IRC channel

From Compsci.ca Wiki

Revision as of 23:34, 7 July 2006

The #compsci.ca channel on IRC is where all the cool members are hanging out. Chances are, if you're not there, you're missing something exciting and important.

To join the CompSci.ca IRC community, you need an IRC Client. We recommend X-Chat. Join any of the servers and channels described below.

Networks

CompSci.ca's own IRC Network

Server: irc.compsci.ca

Main Channel: #compsci.ca

Off Topic Channel: #compsci.ca-chat

This new network was formed by (in no particular order) Hacker_Dan, md, timmytheturtle, Hikaru79, TheFerret, and rdrake. You can join either the server above, or one of the following leaf servers (excluding irc.compsci.ca, which is a hub):

• irc.compsci.ca (Hacker_Dan)
• nadia.irc.compsci.ca (md/cornflake)
• melchior.irc.compsci.ca (timmytheturtle)
• ferret.irc.compsci.ca (TheFerret) - Server Down
• darkmatter.irc.compsci.ca:16667 (rdrake/cartoon_shark) - Server Down

Of course, the owners of the servers are also your friendly neighbourhood IRCops.

Joining a server near you *might* improve your latency; at least with those who are also near you. The server's are located as follows:

• irc.compsci.ca -> Thunder Bay
• nadia.irc.compsci.ca -> Ottawa
• melchior.irc.compsci.ca -> Kingston
• ferret.irc.compsci.ca -> Sarnia
• darkmatter.irc.compsci.ca -> Oshawa

Update: Irc.CompSci.ca is now using a roundrobin dns system. Connecting to it will send you to either the main hub (main.irc.compsci.ca) or the leaf nadia.irc.compsci.ca. Also ferret.irc.compsci.ca and darkmatter.irc.compsci.ca have gone down, unknown if they will return.

CompSci.ca community on AfterNET

Server: irc.afternet.org

Main Channel: #compsci.ca

Self-taught Programming Channel: #exile-cafe

History

Of The Main Channel

Much of #compsci.ca's early history is shrouded in mystery. Nobody is quite sure the exact time when it was created, but rumour has it that Coutsos was its founder, although he did not begin to regularly attend it until quite some time later. Its first regular inhabitants were wtd and a mysterious lurker named Ultrahex, who though a member of compsci does not seem to ever post on the forums. Things took off sometime in early 2005, when a wave of members, including Hikaru79, Coutsos, Cervantes, and Gandalf started regularly attending the channel. At present, #compsci.ca has a regular population of about ten, give or take, although it is subject to occasional flurries of activity, often when the moon is full.

As of April 15th, 2006, #compsci.ca is for CompSci.ca and programming related discussion. Excessive off topic discussion is to be held in #compsci.ca-chat.

Of The Self-taught Programming Channel

This channel was thought of on the forums by wtd on December 14, 2005. The main interest of this new channel is Ruby and O'Caml. This channel is not for the people who are taught programming in high school but for the people who self-teach it. When wtd announced it, there was a great cheer for wtd since he created the channel for the rest of the users to use and ask questions about. Now that the #cs-self-taught channel has been merged into the #exile-cafe channel, all relevant discussion may proceed there.

Of The Compsci.ca Chat Channel

Founded in April 15th, 2006 during the Great IRC Crackdown of 2006, it was designed to reduce much of the spam going on in the #compsci.ca main room.

This new channel is a place for more relaxed chat, the old is for more CompSci.ca related discussion and computer science in general. Programming, operating systems, etc., it's all welcome in #compsci.ca. If you are going to spam, please join #compsci.ca-chat. If you spam too much, you will be devoiced and/or kicked.

Daily Life

Much of #compsci.ca's time is spent in utter silence (while its members spend time in deep personal reflection and thought), broken periodically by outbursts of conversation, instruction, and weirdness. Hilarity often ensues. Confusion can become rampant when the mature members take to stealing each other's nicknames (see Coutsos Identity Crisis). On a good day, wtd can be observed teaching some interesting, mind-blowing new programming concept.

Ocasionally if you are really lucky you'll witness something as bizzare as this wonderful event.

IRC Names to CompSci.ca User Names

• wtd - wtd, Lotho
• Cornflake - God, md, or cornflake
• Coutsos - Coutsos
• Cervantes - Cervantes, Minsc, and 100's of other variations that come up
• Gandalf - Gandalf, [Gandalf]
• Hikaru79 - Hikaru79
• Hacker Dan - Hacker_Dan, Dan
• timmytheturtle - timmy, timmytheturtle, timmythetortoise
• Amailer - Amailer
• TheFerret - TheFerret
• Martin - mdkess
• cartoon_shark - rdrake
• rizzix - rizzix
• Compwiz333 - A-Pomb
• Bored - Bored, Confused

*Note: May vary greatly when name-switching game is in progress.

The Future

The future for #compsci.ca is looking bright, as it receives more and more attention in the compsci.ca community, particularly through the siggies and evangelism of Cervantes, Coutsos, and Hikaru79. With any luck, it will soon be as integral a part of the compsci.ca experience as the forum has come to be.

Hacker Dan has integrated a Java-based IRC client that will send users to the channel directly from the forums. The feature is currently included in the alpha version of V3.