TABLE OF CONTENTS In this chapter we will explore the worldof Internet Relay Chat, also known as IRC. IRC is a multi-faceted entity, geographically andtechnically spanning a wide area with many differences between networks, servers, and clients.Here, we will outline the differences between the major networks, and a little about the history ofIRC in general.
So, what exactly is IRC? To summarize, IRC is a text-based chat medium. It providesfacilities for many users to chat together on a network of interconnected servers, which sharecommon information. There are many thousands of IRC networks, ranging in size from tens ofthousands of users to under ten users, and between fifty servers and just one. A wide variety oftopics are discussed and of course, IRC has a secretive underworld, as does most of the Internet,where discussions about illegal activities occur, and illegal activities themselves (such asinformation theft) are carried out directly over IRC. This section of the book will document alarge number of these issues and help you to be aware of them.
IRC was originally the brainchild of Jarkko Oikarinen. Wanting a better replacement for theUNIX talk program, with the ability to network servers togetherand hold group conferences (talk was limited to only two users at a time) he set to work in 1989 increating the first IRC server and...
