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V 2.3, warlock, 18-Jun-08
This page (like all the pages in this section) is currently under construction. Thank you for your patience.
Q: I know IRC already; what's the channel info?
Q: I don't know IRC already; how do I get started?
Q: What clients are there?
Q: I don't want to (or am not able to) install software and do a bunch of configuration. Isn't there a simpler way to chat?
Q: What kind of features is the Java client missing?
Q: I came in, but no one was talking. When do people chat?
Q: How do I emote?
Q: How do I have a private conversation with someone?
Q: Help! I got renamed!
Q: How do I register my nickname?
Q: How do I transfer files -or- What is DCC?
Q: What's a /topic, does it really matter, and how do I change it?
Q: What is an op?
Q: Who are the ops and do they have individual duties?
Q: How do I become an op?
Q: So the ops can just kick out anyone they want, is that right?
Q: How do these votes work?
Q: Are these votes secret ballot?
Q: What's the quorum for a vote?
Q: Are there any established rules for the chat?
Section 1: Getting Started
Q: I know IRC already; what's the channel info?
A: Awesome. The channel is #daria on Sorcery.Net. Recommended servers are aurora.sorcery.net (Phoenix, AZ, USA), wraith.sorcery.net (Houston, TX, USA) and ironforge.sorcery.net (London, UK). Please read section 3 and section 4 of this FAQ anyway, as they deal with points particular to the network and our channel.
Q: I don't know IRC already; how do I get started?
A: First you have to download a client program. Much like AIM or YIM, this client connects to an IRC network and allows you to chat on it. See below for your client options. Client configuration has its own separate page here, but the three basic ingredients for chatting are - a nickname [anything you want that isn't already taken]
- the server information (as above; pick the server geographically closest to you.)
- the channel name: #daria
Q: What clients are there?
A: Very many:
Q: I don't want to (or am not able to) install software and do a bunch of configuration. Isn't there a simpler way to chat?
A: SorceryNet maintains a Java chat applet here. While the applet does not have nearly as many features as even the most basic of real clients, it will get you in and chatting; all you have to do is tell it to go to #daria and you're in.
Q: What kind of features is the Java client missing?
A: These features include easier private chats, recording chatlogs, file transfers, and more customizability.
Section 2: IRC Basics
Q: I came in, but no one was talking. When do people chat?
A: There are no scheduled chats per se, but chat tends to be the busiest during evening and night hours, Pacific (GMT-0800) time, or approximately 0000 - 1000 GMT. If you come in and it's quiet, hang out for a time.
Q: How do I emote?
A: The command is '/me [message]'. For instance, if JRChatter types '/me does stuff.', everyone will see: * JRChatter does stuff.
(Back to TOC)
Q: How do I have a private conversation with someone?
A: /msg [name] [message...] will privately send that message to that person. Depending on your client, it may also open up a separate window for that chatter, you may need to use "/query [name]" for that function, or there may be a completely different procedure.
Q: Help! I got renamed!
A: That question wasn't in the form of a question, but I'll answer it anyway. SorceryNet allows users to register nicknames. Unfortunately, you picked a name that someone else has registered. You'll need to pick a new one. For more information on this, see the next section.
Section 3: Advanced IRC
Q: How do I register my nickname?
A: Once you have a nickname that no one else has registered (you can "/msg nickserv info [nickname]" to check on that), you say "/msg nickserv register [password] [email (optional)]". From that point on, when you use that nickname, you can use "/msg nickserv identify [password]" or simply "/id [password]". If you have a static IP address, you may find it convenient to set up a hostmask, so that nickserv recognizes you by your computer. For information on that, "/msg nickserv help addmask". Further information is beyond the scope of this document.
Q: How do I transfer files -or- What is DCC?
A: DCC stands for Direct Client Connect, and is most often used to transfer files between two chatters. Specific instructions on the setup and use of DCC are beyond the scope of this document. However, in general: - Receiving files generally requires no setup at all. Your client may block certain filetypes or place the files in an unexpected location.
- Sending files, if you are behind a router or other firewall (and you should be) requires forwarding ports to your particular computer and then setting those same ports in your IRC client.
Q: What's a /topic, does it really matter, and how do I change it?
A: The topic is a bit of text shown to everyone when they join and throughout their chatting. It usually will be a humorous quote or a piece of news.
A: It does not serve to restrict channel discussion in any way.
A: To change the topic, ask your nearest op. They'll usually be happy to help.
Q: What is an op?
A: Ops are the chatters who have the ability to change the topic, kick someone out of the channel, or temporarily or permanently ban someone from the channel. In general, unless the misbehavior in question is especially blatant, all bans will be put to public vote. For more details on rules and their enforcement, see section 4.
Q: Who are the ops and do they have individual duties?
A: There are currently three ops. In alphabetical order:- deref is responsible for covering chat while the American ops are asleep.
- Reese_Kaine is responsible for interfacing with Sorcery.net to maintain the channel, including maintaining channel ownership, maintaining miscellaneous channel settings, and representing the channel in case assistance is required from network admins.
- warlock is responsible for finalizing policy, running votes, giving irc help as needed, and maintaining this section of Lawndale Online.
(Back to TOC)
Q: How do I become an op?
A: If you have ops, I will give them to you. If you do not have ops, I will take them away. This is the path of IRC ops. Seriously, the best way to never get ops is to ask. More ops will be added if and only if we need them; for instance, if trolls become more common, if major time gaps surface in our coverage, or if other additional op duties become required.
Section 4: IRC Rules
Q: So the ops can just kick out anyone they want, is that right?
A: Well, they can, but they shouldn't. The rule is that ops implement the will of the channel. In case of outright disruption, any op present can and will remove the offender, but in general, decisions to ban or unban will be put to the community for voting.
Q: How do these votes work?
A: Any vote starts with either a public motion and public second or two chatters contacting an op and privately moving and seconding. The vote is then announced in the /topic and in the IRC news on this site and put to the community for votes (and yes, ops vote too) over at least 48 hours. In case of a tie, the status quo stands.
Q: Are these votes secret ballot?
A: Votecounts are publicized after close of voting. If we need to prove that the vote was counted fairly and correctly, vote records will be publicized as a last resort.
Q: What's the quorum for a vote?
A: 'Quorum' is a tricky concept online. Over a 48-hour period, enough people will hear about the motion and have their chance to vote that a quorum is not strictly needed. That said, for a vote to be valid, at least twelve votes (aye, nay, or abstention) must be received, or the vote count must be such that if enough opposing votes were tallied to reach such threshold, the result would not change.* If not enough votes are received by the close of voting, the person running the vote may extend time at his discretion, or may simply consider voting closed in favor of the status quo.
(*: Hi! I'm a helpful example! If a vote stood 6 in favor, 1 opposed, 1 abstention at the close of voting, it would be held to be valid even without having received twelve total votes, because no combination of new votes to bring the total to twelve would change the overall result.)
Q: Are there any established rules for the chat?
A: I've really been trying hard not to set down formal rules for chat. Rules have loopholes. Loopholes lead to rules lawyers. Rule lawyering leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. Suffering leads to /mode #daria +b *!*@*.
Besides, most of the decisions on what's acceptable in chat are up to your fellow chatters, not to the ops.
Basically, don't be lame: behave as you would in real life, say in your local coffeeshop. Do you run in and scream? No. Do you run around showing people gruesome pictures? No. Do you randomly go up to people and pick fights? No. Treat our space the same way.
Ban-on-sight offenses: In certain cases, the voting procedure will be skipped and the nearest op will simply ban the offender. These cases include, but are not limited to:
- spamming (constantly repeating the same line or slight variations on same)
- flooding / scrolling (entering lines very quickly so as to cause the chat to scroll rapidly)
- posting malicious links. This includes websites whose contents are illegal, virus-laden, hijacks the user's browser, etc. This also includes shock sites. And tag your NSFW links.
- log publication. Most IRC clients can log. Some people idle in channels and log conversations they're not involved in. That's a fact of life. However, just because people log, that doesn't mean they can do what they like with the logs. Publishing channel logs for the masses, or publishing private logs at all, will result in a ban upon receipt of complaint. Immediate, final, and permanent.
Please note that "offending another chatter" is expressly not a ban-on-sight offense. If someone offends you, talk to them, let them know; it may have been by mistake. If they don't care, or they persist, call a motion to ban or just /ignore them. If you can't /ignore them due to technical reasons, we're very sorry, but that's your problem. Even the CGI client has /ignore. Get a better client. We - the ops - don't want to be or need to be in-between two chatters. We're not here to make you 'play well with others', we're here to eject people who the majority wants gone.
These are just general guidelines. I know they don't cover everything, because I'm a human being. "You didn't tell me not to!" is not a valid excuse for being a jackass, and if you try that or any other loophole-based defense on me, I will ban you. And laugh while doing it.
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