Need some explanations. reddit / irc ---------------------------------------------------------------------- usernameTROLL · 2013-01-14 03:37 Can someone please tell me what an IRC is, how they're used, where I can go on them, (if that makes sense) and anything else about them? Thanks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- faghat · 2013-01-14 06:07 "IRC" is an initialism of Internet Relay Chat (Think early WLM or Skype). You can chat via text or send files (so no video calls etc). It's fairly basic - was created in the late 80s but it is still updated and used today. It basically works with a "host machine" running an [IRCdaemon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRCd) (like a central server that routes the chats, runs services etc), and users connect to the server. Users on the same server (or the same network (some larger networks link up various servers)) have the ability to join channels (that can have 5 users in, or 5,000), or PM a user (one on one chat). There are various ways of connecting to an IRC server - with multiple stand alone [clients](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Inte rnet_Relay_Chat_clients) as well as web based ones. You may find [this](http://searchirc.com/) and [this](http://irc.netsplit.de/) site useful for more information about IRC networks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- usernameTROLL · 2013-01-14 06:30 Thank you so much, faghat! Not only did you give me plenty information, but you also gave me a new insult! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FireyFly · 2013-01-14 16:58 To add to this, the main difference between IRC and other IM such as WLM or Skype is that IRC is generally centered around "channels", or chatrooms. Some channels are social in nature (and usually a bit smaller), others are more supportive in nature. Another rather big difference is the concept of "idling" (staying in a channel even when afk). It's not uncommon to see channels of about 500 users, where only maybe 5-10 are active at a given time. It's also not too uncommon with channels being "dead" (as in, no ongoing discussions) for hours in a row, even for larger channels.