What is IRC?
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is an on-line, real-time conferencing environment for the Internet. Full IRC compliance means a product is based upon the International standard, RFC 1459. Complete adherence to the IRC standard is important to users because all IRC compliant programs can communicate with each other. This means that users who need to access a ConferenceRoom server can use any IRC client software and IRC compliant servers can inter-operate.How do I use it?
Access to a chat/conferencing server is via a piece of software called a client. IRC compliant clients are available free on the Internet for all operating systems (Windows, Macintosh and UNIX). WebMaster's ConferenceRoom includes a powerful Java client for accessing the chat server. Users need only download the ConferenceRoom client to their system to access the chat/conferencing server. Of course, any IRC client software may be used to access ConferenceRoom.How does it work?
When a ConferenceRoom server is running, users may log on to ConferenceRoom from the client software running on their desktops no matter where the user's desktop resides. Users sign onto the server by typing a nickname or 'nick' by which the user will be known when participating in any of the ongoing discussions on the server. These discussions take place in named rooms (or channels). Whenever a person in a room types, all of the people present in the room can see it. Private messages/discussions can also be conducted between 2 or more users at the discretion of the users in the room/channel.