IRC

IRC is used to chat communally in chatrooms called "channels". It's a community-based network of chat servers organised into networks. Each network of servers has lots of different "channels" or rooms. There are hundreds of thousands of IRC channels on dozens of server networks.

If you'd like to explore IRC networks, you'll find a guide to IRC networks and servers here
IRC has a lot of help and support out there on the web. The IRC "official" guide is a good place to start. This guide is old so its technical information may be out of date but it's still a very useful introduction to chatting on IRC.

There are two ways to connect to IRC:

• A web-based interface means you go to the website of the organisation providing the chatroom and click on links or buttons to start your chat session. It's easy, doesn't need any special software, but is very slow, has very basic features (you can't do much with it), and uses a lot of resources (which means it will probably slow your whole machine down a lot).


• A chat client is a kind of software used to access chat networks and rooms. This means you have to install and configure the software, but it's much quicker to use, has far more features, and takes very few resources.

Genderchangers uses the Indymedia webchat interface and there's an illustration of how to use the interface here. If you want to configure a client, you'll find the addresses of Indymedia's chat servers here

Installing an IRC client:

XChat is a good cross-platform IRC client:

• Xchat for Linux: instructions for installing Xchat on all the popular Linux distros is here


• IRC Client for Mac: There's a freebie Mac client based on Xchat here


• Xchat For Windows: if you want a freebie, there's an unofficial freebie version. If you want the "offical" version, it's $19.99: http://www.xchat.org/windows/ Either way, there are instructions for configuring Xchat here. There's an illustrated installation guide here but it's for an earlier version which needed a preinstallation of Gtk runtime. The new version has Gtk included in the Windows installer so ignore the instructions for installing Gtk and start from installing Xchat.

Configuring Xchat for the genderchangers' #etc room on Indymedia

Xchat behaves the same whether it's running on Linux or Windows. The Mac client is based on Xchat and should be similar.

When you run Xchat for the first time it will pop up a server list:

• Choose a nickname and enter it in the Nicknames box—then choose another two nicknames. Xchat will cleverly use your fallback choices if it turns out someone already has your nick when you connect.


• You can put what you like in the "real name" box—except your real name (if you want my advice)!


• Now click "add" above the "Networks" box on the left of the window. Fill in "Indymedia" (if you want it always to be at the top of the list, type "_Indymedia" instead).


• Another window pops up: click the "add" button next to "Servers" and a "newserver" will be created and selected. Click the "edit" button (or double-click on "newserver/6667") and you'll be able to edit it. replace the words "newserver/6667" with "chat.indymedia.org/6667" and then click "enter".


• Where it says "Channels to join" type: #etc (including the hash).

You're done! Click "connect" and you'll find yourself in the #etc channel on the Indymedia network! Every time you start Xchat it will show you the same Server List window—if you just want it to send you straight to the #etc room, tick "autoconnect to this network at startup" in the server edit screen and tick the "no server list on startup" button on the server list.

Consult The IRC "official" guide for information on chatroom etiquette and all kinds of other useful info.

I'll improve this guide and put up guides to Jabber (instant messaging) and Skype (VoIP) as soon as I get time!

Jabber Instant Messaging: The Jabber site has a pretty exhaustive guide to using Jabber, including a list of Jabber servers. I use the Psi client to connect. Psi download and illustrated installation instructions here.

Skype VoIP: Skype's site will tell you pretty much all you need to know. You'll find the Linux Skype repositories here.

GIZMO
I've been researching some conference call alternatives, and since
skype voice conference is limited to maximum of 4-5 participants
(unless you have a dual-core intel processor, in which you can do
maximum 10 participants), I've been looking into gizmo:
Gizmo site

Apparently gizmo's quality is very good and based on open source and has some
nice features that skype doesn't. It's been tested in conference call
situations, and if you use the mute button when you're not speaking
(and un-mute it when you need to talk) then it's been known to work
with up to 28 participants in 11 countries.
REFERENCE

You can download gizmo here (it's free also):
Gizmo site

I've attached a screenshot of instructions for the conference call.
in case one day we need it when things get closer to the /etc 06