irssi - A Command Line IRC Client

I only started using IRC on a full time basis in April of this year. My first chat client was xchat-gnome. It was a very simple client that allowed me to learn the ins and outs of using FreeNode. But, after a while I wanted a little more punch for my buck, so I tried xchat2. It was slightly better, but wasn’t much different than xchat-gnome. Now, thanks to one of my Ubuntu-Arizona team members, I am using irssi, and it is impressive from a configuration standpoint.

There were times that I said to myself, this irssi chat client is not going to work. I am in 9 or more channels at any one time, not a lot by some standards, but I was having to stop and think about what I needed to do next too many times to be productive. For example, to find out who was in the channel, I had to enter the command, /who #channel name, then switch to the server window, alt+channel number, see who was there or away, then change back to the channel, alt+channel number. Whew! Way to many commands to just find out if someone I wanted to chat with was in the channel or not.

But with the help of some very good people, I discovered that scripts could change just about anything in irssi. It took a lot of playing around with to get it set up just the way I wanted. But that is one of the advantages of irssi. There are a ton of scripts available to help you get it just the way you need it to be productive from a work standpoint. And if you can’t find the script you want, you or someone you know can probably write one for you.

Now I have a chat client that is powerful, and that I really don’t have to think about how to use. If you try irssi out, don’t be put off at first, play around with the scripts to get it working just the way you want it to. Below you’ll find some links to help you get started. I hope your experience with irssi turns out as great as mine has!

irssi website: http://www.irssi.org/documentation/startup

irssi tutorial: http://f0rked.com/articles/irssi

irssi tutorial: http://lizzie.spod.cx/screenirssi.shtml

irssi commands: http://f0rked.com/public/irssi-docs/help-full.html

irssi.org scripts: http://irssi.org/scripts/ (Note: google if you can’t find it here)

irssi security by aaron toponce: http://www.pthree.org/2007/07/15/securing-your-connection-on-freenode/

Port fix of DCC exploit: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/FixDCCExploit

A Happy Guy!

My last blog told the story of how I was up for what I considered a really excellent volunteer job with Ubuntu. Not exciting to a lot of folks, but something I was very interested in. What you have to remember is that Ubuntu is part of Canonical LTD. Canonical is the commercial sponsor of Ubuntu, and is a global organization headquartered in Europe, and committed to the development, distribution and support of open source software products and communities. Ubuntu is made up completely of volunteers from all over the world. This group of dedicated individuals is committed to the advocacy and development of Ubuntu and Open Source.

Why would anyone want to use Ubuntu or Open Source to power their computer? Especially since the majority of people use another operating system! Why would anyone bother?! The answer to that is simplicity itself. Because it’s BETTER! What makes it better? Many, many things. It’s free, it is in constant development with new releases every 6 months, a support community that goes beyond discription, you don’t have to upgrade your hardware every time a new version is released, it is virus free(yes, that’s right, virus free), updates are available on a daily basis, new applications are brought out on almost a daily basis, and it’s not based on trying to get money out of your pocket. These are just a few of the many reasons to consider switching to Ubuntu.

Let me ask you a question, wouldn’t you like to have control over your operating system and the applications it uses? And when I say control, I mean control. There are millions of Ubuntu users in the world today, and everyone of them has a system that is set up to do exactly what they want it to do. Not what someone else decides is best for them, or deems is necessary to further line their already bulging pockets. Did you know for example that the majority of servers in use today are run by Open Source? I’m not talking about the people who run a home server for their own use, I talking major companies. Ever heard of Google? Well, Google uses open source to run the very servers that you connect to everyday to search for information.

Granted, a lot of you have probably never even heard of Linux, Open Source, Ubuntu, or any of the other alternative operating systems out there. I know that I hadn’t until about 2 years ago when I decided there had to be a better way and started my search for alternative. That search eventually led me to Ubuntu, and I couldn’t be happier that it did. Is Linux, Open Source and Ubuntu for everyone, maybe not. But how will you know until you try it. Here is something else you might not know, you can dual boot Ubuntu. What? Yes, you can keep your operating system you are using now and at the same time try out an alternative. WOW! You could also use Ubuntu’s live CD to try the system out without even installing it on your hard drive. DOUBLE WOW!

Ok, I’ve been on my soapbox long enough for today, I’m pumped! If I have peaked your interest, even a little, please consider clicking on the Ubuntu links in my sidebar to the right to learn more about what I consider to be one of the new wonders of the world. Oh, and I got the position, if you couldn’t tell from the title of this blog.

So long for now and w00t!

Applied For…But Will I Get It?

Well, I’ve really gone and done it this time. Today I sent an email to Martin Albisetti aka bueno, who is the editor of the Ubuntu Weekly News, asking if I could help out in any way. I love the work I am doing with the Arizona Team and the US Mentors Team, and I don’t plan to give either of these up, but I would like to be able to contribute to the Ubuntu system on a global scale too. For a person like me, who doesn’t program or code, who can’t translate anything and has the artistic ability of a billy goat with a brush in his mouth, this may be my shot at doing just that.

I have met some of the best people during my two plus years of using Ubuntu. People who are genuinely decent and have pride in the volunteer work that they do. They believe in the product and are willing to help anyone who asks, and they do it without expecting anything in return. So for me, the combination of community and product has been compelling to say the least.

Life is definitely a strange creature. Two years ago I was looking around for an alternative operating system and literally stumbled onto Ubuntu. Who could have known that it would lead to the opportunities that I have today. What a kick! If an alternative operating system might be something that interests you, please click on the Ubuntu link in the sidebar to the right.

Thanks for stopping by! If you are interested in whether I got the spot I applied for, drop back by and find out in a future posting.