Puppy Linux IRC Chat

Internet Relay Chat∞ (IRC) is a form of instant communication over the Internet. It is mainly designed for group (many-to-many) communication in discussion forums called channels, but also allows one-to-one communication.

There are many ways for Puppy users to join our Puppy Linux IRC channels. The best method is to install a new IRC chat program or use an existing IRC client on your computer. Puppy Linux 1.0.8 and later will auto-join the main channel when you click the Chat desktop icon or select Gaim in the menus. An alternative is to use a web-based IRC client.

Generally, the server is irc.freenode.net and the main channel is #puppylinux. The main channel is for tech support and general chat. There is another channel, #puppylinux-foundation, which was used for Foundation meetings and can be used for other semi-important discussions. Having two channels makes it a lot easier to separate conversations. To join both channels at once, enter #puppylinux,#puppylinux-foundation without any spaces in the appropriate location in your IRC client.

Please observe the few rules below (Yes, we need these, no one is exempt):

1. Be polite - no foul language will be tolerated.
2. Respect the users in the chat; Operators are indicated with the color Green or an @ symbol next to their nick, PM them about issues with other users (note this is the only time you may break rule 4)
3. Ask questions - if you are unsure about anything related to IRC, we will assist you to the best of our abilities. :)
4. Sending unsolicited Private Messages, (chatting back channel) is NOT allowed.
5. If you think you were treated unfairly, send an e-mail to Anacari (AKA ^Cricket^) at webmaster @ hallowedaether.net or a Private Message via the main forum to J_Rey∞. (Note: We will at least need the Nick of the person whom you wish to log a complaint against.)
6. Personal bots are not allowed. Ask for an exception; if an exception is made then it must have a '_bot' tag appended to the Nick. Any bot without it will be kicked.
7. Cloning, i.e. more than one client logged in from the same address, is also discouraged.

Freenode's channel guidelines∞ has excellent guidelines as well as OpenWrt's IRC introduction∞.

You can go to our web-based chat∞ (requires Java though). Make sure you are logged in first. There is another web-based chat∞ that requires Java & JavaScript. Make sure to click on the #puppylinux link for it to popup the new window.

If you don't have or don't want to have Java installed then you could use CGI:IRC which works with most browsers∞. You can go to one for the 2 official Puppy Linux chatrooms only∞ or IRC @ Work∞ which works for any server and channel. To get started with CGI:IRC in general:
- If you wish, replace the nickname with one of your choosing.
- Click on the Login button.
- Wait until a screen appears with a tab labeled #puppylinux near the top left, and a list of users on the right.
- Type whatever you want to say and press Enter.
- Click the X in the upper-right corner when done until the login screen is shown again.

Note: The server should be irc.freenode.net NOT irc.icq.net

If you have a IRC-enabled browser (e.g. Opera or a Mozilla-based browser with ChatZilla installed), go to this URL, irc://irc.freenode.net/puppylinux in your browser and then pick your nickname.

X-Chat∞ is a powerful multiplatform IRC Chat program available for Puppy Linux as both a PupGet (1.8.11) and a DotPup (2.6.0) package. You may want to try an unofficial version for Windows∞.
this setup is for X-Chat 1.8; other versions of Xchat may vary

• Download X-Chat
  • Use the PupGet Package Manager under Setup from the Puppy menu
• Run Xchat by going to the Start menu -> Internet -> XChat
• Click on New Server button

Add the following info:

• Name: FreeNode
• Server: irc.freenode.net
• Nickname: [yournickname] e.g. CrustyLobster, Ozboomer, Rhino
• Connect Cmd: /join #puppylinux
• Select Autoconnect if you want to enter the Puppy Channel each time you start X-chat
• Click on OK

Now each time you run Xchat from rxvt or the menu you will enter the Puppy Linux IRC channel

Gaim∞ provides other IM (Instant Messenger) services such as ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, MSN and Jabber along with IRC and is included with Puppy Linux and is also available with Windows. In Puppy Linux 1.0.8 and later, Gaim will auto-join the main chat. To quickly join the Foundation channel, type "/join #puppylinux-foundation" and press Enter when in #puppylinux.

Watch a Flash video on setting up Gaim for IRC∞ (note: connect to irc.freenode.net not irc.icq.net) or:

1. Open Gaim...click on Accounts
2. Click on Add account.
3. Change the protocol to IRC
4. Enter a screen name...
5. Change the Server to irc.freenode.net
6. Click Buddies...Add Chat
7. In the Channel Box add...#puppylinux
8. Put a checkmark in Auto-Login if you want to go to the Puppy IRC Chat EVERY time you open Gaim. Otherwise, leave Auto-Login blank.

or if you've already started using Gaim

1. Add Screen name
2. Click Save.
3. Click sign on
4. Click on your Buddy List...Buddies...Add Chat
5. Select your IRC (irc.freenode.net) account
6. In the Channel Box add...#puppylinux
7. Click on Add.
8. Right Click on IRC-#puppylinux in the Buddy List window and set to Auto-Join. This will automatically join the #puppylinux channel anytime you connect to irc.freenode.net

ChatZilla is not included with the "1.8b1.5" Mozilla release included with recent versions. Although it could be installed later.

Install it with an existing Firefox, Mozilla, or SeaMonkey install (if needed):

• Goto https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=16∞
• Select Install Now
• Restart browser

Get it started:

1. Run Chatzilla (via Window menu and under IRC Chat or icon in bottom left corner)
2. Type /attach irc.freenode.net
3. Type /join #puppylinux or /join #puppylinux-foundation

Or you can create a bookmark for the Puppy Linux channel by editing an existing bookmark that you don't want anymore:

1. Bookmarks menu -> Manage Bookmarks
2. Right-click the bookmark to be replaced
3. Select 'Properties'
4. Replace the old name with something like: Puppy Linux IRC Chatroom
5. Replace the Location with irc://irc.freenode.net/puppylinux
6. Click 'OK' to save changes and there you go!

Opera IRC (part of the Opera Internet Suite∞)

An Opera 9 beta DotPup package∞ and an Opera 7.54 PupGet package is available.

The short story: type irc://irc.freenode.net/puppylinux in the address box and press enter.
The long story:

• Select Chat and List rooms from menu
• Add name and email
• Select an IRC server (irc.freenode.net for Puppy)
• Choose new room #puppylinux

1. When using Gaim across several networks (Yahoo, MSN, IRC, etc.) simultaneously I find the Auto-login to every network rather cumbersome. My personal preference is to set all of my accounts so I have to manually log in.
2. When you open Gaim, instead of selecting a specific account and then clicking the sign in button, I click the ACCOUNTS button and then place a checkmark in the ONLINE button of each account I wish to use during that Gaim session. This way you only have one instance of Gaim with several network windows, rather than 3 instances of Gaim with 1 network each.
3. When chatting on multiple channels, if someone types something, that channel tab text will turn red (or another color) letting you know that someone is talking there.
4. You may hold a private conversation with someone by double clicking their name. This opens a new window where you and that person may chat "backchannel". See rule #4 above!
5. Gaim and others have a nice file-sharing system called DCC. If you want/need to share a file, it is nice to open a private conversation to discuss the file, then right click the recipients name and select send file. They will only receive the file if they accept it. IT IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA TO SET YOUR DCC TO AUTO-ACCEPT.
6. Some channels have "bots". Bots are applications that loiter on an IRC channel to keep it open, log visitors, play trivia games with you, etc. Don't chat with them...they don't talk back. Wink Bots may be programmed to be malicious however, so be careful.
7. Some IRC servers parade your IP address for everyone to see by using a simple /whois command. Puppy is a nice OS in that if you have your firewall on, it appears relatively "invisible" and doesn't seem to respond to ping attempts.
8. See IRChelp.org∞ for lots more info about using IRC.