Internet relay chat

Wikipedia irc channel using the ChatZilla client

IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a text-based, real-time communication protocol that enables discussions between two or more people. It differs from instant messaging in that users do not have to agree to establish communication beforehand, so all users in a channel can communicate with each other, even if they have not had any prior contact. Conversations take place in so-called IRC channels, designated by names that usually begin with the character # or & (the latter is only used in local channels of the server). It is a chat system widely used by people from all over the world.

IRC users use a client application to connect to a server, which is run by an IRCd application (IRC daemon or IRC server) that manages channels and wall conversations.

History

IRC was created by Jarkko Oikarinen in August 1988 to replace the MUT (multi-user talk) program on a BBS called OuluBox in Finland. Oikarinen was inspired by the Bitnet Relay Chat, which operated on the Bitnet network.

It was used in the 1991 Soviet coup attempt to report through a period of media censorship and by Kuwaitis during the first Gulf War, events after which IRC gained popularity.

During the first half of the 2000s, most networks experienced a rapid increase in users, corresponding to the popularization of the Internet and especially chat networks. Since then, most networks have stagnated or declined in the number of users, despite the increased implementation of the Internet. The drop coincides with the popularization of other types of networks, such as instant messaging or social media.

Glossary

• Owner: in some networks or servers they usually have a ~ before the nick. They are called channel owners and have the power to give the ranks automatically.
• Customer: generic name given to the software we connect to the different networks.
• Networks: set of different servers to which users can be connected to access the same content. Examples of networks are DALnet, Undernet, Quakenet, EFnet, Freenode, IRC-Hispano, MindForge or BrasChat.
• Nickname or Nick.: pseudonym with which we will be met.
• Idle: time without talking about a user, or inactive.
• Away: absence, usually accompanied by a motive.
• Bot (robot): It is a client connected to a server that responds automatically to orders or certain actions, usually there is no human behind that client.
• IRCop (IRC Operator): Person responsible for managing and maintaining the network.
• HostSetter: is a privileged user to assign, remove and change virtual hosts (vhost) in networks with Anope service.
• Operator: is a user with administrator privileges on a specific channel. He usually has a @ before the nick.
• Half-Op or half operator: They are privileged users to manage a channel, but less than operators. They only exist in some networks and have a % as a symbol before the nick.
• Helper: Person who helps others with commands, usually new people in IRC
• Lag: time it takes to get a message that is sent to another user, if it is more than 30 s de lag it is advisable to try to connect another server.
• Netsplit: happens when a server loses the communication link with the rest of the network.
• MOTD: (Message of The Day). It's a server's day message, so regular these messages include the server rules and information we're using.
• Flood: consists of sending a large amount of data to a user or channel, usually in order to disturb or disconnect other users.
• Clon: a Clon is a connection to the IRC of a user using an already open connection, with the same IP.
• K-Line: is the prohibition of entering by a certain IRC server, usually by saturation or by reconnecting too fast, although in some networks there are different k-lines for inappropriate actions, the solution to a k-line is to enter another IRC server.
• Nuke: attack using "package" shipments to cause disconnection, the best defense is to install a firewall.
• PING?: This appears in our status window, and it is the check that the server does to see if our connection is active and if we have not sent any data for some time, and if our computer does not answer, it will cut the communication. Also a PING written like this /ctcp nick ping serves to see the lag of the nick we want.
• TakeOver: is the seizure of a channel by users who had no privileges before, for example taking advantage of a split.
• Kickear: drives a user out of a channel. It can only be done by an op.
• Banar: prevents a user from entering a channel. If the user was there, he will not be able to speak, or come back once he or she is expelled. It can only be done by someone with @ or %.
• ChanServ: generic channel for the management of specific channels, facilitating their administration, through orders or commands and preventing the action of takeovers or usurpers

Customers

After Jarkko Oikarinen's first implementation, a large number of different implementations of IRC clients have emerged, both as stand-alone programs, such as mIRC, Irssi, Konversation or the most popular X-Chat, as well as integrated within other programs. like Chatzilla.

The use of different scripts is also highlighted, whose purpose is to take an existing IRC client as a platform for the development of different scripts which add extra functionalities and facilitate the operation of various IRC clients. In this case, Looksharp, NavIRC, IRCap, Xscript, among others, stand out.

Technical details

IRC was originally defined as a plaintext protocol (later extended), to which IANA assigned port 194/TCP. However the de facto standard has always been to use IRC on port 6667/TCP and others nearby (for example TCP ports 6660–6669, 7000) to avoid having to run the IRCd service with root privileges.

Servers

Some of the programs responsible for the operation of IRC are:

• Unreal IRCd
• Conference Room 4.5
• Freenode
• Inspire IRCd
• iRC-Hispano IRCd

Services

In addition to Servers and Clients, various programs are currently used on IRC that deliver services both to the network in general and to users specifically. Some services like NickServ, ChanServ, MemoServ, HelpServ, HostServ, OperServ and StatServ are basic in the operation of IRC networks.

Some of the most used services on IRC are:

• Anope IRC Services
• Epona IRC Services
• Atheme
• Denora Stats
• NeoStats

Utilities

IRC is popularly used to talk, make friends and gather groups of like-minded people or transfer data. To do this, anyone can start the specific channel. Besides this an IRC channel is also used as a file sharing site. There are specialized in music and books, among others. Another widely used modality is that of games, in which Cybergames stand out, with hundreds of channels on all servers.