New to group chat?
A friendly introduction for anyone who has never used chat rooms.
If you have used text messages or a messaging app, you already know most of this. A chat room is like a group conversation that anyone can walk into, and that stays open all day.
The big idea
- A room is a place with a name, such as
#welcome. Everybody who is inside can read everything that is said, as it is said. - You type a line and press Enter. Everyone in the room sees it right away, with your nickname in front.
- You can be in several rooms at once and switch between them like browser tabs.
- You can also talk to one person privately, without the rest of the room seeing it.
What is IRC?
ConferenceRooms.org is built on IRC, a chat standard that has worked reliably for decades. You do not need to know anything about it. The Web Chat hides the technical parts. If you ever want to use a dedicated chat program, any IRC client can connect too. See IRC clients.
How a conversation feels
Chat is quick and casual. People answer when they can. Rooms are busy at some hours and quiet at others, so if nobody answers right away, stay a while or leave your message and come back. You can also leave a memo for someone.
Words you will see
Do not worry about memorizing these. The Glossary explains every word, and you can look at it any time.
| Word | In plain English |
|---|---|
| Room (or channel) | A group conversation with a name starting with #. |
| Nickname | The name other people see next to your messages. |
| Op | A person who looks after a room. Shown with @. |
| Topic | The line at the top that says what the room is about. |
| Services | Helpers like NickServ and ChanServ that look after names and rooms. |
Next: Your first five minutes.
More in Start here
- Quick startFrom zero to your first message, then your first room.
- Your first five minutesA calm, step-by-step first visit.
- Choosing a nicknameHow to pick a name you will be happy with.
- Do and don'tSimple etiquette that makes you welcome everywhere.
- Common newcomer mistakesThe things everybody gets wrong at first, and how to fix them.
- Getting good answersHow to ask so people can help you.
- Beginner questionsShort answers to what newcomers ask most.
- Welcome checklistTick these off over your first week.