Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×
The Internet

IRC Support Channels? 21

Posted by Cliff from the technical-support-while-you-chat dept.
Nik Picker asks: "Is there an IRC server group that has the best concentration of online users who are prepared to contribute to the IRC Linuxhelp channels? I have been using Undernet #linuxhelp but find that sometimes it just goes all quiet, lag time not being the issue here. I was wondering if any other readers have found a better source of online/realtime Linux support through IRC?" I think real-time support is a great idea, a lot of companies should investigate the use of IRC as a support medium. It wouldn't be all that difficult to do, and a few -Web sites- are implementing Web-based realtime support chat's, so this idea is spreading around. What good support channels are out there on IRC?
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

IRC Support Channels? More

IRC Support Channels?

Comments Filter:

  • Re:Excellent help channels on IRC (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Man, stay away from efnet #quake.. that guy rbw is a bad, bad man; he made me cry and I had to ask my mama what some of his words meaned!!
  • It's probably a good channel if you can bear the

    *** Wakko has quit IRC (routing.dal.net users.dal.net)

    every 30 seconds.

    The network sucked so bad I started my own.

    - A.P.
    --


    "One World, one Web, one Program" - Microsoft promotional ad

  • irc.linpeople.org is the same thing as irc.openprojects.org as mentioned above... and yes, they are the absolute best for friendly helpful support - the post I'm replying to reads exactly like the one I was going to post myself - first serious perl related problems at work, I joined #linpeople on irc.openprojects.org and I had solutions coming out of my ears 5 minutes later!

    Nice people...
    Denny

    # Using Linux in the UK? Check out Linux UK [linuxuk.co.uk]

  • VOTINGS DONGS ANYWAY

    (it's from jerkcity [jerkcity.com], you jerk.)

  • Anybody can stop by #linux on irc.xworld.org. If somebody is awake, we can allways help you. The one problem is that people allways seem to come in while im sleeping, 11pm to 5am, and never when I'm awake. Oh well. It's my channel, if anybody wants to come bug me, feel free :)
  • Well, i'm an op on EFNet's #linuxhelp. (i'm nullset{}....almost always there...hehe)

    Our channel is a good place to get help, we don't simply say 'rtfm', instead we'll tell you WHICH manual to go read :)

    That, and our infobot, linuxURL rules! (thanks TheGhost)

    Keep in mind with IRC though, that it is rude to randomly /msg people. In #linuxhelp we don't do private msgs, so come prepared to talk in the channel and read quickly :)
  • I've just got to say, i'm not an op on #linuxhelp Undernet, but don't cross D-side or your a55 is toast.
  • We've tried a lot of different stuff, from helping them (we spent almost all our online time doing just that), to setting up a help site (they happily ignored that, saying "YOU WILL GIVE ME MY ANSWER RIGHT NOW"), and finally to what you see today. If you want to blame anything, blame human stupidity.

    -m

    99 little bugs in the code,
    99 bugs in the code,
    fix one bug, compile it again...

  • I second that! #Linux on Dalnet is GREAT as is #linuxhelp on Efnet
  • ahhh yes! The infamous rtfm line and for those who have difficulty with That, (perhaps 'no' nix commands experience), and who are seriously looking for just a couple of clues to the obtuse
    language of 'tfm' "Read ThisFM ".

    What a helpful concept!

    Been there! Done that! and was spoken to like I was a low grade Mongoloid Idiot.

    Yep! I'm sure to return and try it again.

    I need assistance, NOT abuse and after a long time of subjecting myself to one abusive experience after another in linux irc channels, I must say one must have a thick hide and a serious interest to find those generous souls who really want to help.

    And yes! Finally I did find one! Slashnet! #linuxhelp 4 Welcome. Topic: Linux! Kernels- (Sta.: 2.2.15 Dev.: 2.3.99-pre6)

    To those who Do help...this newbie say 'thanks all'

  • I've noticed most people not having a whole lot a patience with the IRC help people, in #linux #linuxhelp, and #networking, but there are great chan's you might not get an answer right away, but if you are persistent you wil find out if any one knows the answer.!! Seany
  • Since when is #quake a help channel? Did you read the onjoin? Another satisfied customer! Do you think #teen focuses on teen-support related topics? -starrrr(who will eventually steal head server of internet !!uu)

  • There is a whole net for opensource called the openprojects.net.

    Check out this link: http://openprojects.nu [openprojects.nu]

  • This is hilarious. I'm an op on #quake. If you ask for help there is a /small/ chance that someone will help. There is a large chance that you'll be riduculed and/or tricked.

    Asking for illegal copies of quake etc will get you hounded mercylessly, tricked then banned.
  • *disclaimer* I am an op on #linuxhelp.

    The "infamous rtfm line" would not need to be stated if more people would take the time to actually read the available documentation.

    Were a newbie to come to our channel with a question that is covered in a howto/readme/man page, our first question would be "Did you read the h/r/m?" If the answer was yes, we would try to help the person out starting from where it was that the h/r/m confused them.

    It would be an entirely different thing if someone were to come to the channel and announce that after reading a section of a h/r/m they were still stuck with their problem.

    If you have a specific question ("Why can't I connect to the internet" is *not* specific), ask it and I assure you that someone will provide you with an answer.

    ESR stated in his Hacker-HOWTO FAQ "No one should have to solve a problem twice." Why is it necessary for us to regurgitate the plain and simple steps already outlined for you?

    The howtos and man pages were written for a reason, and the fact that most people cannot be bothered to read them is an insult to the members of the community who spent the time writing them. D-side @ #linuxhelp

  • For those of us who are BSD inclined, #freebsdhelp on EFnet is a great help. There are quite a number of knowledgable people there and they've got a page set up with user submitted FAQ's and such for commonly asked questions. The URL is www.defcon1.org [defcon1.org].

  • Re:IRC Support (Score:3)

    by jetpack ( 22743 ) on Wednesday May 17, 2000 @08:49PM (#1065570) Homepage
    (disclaimer: i'm also an op on #linuxhelp (hi Vox!))

    Vox is right, a bit of patience pays off. Not only is this because of working hours, but because of time zone issues. We have ops who live in the UK, and ops that live in New Zealand. Don't give up if you dont get what you need right away. We do give a shit, and we do try to do our best when we are around.

    If you are in North America, evening hours are generally the best time to find someone with a clue, op or otherwise.

    I would also suggest, especially if you have a particularly strange problem (i.e. you've read the relevant HOWTO, manpages, and info pages, and it still isn't covered or it still doesnt make sense) Look for these folks:

    Vox
    Kuma
    longword
    Spamaps

    (longword being the channel guru. if longword says it won't work, it wont fucking work. dont ask twice)

    Oh yeah, don't use my form of language in channel or you will get berated ... I don't necessarily agree with the language criteria, but I generally honour it in channel. If you don't honour it too, you will get your butt kicked one way or another.

    Happy linuxing :)

  • IRC Support (Score:3)

    by Vox ( 32161 ) on Wednesday May 17, 2000 @04:38PM (#1065571) Homepage
    (Disclaimer: I'm an op in Undernet's #linuxhelp)

    Well, I can understand how not getting an immediate answer to your questions can be frustrating, but...most of the silence times I've noticed are during work hours, when most of us get called away from the computer to do the stuff we get payed to do. Most of the #linuxhelp people work on computer related fields, so we tend to be online while at work, but that doesn't mean we have a chance to be chatting all the time.

    Be patient and you shall recive...I've never seen a guy with patience and desire to learn leave #linuxhelp without getting an answer (annoying people who don't follow directions when being helped are a different matter completely)

    Vox

  • #linux on DALnet (Score:3)

    by CentrX ( 50629 ) on Wednesday May 17, 2000 @01:26PM (#1065572)
    The #linux channel on DALnet (irc.dal.net) is absolutely fabulous. Sometimes you may not find an answer, but nothing's perfect. You come back the next day and you're good to go. And DALnet has improved in regard to netsplits.

    On another note, people have to be more patient in IRC help channels, we're not getting paid or anything. What I especially find annoying is when someone asks a question and I go off to find some help with the answer and boom, I come back and the person is gone.

    Chris Hagar

  • LinPeople (Score:4)

    by pnevares ( 96029 ) on Wednesday May 17, 2000 @02:45PM (#1065573) Homepage
    I remember when I was working on my first "real" Perl script for work I had a big problem that I couldn't grasp and tried to find help on IRC. I think it was either UnderNet or DalNet where I stumbled into #perl and found a bunch of people socializing, no one providing help.

    One person pointed me to the server irc.linpeople.org, and then second I joined #perl there and asked my question there were 3 individuals offering help.

    From a channel list I just checked, they have channels on palmOS, php, livid, and many others (including Slashdot!), so I'd recommend anyone looking for some help to check out that server.

    Pablo Nevares, "the freshmaker".

  • OpenProjects (Score:5)

    by Jason W ( 65940 ) on Wednesday May 17, 2000 @04:17PM (#1065574)
    Definitely OpenProjects [openprojects.nu] is the best for Linux/open source.

    There are channels devoted to almost every topic, and alot of individual projects have channels set up there, such as #jabber and #livid.

    As of this moment, there are almost 1000 users on 31 servers, including one of the faster servers, irc.linux.com.

    The best channel for newbie help is #linuxhelp(50), but #linpeople(80) is chock full of gurus for the harder stuff (if you can ever get them on topic :) #debian is always the most popular, with 123 now.

    Basically, if you can ask a question about Linux, someone there can answer it.

    Oh, and did I mention the /. crew is usually in #slashdot (Emmett and CowboyNeal almost always)

Slashdot Top Deals

"You shouldn't make my toaster angry." -- Household security explained in "Johnny Quest"

Close