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How to Use the Instructables IRC Chatroom!

How to Use the Instructables IRC Chatroom!
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Before the implementation of the Meebo Chatroom, which most of you have been in, or heard of, Instructables had an IRC chatroom.

The meebo room has served us well, but it is limited, has many flaws, and bogs down most average computer systems. IRC can be accessed via a dedicated program, or via your browser as the previous meebo room was. Were going to run the two systems in tandem for a while, to make the change more smoothly, and so we can move back to meebo if all else fails.

So, here is a brief overview of IRC, and how to access the Instructables IRC room.

If you know exactly what your doing, then the room is -

#instructables


and is located on the freenode server. You'll also need to identify yourself, as explained in step 5.

If not, head on over to the next step..
 
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Step 1IRC Clients

IRC Clients

Web Based Client


To make the IRC chatroom easily accessible, we have chosen to use an online IRC client called mibbit, you can access this via two methods.

Via the Instructables Chatroom Topic
Or directly via Mibbit

A few other online clients to have a look at are CGI:IRC, and Loq.

Windows Programs


Since I use Firefox, I use Chatzilla. Its a clean and simple IRC client, which works wonderfully on most computers.
You can download it here: Chatzilla

You might want to try xchat If you love the command line and irssi which is a powerful client with a steep learning curve.

Programs like Pidgin, and Trillian have IRC capabilities, while also supporting AIM, YIM, gTalk, and more.

Mac OS X Programs


For Mac there are two main programs, colloquy and babbel.

Babbel also produce a windows version. Gmjhowe has been using colloquy with no problems, and found that it had the simplest interface.

Linux Programs


I am yet to get hold of any major linux users, so for the time being check out this Top Ten Guide.

If any of you have some good suggestions then please shoot them off in the comments.

iPhone, iPod Touch, and other systems


The two best options for iPhone apps are colloquy's mobile version, and IRChon who offer a free version.

I know a few years ago one could access IRC via their cell phone, alot of the my googled results came up with websites a few years out of date, again, suggestions welcomed in the comments.
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47 comments
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Feb 25, 2012. 5:54 AMpfred2 says:
Too funny! I've been using Freeload (what the regs call freenode) since is was OPN (freenode was called Open Projects Network many moons ago ...) but I never knew Instructables had a channel there.

I'm logged in now, the channel seems awfully dead to me though.

08:42 -!- Irssi: #instructables: Total of 13 nicks [1 ops, 0 halfops, 2 voices, 10 normal]
Feb 19, 2011. 6:50 AMnutsandbolts_64 says:
That was awkward... Thermoelectric was online and I never knew. I was flooding what I thought was an empty chat room and suddenly, out of the blue background, there he was!
Aug 4, 2010. 10:54 PMpaqrat says:
I just tried to get on with Mirc. I found the server on mirc's list of servers but something keeps disconnectiing me.
May 13, 2010. 9:48 PMThe Ideanator says:
I think this should be updated, maybe colab with NachoMahama and other mods.
Dec 9, 2009. 10:37 AMbigdylan91 says:
Everytime i join the instructables  trough the mibbit client it always says terminated , anyway to help me?
Dec 10, 2009. 8:40 PMDJ Radio says:
webchat.freenode.net/

New IRC.  Type in #instructables.
Jun 7, 2009. 12:22 PMStorm950 says:
KI chat copy.
Jun 12, 2009. 11:57 PMDJ Radio says:
they dont know about KI chat. they prob. dont know what KI stands for also.
Jul 12, 2009. 11:12 AM=SMART= says:
Knex.... lovers
Jul 12, 2009. 11:51 AMDJ Radio says:
its not KL, its KI.
Jul 16, 2009. 7:27 AMDJ Radio says:
fail. Its knex innovation, Knexables died a few months ago.
Aug 30, 2009. 4:04 PMThe Ideanator says:
OH SNAP! bumpus fail!
Jul 16, 2009. 12:12 PMLithium Rain says:
I don't know if it's been mentioned, but for linux good clients include Pidgin, Konversation and the Chatzilla plugin.
Aug 30, 2009. 4:03 PMThe Ideanator says:
Pidgin can run on almost anything, but its been really buggy for me (on windows) lately :(
Jun 4, 2009. 11:50 AMMarche says:
Hey! I didn't know we had an IRC server! I just learned IRC Protocol for my Python Programming class. Maybe I'll do a writeup on my bot sometime and/or client sometime.
Jul 23, 2009. 11:20 PMDerin says:
Can you explain me on how to send messages via IRC and interpret incoming messages?
May 24, 2009. 1:50 PMReCreate says:
Man,All This Mess Just to Get in a chatroom? I Like the In-page flash chatroom better.
Jul 12, 2009. 11:12 AM=SMART= says:
Go to webchat.freenode.net and enter your name and where is says "channels" put #instructables
May 24, 2009. 2:49 PMgmjhowe says:
Which is why it will continue to be the official chatrom
May 24, 2009. 3:08 PMReCreate says:
Yeah.
May 24, 2009. 3:12 PMgmjhowe says:
Though, the irc is constantly improving, and alot of work has gone into this. Meebo currently fails on many levels.
Jun 5, 2009. 10:03 PMDerin says:
I actually think Meebo is going to be removed soon,they kept it to have a smooth transition.
Jul 12, 2009. 12:55 PMReCreate says:
Why? If they used a more reliable chat, like Xat that has always worked for me, though IRC is so complicated to use it defeats the whole purpose of using it XD
Jul 12, 2009. 12:56 PMDerin says:
IDK
Jul 12, 2009. 3:16 PMReCreate says:
XD
Jul 15, 2009. 1:54 AMDerin says:
DX
Jul 15, 2009. 6:56 AMReCreate says:
Your random...
Jul 15, 2009. 7:54 AMDerin says:
...modnar ruoY
Jul 15, 2009. 9:49 AMReCreate says:
I'm not random, And i didn't even have to use the flip thing to read it!
Jul 22, 2009. 12:20 AMDerin says:
.
Jul 15, 2009. 9:52 AMReCreate says:
Wow look at this
May 24, 2009. 3:12 PMReCreate says:
Yeah
Jul 12, 2009. 11:12 AM=SMART= says:
Go to webchat.freenode.net and enter your name and where is says "channels" put #instructables
Jun 29, 2009. 8:57 PMGoodhart says:
Well, I can't get Chatzilla to work from here, and I am still having difficulties with Mibbit and I can't download any other client to my work machine I have also lost the addy that I used to get in 2 weeks ago.....guess late night chats are out for me
Jun 3, 2009. 8:51 AMNachoMahma says:
. I'm in the US and seem to get less lag if I use chat.us.freenode.net as my server to connect to.
May 27, 2009. 11:24 AMhailtothkngbby says:
As a linux user, I always use pidgin. I know Pidgin comes pre-installed in most user-friendly distros, including Ubuntu and DSL. I'm also pretty sure it runs just fine in OpenSUSE.
May 26, 2009. 6:56 PMblckpythn says:
Linux Users: XChat-GNOME IRC Client I'd tell you how to install it, but if you can't figure it out in less than 45 seconds, you wouldn't be using Linux anyway.
May 26, 2009. 6:10 PMAzurusNova says:
After looking through this and trying multiple freenode servers, I cant access the #instructables chat at all. If theres someone out there that knows what works with the HydraIRC program, message me please.
May 24, 2009. 12:50 PM=SMART= says:
IRC chatroom sounds cool, it is undoubtdley more h4x0r than the meebo one :P

Ill install chatzilla and try it out !

oh and 5* for using skillz instead of skills
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