Every November, I dust off my IRC server and set up some rooms for the various projects that need them – all of the Nanowrimo projects that I run get their own chatroom, plus a shared room, #coffeehouse

Windows

We recommend ICEchat for Windows, simply because it’s…well…simple.
You can get it from here – http://icechat.net/site/

The settings you’ll need is:

Username – whatever you’d like your nickname to be (you can register it once on, so choose whatever you’d like.  If someone else is using it, it will tell you once you’re online).
Server: irc.bykai.com
(if it asks) Port:6667

If you’re running it on Windows 7 or 8, change the compatibility of the program so that it’s running as XP.  (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/make-older-programs-run#1TC=windows-7 – these instructions work for both 7 and 8)

once you’re connected, type /join #coffeehouse –  it is the main room on the server, so other projects will pass through there, so it might be busier in there.

Mac

Limechat is Rae’s choice for Macs, and you can grab it from: http://limechat.net/mac/

You need:
The IRC channel: irc.bykai.com
chat room #nanoglos
username (your username)

Some useful commands.

Join lets you join a chatroom.  You need to remember the hashtag before the channel name for it to work.  If you type /join #nanoglos , you’ll be in our room.  If you type /join #(myroom) where the name of the room in brackets is a room that hasn’t been created and claimed, you’ll create the room as you enter.  Similarly, if you’re the only person in there, sometimes, you’ll ‘create’ the chatroom until a moderator joins you.  I can see a list of all rooms on the server, so please don’t spawn too many.

To register something.

Registering your nickname – the command is

/msg NickServ REGISTER password youremail@example.com

Replace password with a secure, unguessable password that you keep secret.  I cannot see your email – it’s just to let YOU reset your password.    Using a fake email in here can compromise your access however.

Once you’ve registered your username, whenever you log into the server, you need to use the command:

/msg NickServ IDENTIFY YourNick YourPassword

If you don’t do it in a certain amount of time, you’ll have your username changed  to something.  If that happens because you weren’t fast enough.  Just run the command above and that should sort it. Any problems with nicknames and just give me a shout.

ALL Nicknames should follow basic etiquette rules.  Please don’t use rude words in your username, or I’ll have to ban you.

If you want to generally chat with people, join #coffeehouse or stay there when logged in.  You’ll also have project specific rooms to use, which you’ll have posted on the groups etc. I’m with.

Channels and nicks are deregistered after a period of inactivity (more than a month), so please be sure to keep logging in if you want to keep your username.

Please also be aware that server ops (myself and three of my friends) can message anyone on the server and you *will* get announcement messages occasionally.

The server will be up and running fully by tomorrow evening – for now we’re still doing the setup, so please be aware that if you log in/use the browser, you may or may not find that you’re removed several times as the server reboots as we update information on the project.

Questions?  I’ll see what I can do to answer you!