COM 125 WEEK 2: Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

For most of us, our introduction to the World Wide Web was followed closely by Internet Relay Chat (IRC). IRC gave birth to the modern chat movement. IRC is the most widely used Internet chat system, a program developed by a graduate student named Jarkko Oikarinen at the University of Oulu, Finland. It has influenced other chat programs later on such as Instant Messaging (IM), AIM, ICQ and MSN.

During the summer of 1988, Oikarinen was working at the university Department of Information Processing Science, where he administered the department's Sun Unix server "tolsun.oulu.fi", running on a public access bulletin board system called OuluBox. Due to inspirations by Jyrki Kuoppala's "rmsg" program and Bitnet Relay Chat, Oikarinen decided to improve the existing multi-user chat program on OuluBox called MultiUser Talk (MUT), written by Jukka Pihl based on the basic talk program then available on Unix computers. He called the resulting program IRC, and first deployed it at the end of August, 1988. (Oikarinen, 1993)

Unlike conventional website-specific chats, IRC is actually a network of servers that are connected to each others constantly, creating an interconnected network between these servers. Users can then login to any of these servers by using an IRC client with the most popular IRC client at the moment being mIRC. After being connected and selected their nickname, users join to channels or chatrooms. There can be virtually unlimited number of chatrooms. Each chatroom can have unlimited number of users. Each user can be connecting to the channel from different IRC server or from same server or mix of these. Normally each channel has one or more operators who are allowed to remove users them from the chatroom, assign other users as operators, change chatroom's topics. Certain chatrooms also require a password and it can be hidden from public channel listings or require an invitation from existing channel users before a new user can join. (Wikipedia, 2007)

One often-talked-about event in the history of IRC is the gulf war. In early 1991, live reports were available and more than 300 concurrent users were experienced for the first time. IRC became well known to the general public when its use skyrocketed as users logged on to get up-to-date information on Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, through a functional IRC link into the country that stayed operational for a week after radio and television broadcasts were cut off. (Haxx, 2002)

Apart from being a network of interconnected servers and the protocol for servers and clients to communicate with, there are several IRC networks where servers are interconnected to other servers within that network. However that particular network is not connected to other IRC networks, thus creating separate IRC networks. Biggest IRC networks at the moment are called EFNet, IrcNet and QuakeNet.

Although IRC does not support graphics or audio, it supports file transfers between connected users, using a method called DCC to transfer data. IRC has influenced other chat programs to be developed. Companies begin developing their own applications, each with their own proprietary protocol and clients. (Wikipedia, 2007) Companies like Microsoft, Google and Yahoo, have all jumped onto the bandwagon by developing their own instant messaging engines. One of the more popular ones today are AIM and MSN, with active users of 53 million and 27 million respectively worldwide. (Reimer, 2006)

Biggest difference between IRC and instant messaging applications is the fact that all the users on channels normally see everything other users talk. It is real-time, public conversation area unlike discussion forums which are not real-time and instant messaging is normally only between two parties, although most of the IM applications support IRC-style group chats as well. In addition to this, IRC also supports IM-style private messaging between users as well and many old-time IRC users see IM applications as just a sidekick of IRC phenomenon.

Although IRC is limited as compared to today's sophisticated chat systems, these early programs were a brand new use of computer technology and a huge step forward for the time. It seemed almost as magical to the people who developed and used them as the Internet does for us today. IRC opens the doors to the realm of chat programs and set the bar for the current chat programs we use currently.

References:

Daniel Haxx (24 September, 2002). “History of IRC (Internet Relay Chat)”. Retrieved January 27, 2007 from http://daniel.haxx.se/irchistory.html

Jeremy Reimer (27 September, 2006). "Yahoo Messenger and Windows Live Messenger get together". Retrieved January 27, 2007 from http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060927-7846.html

Internet Relay Chat (24 January, 2007).” In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia”. Retrieved January 27, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat

Jarkko Oikarinen (November 2005) “History of IRC”. Retrieved January 27, 2007 from http://www.irc.org/history_docs/jarkko.html

hello my name is Raihana
&
im a contortonist.

Okay maybe not. Im juz small. Petite, tiny & pocket sized. I bring this up because this will hit you immediately when you meet me. The picture above was taken in Temasek Poly library when I dropped by my alumni for a visit last year. I indulged in what you call "power naps" aplenty when I was schooling there previously & hey, I still managed to fit! I have resigned to the fate that my current size is probably as big as Im ever gonna get. Ever. But haven't you heard? The best things come in small packages. Aye aye~

Right, moving along now. Apart from power naps & a diploma(in no order of merit), poly was also the place I jumped on e blogging bandwagon. Though I have never used blogger but Im soon realizing that it is a pain in e arse.

With that said & done, let's dive in. I'll start off with something I start every day with. Caffeine. My body refuses to function without it. Rob me of my mornin latte & you'll see me power napping in class. Predictably, I enjoy lazing away hours at coffee houses. Accompanied by good conversations or a good read of course.

I cant really make up my mind if shopping or music comes in second. Let's just say its a deadlock. People say "out with the old & in with the new". It becomes "in with the old, in with the new" for me. As you can imagine, my closet is bursting & spilling with apparels. I enjoy exploring different fashion styles even if its a hit or miss, I still learn something. On the contrary, big brands dont entice me much. Im a firm believer that money cant buy you taste dahling. However, this rule falters to the exceptions of IT handbags. I say, bring on the hobos, saddle bags, novaks, paddingtons, spy bags & what have yous!

Another thing I dont mind splashing out good money for has gotta be concerts. I maybe a miser when it comes to buying music online hur hur hur, but its priceless to see your favourite artistes performing live. In 2006, I had the sheer luck to see Franz Ferdinand & Coldplay. On top of bands, big name DJs such as Paul van Dyk, Tiesto, Armin van Buuren, Shadow, Oakenfold came down thanks to our super clubs Zouk & MOS. From guitar wielding emo-screamo to hypnotic hand weaving beats, you can say my music taste is ecelectic. Just last Monday, my 2007 just got sweeter with John Legend. To put it simply, he's sex on piano. I took a crappy video of one of his songs on my digicam because ushers flash a piercing torchlight in your direction if they so much spy a camera in your hand. BAH~ A disclaimer here: The sounds you hear in the background is NOT me. No I was not swooning openly. No I was not singing along. Im pretty sure my camera picked up on another overzealous female. Hur hur~