Internet Relay Chat (IRC) makes file and data transfer a quick process. Through the IRC, you can set up your own chat room, provided you have server connectivity. IRC protocol is not proprietary, but the advantage of using it is a clean interface for chatting that is undisturbed by annoying advertisements. The chat rooms are highly decentralized, so there is flexibility in communications.
How did the IRC begin? IRC was first developed by Jarkko Oikarinen in 1988 at the University of Oulu, Finland. He received support from a MultiUser Talk (MUT), which is a multi-user chat program, and used it’s foundation to build the IRCm, which in turn started the modern chat system that we all use today.
When using the IRC, you need to get connected to an IRC sever. Servers such as Yahoo – IRC Networks, Google – IRC Servers, EFnet Servers, DALnet Server Listings can be used for this purpose. When you connect to the IRC server, the server sends information to every connected user on a channel and networks, to bring about the effect of being in the same virtual room. The client application that is used to connect your system to the IRC server enables you to join any chat room that is running on the server, and any message you send is sent by the server to all users who are connected to that chat room.
It’s always best to understand the ‘mood’ of a room before joining in so that there is some understanding of what is expected from those chatting. It is important to be polite while chatting, and not use loud letters when communicating. When participating in a channel, be courteous. And chatting is over, it’s important to say goodbye to finish the chatting sequence completely.
Using any IRC server is both convenient and easy, providing you with uninterrupted chatting and endless avenues of networking.