead of an expert?

/me remembers the days when he started on IRC too.

It was indeed very odd. The software I used at the time was far more complicated then the current SDC or WCB. But still it will help to write a little guide for those who get lost on IRC.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Some of you may be afraid to speak on IRC because they see "famous" names there. Don't worry about that, none of them behave like stars


Thanks for the encouragement MadIce. I'm one of those who pops in very briefly with a question then out again. WOM particularly has been helpful with problem solving (thanks wise!).

There are indeed famous names there and I know they are friendly and helpful - ample evidence on the message board IMO. Speaking for myself though - and I'm not very experienced with IRC - it feels like jumping into the middle of a conversation. I don't want to interrupt. It may just be my inexperience but I don't see a thread so I'm not sure whether or not there are individual conversations going on so I feel like I might be butting in. Especially when I don't really have anything intelligent to say.





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Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I must always pick the wrong time to pop in............  there's no chatting going on at all, plenty of folks there, but nothing going on...  (Koasati doesn't understand, why people sit in a chat room, 24/7, if they only chat a few hours a days)  Only twice have I got any sort of response, one of those, I though was a bit rude, and I appologise for disturbing that person...  





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Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Madice, I would be interested in any info that you would care to share. I am totally intimidated by IRC and would be afraid I would say or do something wrong (or rude), so any instruction or guidelines would be appreciated.

Like feline, it seems like an alien environment to me.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
what I think is funny is that sometimes someone will log in, not say anything, I will say hi to them, just to sort of get things started...and then they leave.



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Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

(Koasati doesn't understand, why people sit in a chat room, 24/7, if they only chat a few hours a days)

Mainly because we forget to set ourselves as away

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There are indeed famous names there and I know they are friendly and helpful - ample evidence on the message board IMO. Speaking for myself though - and I'm not very experienced with IRC - it feels like jumping into the middle of a conversation. I don't want to interrupt. It may just be my inexperience but I don't see a thread so I'm not sure whether or not there are individual conversations going on so I feel like I might be butting in. Especially when I don't really have anything intelligent to say.

Chatting is a bit odd. You are chatting with several people at once, so you never know when they are typing their line. So, the order in which sentences are typed can sometimes be confusing. There are some IRC cracks that type as fast as light. I am a slow typer, so sometimes I can do nothing but watch it pass by.

But don't be afraid to ask something. Try again if your questions remains unanswered. The people in there may not know the answer or wait until someone else anwers it. Usually you are told that they do not know the answer. If nobody responds then maybe all are away from their keyboard. Don't get angry. The people in that channel are real humans. Not some letters on your screen.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
(Koasati doesn't understand, why people sit in a chat room, 24/7, if they only chat a few hours a days)

We are in a channel 24 hours a day, because it is handy and fun. If I am working or skinning and have a question about that then there is usually someone around that can answer it. If I need to relax during work and just want to chat then I can do that aswell. There is no need to phone or visit someone. Help and fun are just a few mouse clicks away. It is great to have real people answering your questions. It also allows users to chat with us to report bugs or get support. If everybody would just join to get an answer to their question and leave afterwards there would be nobody to answer the questions, right?
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Only twice have I got any sort of response, one of those, I though was a bit rude, and I appologise for disturbing that person

People may be working, sleeping, playing, skinning or be away from their keyboard for another reason. Also these people come from all over the world and may live in different time zones. If there are very few people in that channel then chances are you will not get any answers.

However, there are more channels than just the #WinCustomize channel. At the bottom of the chat window enter
/join #Stardock
You will probably find a lot more people there. Try that the next time you vist. And more people means there are more chances your question will be answered.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
/me finds my suspicion confirmed
it really is a very big room with many overlapping conversations going on at once. this description reminds me of yahoo groups.

ever visit a yahoo group that has been going for a while and has several active members? unless you follow the individual message threads it can be quite incomprehensible.

add in a strange / different user interface, and IRC gave me the impression of having a very steep learning curve, with uncertain rewards. /me couldn't even tell if the info i was trying to pass on was getting anywhere

also, since my ISP disconnects me every 2 hours, i seem to recall getting logged off more than once (when modem connection dropped). when i got back, there was a big gap in the words on the screen, since any words that occurred while i was gone were "lost".

for my needs / way of working, i think i will stick to the message board and email.



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Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am totally intimidated by IRC and would be afraid I would say or do something wrong (or rude), so any instruction or guidelines would be appreciated.

Rule #1: All names in these channels are people, s don't be rude to them and they won't be rude to you.

I am trying to dream up a guide based on this thread. I thought I was able to write it in a single day, but I think it will cost me a little more than that. And I'll try to add your suggestions.
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
feline, you can always double click on someones name and have a private message session with them.



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Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
However, there are more channels than just the #WinCustomize channel. At the bottom of the chat window enter
/join #Stardock
You will probably find a lot more people there.


/me *giggles* *sigh*
i remember that idea. when i tried that all those many moons ago (it failed) this only happened after the green reaper issued some magic command. more strange and confusing commands followed, and i decided to leave.



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Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
what I think is funny is that sometimes someone will log in, not say anything, I will say hi to them, just to sort of get things started...and then they leave.

Yes. They probably don't know what to do and maybe we scare them with our famous names.



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Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
werewolf - feline, you can always double click on someones name and have a private message session with them.


/me didnt know that



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Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
it really is a very big room with many overlapping conversations going on at once. this description reminds me of yahoo groups.

#WinCustomize is relatively small. If you need help then ask for it. Tell what help you need. If the conversation is too chaotic then ask for a private conversation. You can also create a small channel to tak with a small group. For an example: You, Fuzzy and I want to discuss a plugin. We can create a channel with just the 3 of us and talk about it in our own pace. Also, people may invite you to a private conversation (1 to 1) when it is too crowded. Just give it a go. And do NOT panic.

I'll make sure that the doc contains info on how to do these things and some etiquettes.



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Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What's the difference between that and the message board? All sounds very strange...

/me like to type things and click 'submit' - what more could you want?