Download issue 9 - Total Amiga Magazine

SUPPORTSUPPORTAbove: An AMIRC channel window. Below: the equivalent tab in BlackIRC.number, which is usually 6667. Thepassword is optional, but very few channelsrequire a password. The commentis the name of the server. And finally isthe autojoin field, which is where youcan enter in the channels you want tojoin when you decide to connect to theIRC server. If you are feeling adventurousalready, you can easily enter inmore than one channel to join by enteringthe channel names with the # in frontof each one, with commas followingeach channel name, but no spaces. Or ifyou are already connected and on achannel, you can just type “/join #channelname”,where #channelname is thename of the channel you want to join.If your IRC server is not listed, you caneasily add a group for the server and theserver details within the added group.Now you are ready to connect withAmIRC, just highlight the server youwant to join, and click connect!In BlackIRCBelieve it or not, considering BlackIRC isfreeware, it is slightly more complexthan AmIRC. Although we will only coverthe most used and important aspects.When you first load up BlackIRC, likeAmIRC, you will be faced with a serverlist, and is pretty much the same as theAmIRC one, except you are given a differentlist of servers. Again, you caneasily add servers and channels of yourown to the list. Don’t forget to fill in thedetails of your real name and chosennickname if it is your first time.Unlike AmIRC, BlackIRC has everythingin one window, but split into sectionswith tabs. Once you have connected,you need to click on the “Chat-window”tab, which is where everything happens.And you are away with BlackIRC!What now?Ok, now we are connected and havejoined a channel, you can pretty muchsit back after all that setting up! :) Butwhen you first join, you may well begreeted by other users, it’s always politeto say hi back to them.But you are probably looking at all thosebuttons and other things on your windowby now, and wondering what the hellthey do?ChannelsHere are some channels I recommendto get you started.#pbaMainly a general chat channel, aswell as Amiga related discussions(hence PBA = Powered By Amiga)#AmiHelpGot any problems with your Amiga?You go here!#diehardFor hardcore Amiga users!#SEALSEAL’s very own IRC channel! Formembers and anyone interested inSEAL.ServerAll of the above mentioned IRC channelsare on the ARCNet IRC net work(short for Amiga Relay ChatNetwork). A suitable server to connectto is “uk1.arcnet.vapor.com” withthe port number being “6667”.At the top of your window (both AmIRCand BlackIRC) you will see a long box,usually with text in it. This is where thetopic goes for the channel, and the conversationin the channel doesn’t necessarilyhave to be related to the topic.Then next to the topic you will seeseveral small buttons; T, N, S, I, P, M.There are additional buttons on AmIRC;L, K, B. These control modes for thechannel and can only be changed bychannel operators. “T” is for Topicprotection, if this is enabled only channeloperators can modify or change thetopic. “N” stops people massaging fromoutside a channel, although you can stillmessage users privately in the channel.The “S” button makes the channelsecret until it is joined by users. “I” setsthe channel to invite mode only, so thatonly users within the channel can inviteusers in to join. “P” sets the channelmode to private, this means that thechannel is invisible in the global channellist. And “M” sets the channel mode tomoderated, so that only channeloperators and users with “voice” cancommunicate into the channel. InAmIRC, “L” controls the number of usersthat can enter the channel, if active. “K”is where channel operators canpassword protect a channel by enteringin the keyword required to enter thenchannel if active. And “B” shows a list ofusers banned (if any) from the channel.Down the right hand side of the windowis the users list, which shows who is currentlyin the channel. Some users mayhave what looks like an LED light besidetheir nickname, green means that theyare a channel operator and can obviouslycontrol the channel. Users withvoice have a yellow light beside theirnick, which doesn’t really mean anything,except if the channel is moderatedat any time they can continue communicatingin the channel. However on BlackWeb LinksInformationhttp://www.irchelp.orgIRC channel on another network,thought it contains some very usefulIRC information.http://www.support.arcnet.vapor.comThe ARCNet support site, which alsocontains some very useful IRC informationhttp://www.arcnet.vapor.comOfficial ARCNet siteIRC ClientsBlackIRCFreeware fromhttp://www.innovative-web.deAmIRCShareware/included with NetConnectbundle.http://www.vapor.com/amircKeep Up-to-Datewith theclubbed-announceMailing ListClubbed now has its own Internet mailinglist to keep connected readers (oranyone with an EMail address) betterinformed about the magazine. The mailinglist, called clubbed-announce, ishosted by the YahooGroups service.We post a minimum of one update to thelist per month plus any important announcements,but your mail box will notbe flooded because this list can only beposted to by the editor.IRC this is different, channel operatorshave a “@” beside their nick, and userswith voice have a “+” beside their nickname.Below the user list are the user commandbuttons. The most commonly usedbuttons include the “Query” button.When you click once on a nick and clickon the query button, anotherwindow/page appears where you cantalk to that selected user in private. Youcan make it even more private by clickingon the “DCC Chat” button in thequery window/page, or highlight a nickand click the “Chat” button in the mainIRC window (if you don’t have a querywindow/page open already) and you cannow have a direct client to client conversation(hence DCC), while experiencingless server lag. Lag is a term oftenused in the IRC world, it means that theconnection between you and the serveris delayed. AmIRC will tell you when youare experiencing server lag with a flashingred bar below the user list, and willalso tell you in the main dialogue box.And of course finally, below the dialoguebox is a long box (identical to the topicone) where you can enter your text andcommunicate with other users in thechannel. You do this simply by enteringyour text and pressing enter/return.And that’s the basics of IRC! Take a lookat the box-outs on these pages for someuseful commands, abbreviations andURL’s, so that you can make the most ofyour IRC sessions.How To JoinSubscribing to the list is free, just send ablank EMail to:clubbed-announce-subscribe@yahoogroups.com (all one line)Or go to the list page on the YahooGroups website, if you subscribe on thewebsite you will need to register (if youhaven’t already for another list):http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/clubbed-announce (all one line)We hope the list will keep you better informedabout Clubbed and encourageyou to join.AbbreviationsAFAIK As Far As I KnowAFK Away From KeyboardA/S/L Age/Sex/Location?ATM At The MomentBBIAB Be Back In A BitBBL Be Back LaterBRB Be Right BackBRT Be Right ThereBTW By The WayCBA Can’t Be ArsedFAQ Frequently AskedQuestionFLBKAC Fault Lies BetweenKeyboard And ChairFYI For Your InformationGTG Got To GoICBW I Could Be WrongIIRC If I RememberCorrectlyIKWYM I Know What You MeanIMHO In My Humble OpinionIMO In My OpinionLMAO Laugh My Arse OffLOL Laughs Out LoudLTNS Long Time No SeeNOYB None Of Your BusinessNP No ProblemRE REgardsRL Real LifeROTFLMAO Rolls On The FloorLaughing My Arse OffROTFLOL Rolls On The FloorLaughing Out LoudRTFM Read The Flippin’ManualTBH To Be HonestWB Welcome BackWH Welcome HomeWTG Way To GoWUWY What’s Up With You?Next IssueWhat’s coming your way in issue 10?NewsWe’ll keep you up to date with the happeningson the Amiga scene and try tomake sense of the expected announcementsand releases.Reviews• Payback PPC/Warp3D• AmiDog’s Movie Player• Perfect Paint 2.7Support• DTP tutorial part 2.Issue 10 Due: January 2002NOTE: This is a provisional contents listand is subject to change without notice.42CLUBBED - Issue 9Winter 200143