FAQ
By AlieN FAQ
By AlieN
.First of all you need the program called mIRC which is an IRC Client (Internet Relay Chat) You can get this by Clicking this Link Download mIRC which can be configured to take you to #Casual and get you chatting within seconds. All you need to do is fill in the details that are asked for which are simply your E-Mail address, Name (you don't have to give your real e-mail or name) and the Nickname you would like to use while using IRC.
You'll need to go to the connection option page and select AfterNet IRC server then connect to the nearest server to you as listed in the window underneath, once connected type /join #casual and you're away!
For even more information about mIRC click the link below.
See Where can I find more information about how to use mIRC?
Also see I Am New To This Chat Thing, Help Me Get Started
Please note that mIRC is a shareware program and will only be free for the first 30 days of use, after this you should pay the very reasonable fee to register mIRC for further use, mIRC will ask you to register after a certain amount of time if you don't register it.
mIRC has it's own Help built in; simply type in /Help you can also select help from the Toolbar at the top or click on the Life Buoy Icon from the Menu at top, easy eh?
Here are a few basic commands to get you started, try to remember that all commands are preceded by a / to denote that this is a command and will not appear in the channel as normal text (chat), i.e.. /List.
All these commands can also be accessed through the Menu or toolbar at the top of the screen but you will find it faster to do it by typing in most cases. Just type them in as you would normally (when chatting) in the text entry area at the bottom of the screen.
/List Gives you a listing of all the Channels available, just click on one to Join it.
/Join Allows you to Join a specified Channel i.e. /join #Casual (Don't forget the #)
/Help Takes you to the built in mIRC Help page
/Leave This simply takes you off the channel you are using but doesn't disconnect you from the IRC server you are on and does not Quit mIRC
/Quit Closes down mIRC and disconnects you from the IRC Server you are on, it does not close your connection to your ISP unless you have set the option to disconnect on you Modem Settings or Browser
/Nick Lets you change your nickname i.e.. /nick Newnick (Newnick=your new Nickname) or /nick Alien (changes your nick to AlieN)
/Sound Play a sound, i.e. /sound Close.wav (you must have the sound on your computer in the folder mIRC\Sounds to hear it) if people are playing sounds that you cannot hear then ask them nicely to send you the file, they usually are glad to do this (unless it is very large in size and they haven't got the time online.) Everyone who has the sound on their PC as above will hear the sound you play, those that don't will get a message giving the name of the sound file, they can then request it from you.
/Msg Send a private message to another user, only they can see!
i.e.. /msg Nick your message or /msg AlieN Hello there Handsome! hehe
Much more detailed information get the mIRC FAQ.... Read it here> mIRC Faq or for even more info try http://www.mIRC.com
I have found mIRC to be one of the most stable programs I have ever run on a PC, if it crashes then there is more likely to be a problem with you PC or Windows or the program has been corrupted in some way, try downloading it or getting it from somewhere other than you just did..
The other obvious reason is that you are not connected to the internet, usually mIRC will automatically connect you up or request that you connect.
Other reasons are that some Free Internet Providers use a propriety program interface that does not support, or will not work properly with mIRC or other IRC Clients and some won't let you use the ports that mIRC requires (like some School/College or Corporate Computers). If mIRC refuses to work then get in touch with your ISP and request whether mIRC is compatible with their systems.
If mIRC won't connect to an AfterNet server (you get a message saying cannot resolve server) then it may be that the server is Down, in this case go to the Options/Connection menu and select another AfterNet Server (Canada, USA etc) from the Server list and try again.
mIRC has a wealth of facilities to do things other than chat: You can send other users files i.e.. Pictures Sounds Data Documents etc. by Clicking on DCC Send, from the Menu at the top of the page, then simple put the nickname of the person you are sending to in the box provided and select the file you want to send (Browse) and click send.
To receive files that you request from others just accept when the pop up window appears.
I have had lots of problems with DCC sends, sometimes it's slow and other times it refuses to work at all. If it doesn't work for you then look in the mIRC Options or DCC Setup and check that the DCC Sever is switched on, if your sends seem slow then go to the Status Window and type /fsend on that may help. If you can't sort out the problem then ask for help in the channel, there is normally an Op or someone there to assist you.
Never accept files that you didn't request (from anyone) especially files with extensions like .exe/.vbs/.bat such as lovelettertoyou.doc.vbs etc
Never accept files from people you don't know or trust.
Immediately report anyone who tries to send you a file you did not request, to a channel operator or just announce it in the channel to warn other users!
Never click on or run a file you accidentally accept or are unsure of where it originated (files normally get sent to the folder mIRC\downloads) it could be a Virus which could severely damage your Computer files or a Trojan which allows hackers onto your PC when you are online. You have been warned.
You can get detailed info on the sort of Viruses that you will encounter on IRC from this link at virus removal
Unfortunately some mIRC users accidentally (usually through inexperience and sometimes bad practice or stupidity) get infected by an Auto-Sending Virus, which means that if you have the virus it tries to automatically send itself from your computer to everyone who joins the channel you are in, thereby infecting them, if you are told you have such a virus immediately seek advice from the appropriate channel i.e. #help or #Virus.... (on AfterNet the channel is called #Virus) if you don't do this immediately you will find yourself banned from every channel you go on and eventually banned off the IRC server.
If this happens then you must get rid of the virus before trying to get back onto mIRC, try the link above for help with this!
The @ denotes that this person is currently using their Channel Operator Status, these are people who are experienced mIRC users who have supported #Casual and proved to be helpful and loyal to the people who use #Casual.
Operators have control of the channel and help to keep the channel free from interference by disruptive and abusive users! They are also there to help and advise on the channel guidelines and with general questions on the use of IRC!
To become a channel operator (Chan Op or simply Op) you have to show the Channel Ops, Managers or Owner that you are faithful to the channel and are helpful to other users over a long period of time. You should also be an experienced user and regular visitor, for whatever reason you are picked to be an Op; you will find yourself taking on responsibilities to ensure that the channel runs smoothly and that you can effectively defend against abusers and rule breakers, who disrupt the normal operation of the channel.
If you are suitable to be a Channel Operator you will probably get voiced first, the + (Peon) in front of your nickname, this means that although you haven't got the power of an Operator you are protected and have a voice about channel issues (though moaning about everything will get you nowhere) and will be more respected than normal users.
One thing to remember is that if the Operators of the channel don't rate you as an Op then you will never get Ops... Also Op Begging will eventually get you thrown out of the channel.
Patience, Determination, Experience, Loyalty, and Helpfulness will get you Ops.
Warning not all Ops show their status all the time, just because users don't have an @ in front of their nickname doesn't mean they don't have the power to enforce the rules, so beware of thinking that you can get away with things because there looks like there are no Ops on the Channel. For more about this subject try /help in mIRC or Go to www.afternet.org and find out lots more about how Channels are run.
#Casual is an International channel, it's online 24 hours every day of the year, there are quiet periods and busy times. I am not always online but there is usually someone willing to chat with you at any time. Just say hello to the people on the channel and they will reply (if they are not idling or marked as away)
If you don't get a response then wait around a while and see who turns up, if you have hit a very quiet period then perhaps you should type /list and look to see if there is another room with more action in it and keep an eye on #Casual to see if more chatters have come online.
Although #Casual is an international channel; the language used is English, if you want to speak other languages then you can do so in private but please try to talk in English on the open channel, speaking in other languages can disrupt the chat and therefore get you thrown off if you persist.
There is also a good reason for this rule; English (only) speaking people who use the channel cannot tell if they are being cursed abused or otherwise, there have been many occasions when I was being cursed repeatedly by people and didn't realise it until warned by other users.....and that aint good!
#Casual is an English language chat room with a truly international flavour. Formed in October 1998 it soon became one of the most Popular Channels on AfterNet. (the group of servers that it is available on) much to the surprise of the Owner and founding members.
What we chat about on #Casual depends on who is online, many of the users are regulars but we get a good share of new users and surfers, who just happen to find us, mainly because it can be seen that we normally have lots of people on the channel and there is nearly always something going on.
#Casual is a beginner friendly place, where people will go out of their way to help you, all the #Casual Channel Operators and a majority of the regular chatters are advanced in mIRC usage, so if you need any help then don't be afraid to ask a question, we were all novices once and know how complex things can look to begin with.
For a quick list of basic mIRC commands click the link below, this will also point you towards the more advanced commands by using mIRC help. Where can I find more information about how to use mIRC?
The future of #Casual!
We have plans to extend the popularity of #Casual with for one thing the updating of the #Casual Web where channel statistics will available for users to see and the a News page with events and general stuff about what happens etc.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Chat, where you can make new friends from all over the world and have fun whilst learning how to use the many tools available in mIRC. I am not going to go into all the commands you can use on this section (type /help when using mIRC and go to the commands section) or for a quick look at the commonly used commands, click here Where can I find more information about how to use mIRC?
Here I will concentrate on what happens in a chat room (Channel) and how to conduct yourself in a manner which will get you involved and get you noticed and thereby chatting, without getting into trouble, which is what it's all about.
A golden rule when you are talking to others online is BE YOURSELF, your personality is hard to hide anyway and if you try to be something you are not, most people will see through it and class you as a pretender so you will be laughed at. An example that comes to mind is ShyGuy, who was loud and leery and proceeded to be very forward with the girls online.
Everyone has a nickname on chat-lines, yours could be something that you like or one that is descriptive of who, or what, you are. You can use your real name if you want but for security reasons I would discourage this. As you see mine is AlieN, I am a Sci-Fi fan, of sorts (mostly books) and I am strange hehe.
It helps if your nickname is easy to remember and short, not full of strange characters and nonsensical....i.e.. -[4low{}Pian]- would be difficult to type and hard to recall.
Hey it's up to you to pick your nick, but something that makes sense....
i.e.. Wanted..... Loveable.... SweetGirl.... Dancer.... Fishy.... Moron..... Me4U etc. Could distinguish you from the crowd.
There are many abbreviations used to limit the typing involved on chat-rooms some of the most common are listed here.
Addy... An Email or internet address
AFK... Away From Keyboard
ASL?... Age/Sex/Location? (sometimes SLM)
BBL... Be Back Later
BRB... Be Right Back
BTW... By The Way
LMAO... Laugh My Ass Off
LOL.. Laugh Out Loud or Lots Of laughs
LTNS.. Long Time No See
NP.. No Problem
ROFL... Rolls On Floor Laughing
Sup?... What's happening with you? Any news?
U or UR... You or Your
WB.. Welcome Back
WTF... What The F+*k (an expletive which might get you Kicked)
YW... You're Welcome
If you give out personal details of yourself then don't be surprised if those details are published or used against you by others. Your real (Full) name, address and telephone number should never be aired in public, if you want to give out that information then do it in a private chat (or even more secure in an E-Mail) and then be CERTAIN that the person you are giving the information to is really trustworthy.
Whatever you do on IRC have fun :¬)
The End