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{{Short description|Use of IRC on Wikimedia}}
For those you who are interested in real-time chat, there is a possibility to chat with other ]
{{For|the policy concerning the use of Misplaced Pages as a chat room|WP:FORUM}}
on the ] network. The name of the channel is #wikipedia located on the server
{{Header navbar community}}
irc.openprojects.net.
{{Misplaced Pages how-to|WP:CHAT}}
{{notice|This external system is not subject to the ].}}
{{notice|'''Wikimedia IRC has been migrated from ] to ]. For more information, please see ]. References to freenode on this page and others may be out of date.'''}}
{{ mbox
| image = ]
| text = New to IRC? Please go to ] to reach our online helpers!
}}
{{Warning|To begin using Wikimedia IRC channels, see: ] and ]. For the related WikiProjects, see:] and ].}}


The ] network has "]" dedicated to Misplaced Pages 24 hours a day, in which Wikipedians can engage in real-time discussions with each other. Many Wikipedians have chatting open in one window and hop back and forth between it and other windows in which they are working on Misplaced Pages. The chat rooms most relevant to English Misplaced Pages are ]; a more complete list of channels (for other language Wikipedias, other languages, and recent changes feeds) exists at ].
'''How to connect'''


"Chat room" is a name for an ''']''' ('''IRC''') channel. IRC chat takes place on a network of ]; the network that hosts the Wikimedia channels is known as Libera Chat. To participate in the chat, you need a type of program or plug-in called an ''']'''. Popular clients are listed ].
All you need is an IRC client installed on your machine (installation of a Java client on the Misplaced Pages server
is being considered). A list of clients respective to your operating system is given in the ] entry.


Use and anonymity on IRC are covered in more detail below. '''''Note that IRC needs more care to maintain anonymity than Misplaced Pages editing does.''''' Anyone can see your IP until you become cloaked, and the process to become cloaked is not immediate.
Once downloaded and installed perform the following steps (most IRC clients also provide graphical interfaces to common commands):


== How is Misplaced Pages IRC related to Misplaced Pages? ==
1. <nowiki>Use the /server command to connect to the server, eg. /server irc.openprojects.net</nowiki><br>
Misplaced Pages IRC is not owned or controlled by Misplaced Pages/Wikimedia. It is a project run by volunteers of their own accord. The Misplaced Pages channels on Libera Chat were designed by users of Misplaced Pages as places for Wikipedians to chat using IRC. They are casual and not logged publicly. As far as their influence on Misplaced Pages goes, IRC is equivalent to a conversation in a pub&nbsp;– the discussion may be conducted between a small number of people but may be overheard by hundreds, or more if the logs are published.


{{anchor|IRCADMIN}}
2. <nowiki>Choose a nickname /nick <nickname>, eg. /nick JohnDoe. Nicknames can be up to 8 characters long. You can use
{{shortcut|WP:IRCADMIN}}
letters and numbers (no spaces or symbols).</nowiki><br>
When the channels are used to attack Wikipedians, or when IRC discussions are cited as justification for an on-wiki action, the resulting atmosphere is very damaging to the project's collaborative relationships.


== IRC tutorial and host masking ==
3. <nowiki>Join the channel, type /join #wikipedia. Channels are the equivalent of chat rooms on irc.</nowiki><br>
{{main|Misplaced Pages:IRC/Tutorial}}


=== Server ===
4. <nowiki>For help type /help. Commands on irc have to be preceeded by a '/', channel names by a '#'.</nowiki><br>
Wikimedia uses the IRC server '''irc.libera.chat''', port '''6697'''. Connect to this server, then join some ], such as #wikipedia-en.


=== Register your nickname ===
5. ''Optional:'' <nowiki>You can register your nick with the nickserv service - only you will be able to use it. Type
If you want to use a certain nickname on the network and don't want anyone else to take it, and also to be added to a channel's access list, you must register your nickname with the network. You can do so by typing (in any window): <code>/msg nickserv register <span style="color:purple">password</span> <span style="color:darkgreen">email@address.tld</span></code>, of course substituting <code><span style="color:purple">password</span></code> for any password of your choosing, and <code><span style="color:darkgreen">email@address.tld</span></code> with your email address. Follow the steps (including sending a confirmation message in an email). Then configure your IRC client to send an identify message upon login, such as <code>/msg nickserv identify <span style="color:purple">password</span></code>.
/msg nickserv register <password>, eg. /msg nickserv register foo. When logging on later on type /msg nickserv
identify <password> so that nickserv can identify you as the owner of a nick. For more help type /msg nickserv help.</nowiki><br>


=== Anonymity and masking ===
6. <nowiki>Read the help and readme files of the client you installed for more information.</nowiki><br>
{{Main|meta:IRC/Cloaks}}


As on Misplaced Pages itself, you can use IRC with a name that hides your ], and allows you to remember your preferred settings. If you have any special access rights to any channel, those will be remembered under your name too. On IRC these are two separate matters – '''registering''' a nickname is quick and easy (like on Misplaced Pages itself), and that name is then password protected for your own use, and '''cloaking''' is the request to have the account configured to hide its IP address from other users. These matters are all covered in the ].
'''External links:'''

*
To request that your IRC account be cloaked, send the following private message: <code> '''/msg wmopbot cloak'''</code>. ] then process these by hand. ''Cloaking is optional, but a good idea.'' Cloak requests typically take several weeks to process.

The following are the requirements necessary to obtain a cloak:

* User must have a verified e-mail address (] emails are not acceptable)
* User must have at least 250 edits on Wikimedia projects
* User must have a Wikimedia project account registered for at least three months
* User must not be actively blocked from a project

Note that anonymity is maintained with more difficulty on IRC than on Misplaced Pages. Without a ], your IP address will be visible, and indexed on some Internet websites. Even with a hostmask, your IP address is at risk of being revealed due to the nature of the IRC protocol (due to the effects of a "ghost" session). If you are concerned about your anonymity, you may wish to consult with someone familiar with IRC.

Another straightforward way of guaranteeing anonymity on IRC (and elsewhere) is to subscribe with a ] service provider. This will re-route all your ] traffic and effectively replace your IP address with the service provider's.

Alternatively, ] may be used to connect. Libera Chat provides an onion service under <code>libera75jm6of4wxpxt4aynol3xjmbtxgfyjpu34ss4d7r7q2v5zrpyd.onion</code> but authentication using ] or ] is mandatory. Tor access to the ] domain (<code>irc.libera.chat</code>) is blocked.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://libera.chat/guides/connect#accessing-liberachat-via-tor |title=Connecting to Libera.Chat - Accessing Libera.Chat Via Tor |access-date=13 July 2021}}</ref>
==== Publicly logged channels ====

There are several Wikimedia channels which are purposefully logged. Some of them are listed here:

* {{irc|wikidata}} (logged by ])
* {{irc|wikimedia-labs}} (logged by ])
* {{irc|wikimedia-mobile}} (logged by ])
* {{irc|wikimedia-toolserver}} (logged by ])
* {{irc|wikimedia-operations}} (logged by ])
* {{irc|wikimedia-tech}} (logged by ])
* {{irc|wikimedia-dev}} (logged by ])
* {{irc|mediawiki}} (logged by ])
* {{irc|wikimedia-office}} (publicly logged when a scheduled staff discussion is happening)

=== List of applications and web clients ===
{{shortcut|WP:IRCCLIENT|WP:IRCHOW}}

Most people needing ] can access IRC easily by clicking here: {{irc|wikipedia-en-help}}. Web-based IRC is a good choice for first-time IRC users, for portable use, and for those who cannot, or prefer not to, ] separate ].

The usual way to access IRC is by downloading an ]. These are more full-featured and make it easy to watch multiple chats at a time. ] to enhance IRC clients are available online at ]. From the ], some popular options are:
{{Misplaced Pages:IRC/Clients}}

==== IRC error: Unable to join channel (invite only) ====

This error occurs when you attempt to join a non-public channel (see ], below). If you know that you have access to a non-public channel and you still receive this error, the simplest fix is to ask ChanServ for an invite (see {{kbd|/msg ChanServ help invite}} for more info). If you have a cloak, you can ask a channel op to add an invex (+I) on your cloak so that you do not need to ask ChanServ for invites each time you need to join the channel.

If, however, you know you both have access to the non-public channel ''and'' you know that you have an invex (+I) on your cloak for that channel, your client might be automatically joining the channel before authenticating. Double-check to make sure your client is set up according to Libera Chat's , and configure your client to .

=== Use of IRC ===

Once you are connected to the Libera Chat IRC network, you can choose which public channels you join and which chats you engage in. If you are authorized to join non-public channels then you can take part in those too. Consider also ] to mask your IP address and give other users confidence that you are the Misplaced Pages user you claim to be.

In general on IRC, each channel operates autonomously and each has its own norms and policies—these may cover conduct (including civility, appropriate topics, and language), on/off-topic chat, who may join, and who may be asked to leave. Each channel is autonomous and in general there is no appeal from a decision by the operators of that channel to an outside body (which may have any or no reason), so it is worth checking the channel norms and rules before accidentally making a mistake of conduct. '''That said, in general most channels used by Wikimedia communities are friendly and do have people you can contact in case of problems.''' (See ] below.)

Once connected, some users stay logged-in to the chatrooms whenever they are on Misplaced Pages, and check in on the discussions from time to time, to read what has been accumulating there and to participate. Some programs used for chatting notify you whenever there is activity in a chat room so you will not miss anything. Often, users jump onto a chat room to draw the attention of others there of something on Misplaced Pages that needs attention.

=== Non-public channels ===
{{further|Misplaced Pages:IRC/Channel access and configuration guide}}

A number of non-public channels exist, to which access is limited. The best known of these on English Misplaced Pages is the administrators' channel, but others exist also for groups such as the ], ] and ] collaboration. Access to these channels requires use of a registered account, described previously. If you are part of a given group that has a non-public channel, you can request access so that you can join.

Steps to getting access to non-public channels:

# '''Request it''' &mdash; Post a new request under ], at the end of this page, providing your registered IRC account and links evidencing access.
# '''Get it''' &mdash; A channel operator will then drop by to give you access to the channel. Alternatively, ask in #wikimedia-ops, using the {{mono|!ops}} keyword to get attention.
# '''Use it''' &mdash; Once your request is complete, you can invite yourself to the channel using ChanServ's INVITE command as long as you've identified to NickServ. (See {{code|/msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY}} and {{code|/msg ChanServ HELP INVITE}} for more information.)
# ''(Optional)'' In order to gain ''automatic'' access to a non-public channel (i.e. without having to use the ChanServ's {{mono|INVITE}} command each time), you should first ]. From there, simply ask an {{abbr|op|operator}} on the channel to add an invex (+I) for your cloak. If you already have a cloak when requesting access, ops will typically add an invex for you at the same time they're giving you access, but if you obtain a cloak ''after'' gaining access or you change your cloak after gaining access, you can typically reach the channel's ops by using either the {{mono|!ops}} keyword or requesting assistance in #wikimedia-ops.

The ] page may also be helpful for getting around.

== List of useful channels ==

: ''Non-public channels listed with a blue padlock icon (]) require additional user access in order to join them. See ] and ] for more information. See ] for a more extensive list. ''

=== General channels ===

The main general-purpose channels relevant and related to English Misplaced Pages are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Channel
! Description
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia}}
| General Misplaced Pages related chat.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en}}
| General chat focusing more on the '''English-language Misplaced Pages'''.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-help}}
| Help channel for ]. Helpers are voiced, a setting that lets what they say be seen by everyone in the channel. Request a ] to be voiced automatically (if you have autovoice on your account already, ] by typing <tt>/msg NickServ identify <nick> <password></tt> to activate it). More information can be found on ].
|}

=== User groups ===

==== Functional groups ====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Channel
! Description
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-admins}} ]
| Used by ] and some other users. I.e.: ] and ]. (See ] for more information.)
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-functionaries}} ]
| Used by English Misplaced Pages ] and global ].
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-arbcom-clerks}} ]
| Used by ] and ] of the ].
|-
| {{IRC|wikimedia-admin}} ]
| Used by ] across all Wikimedia projects for cross-wiki admin co-ordination. (See ] for more information.)
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-BAG}}
| Used by the ] for coordination and discussion/monitoring of ]. BAG members are voiced (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "+" next to their nickname); anybody is welcome.
|-
| {{IRC|wikimedia-vrt}}
| A public channel for matters related to the ] and its volunteers. '''This channel is for co-ordination and collaboration, and to find a VRT user to speak to in private; it is <u>not</u> suitable for confidential discussion.''' ] are voiced (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "+" next to their nickname).
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-editfilters}}
| Used by ], ], and ] for semi-private discussion relating to edit filters.
|-
|}

=== Social channels ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Channel
! Description
|-
| {{IRC|wikimedia-social}}
| A channel intended primarily for social discussion among contributors to Wikimedia projects.
|-
|{{IRC|Wikimedia-offtopic}}
|A semi-social channel for conversations that don't really fit into the other Wikimedia project channels.
|-
|{{IRC|Misplaced Pages-coffeehouse}}
|A place for relaxing, intellectual on-topic chat related to Misplaced Pages and other associated topics.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-politics}}
| A channel to discuss politics.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-trivia}}
| A fun channel with trivia for both new and veteran editors to polish their Misplaced Pages knowledge.
|}

=== Channels for specific tasks ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Channel
! Description
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-unblock}}
| For the discussion and review of blocks and features live updates of ]. ] are voiced (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "+" next to their nickname). Not recommended for idling.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-accounts}} ]
| Used for coordination and collaboration between members of the ] team. This channel is invite only (+i).
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-accounts-admins}} ]
| Used for coordination and collaboration between administrators of the ] team. This channel is invite only (+i).
|-
| {{IRC|countervandalism}}
| For requesting voice in restricted channels and technical help running a countervandalism channel. See ] for details about the CounterVandalism Network.
|-
| {{IRC|cvn-wp-en}}
| For listing and discussing current English Misplaced Pages ] issues (requires ]).
|-
| {{IRC|cvn-wp-en-newpages}}
| For listing new page creations on English Misplaced Pages that contain possible vandalism.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-spam}}
| A botfeed of all links added to English Misplaced Pages. Channel is for linkspam reverting. Feeds for other languages and projects also now exist.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-spam-t}}
| Talk channel associated with {{IRC|wikipedia-en-spam}}.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-csd}}
| For listing edits that add a ] tag.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-lta}} ]
| Discussion about ]. Semi-private: All users active on English Misplaced Pages who either have a wikipedia cloak or are eligible for one are welcome. Users with cloaks are automatically invited.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-abuse-log}}
| For listing recent edits that have tripped the ], as specified in ].
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-abuse-log-all}}
| A feed of all ] hits. You can subscribe to get direct messages when specific filters are tripped. See ] for documentation.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-revdel}}
| For sending urgent ] requests to administrators. ] are opped (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "@" next to their nickname) and are the only ones able to see requests.
|-
| {{IRC|wikimedia-npp}}
| General discussion regarding ].
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-spi}}
| Public channel for coordination among ] ] and other users.
|-
|}

=== WikiProjects ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Channel
! Description
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-afc}}
| Used by the ] to discuss the backlog, administrative changes (especially to our ]) and other related tasks.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-chess}}
| For ].
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-ambassadors}}
| Coordination and collaboration for members of the Misplaced Pages Ambassadors Team (part of WikiProject: Public Policy).
|-
| {{IRC|wikimedia-lgbt}}
| Used by ] for cross-project coordination, collaboration and socialization.
|-
| {{IRC|wikiphys}}
| For ].
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-roads}}
| For ] coordination and collaboration. Retired in favor of ].
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-teahouse}}
| Used for discussion on the ] by guests and hosts.
|-
| {{IRC|wiki-hurricanes}}
| For ].
|-
| {{IRC|WikiProject-United-States}}
| For ] and related projects and topics.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-library}}
| Used for discussion on ] by coordinators and guests.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-medicine}}
| Used for discussion and coordination with ] and related projects and topics.
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-en-openproxies}}
| Discussion and coordination related to the ]
|}

=== Technical channels, and technical support for tools ===

==== Technical ====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Channel
! Description
|-
| {{IRC|wikimedia-tech}}
| Technical issues related to the Wikimedia systems.
|-
| {{IRC|mediawiki}}
| Discussion and technical questions related to the ] ] (including template help, and other questions).
|}

==== Tools, and support for tools ====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Channel
! Description
|-
| {{IRC|AutoWikiBrowser}}
| General discussion and support requests for ].
|-
| {{IRC|huggle}}
| Support for the tool ].
|-
| {{IRC|swviewer}}
| Support for the tool ].
|-
| {{IRC|wikipedia-userscripts}}
| Help and discussion of JavaScript tools.
|}

== #wikipedia-en-admins ==
{{Shortcut|WP:WEA}}

All current and former English Misplaced Pages administrators in good standing have a presumption of entry to this channel, subject to appropriate conduct. ] and people who currently work for the Foundation are allowed access, too. Access to this channel is set to ''invite only'' (+i). Administrators who want to join this channel have to request access to this channel before being able to join the first time. ]

Once an editor is granted access, they retain it unless they are involuntarily de-sysopped or request removal of access to the channel. Formal access to the channel will not usually be long-term revoked unless a participant refuses to abide by the standards of conduct expected of channel members or unless the user is involuntarily de-sysopped. If a user is theoretically unable to ask for and receive their administrator rights from the ], they will not be permitted access to the channel.

The channel has ]. These guidelines set out some "anti-abuse" provisions that consensus agrees the channel operators may draw on, if they are notified of a problem. However, as with all guidelines, they are intended to be for the benefit of the project, with common sense, and not "set in stone".

] on Meta has more details, including a list of all users who have access to the channel. See also ].

== Help ==

=== Problems and help ===

Help for accessing IRC itself is best requested on the ], if you have read the tutorial and other information and are still unable to use it. Once you can access IRC by some means, there are help and information channels on most Wikimedia-related topics listed above, type {{kbd|/join #channelname}} into any window, to join them and ask your question (e.g., {{kbd|/join #wikipedia-en-help}}). It is customary on IRC to just ''ask'', not to ask whether you can ask. :-)

Within the Wikimedia and English Misplaced Pages channels, your first recourse if you have difficulty, is to ask to speak to a channel operator, if any are around. You can identify channel operators in most of these channels since they will appear as having the "o" flag in a list of channel users and flags. Type {{kbd|/msg chanserv flags #channelname}} for a list of users and their access levels (this can sometimes have hundreds of lines). Further help can be obtained as follows:

:* {{mono|#wikipedia-en}}: Ask to speak to a channel operator. If needed, you can often address such problems to administrators who are IRC users. (Please see the userlist of {{mono|#wikipedia-en-admins}} for information.)
:* {{mono|#wikipedia-en-admins}} (the non-public admins channel): Has adopted its own code of conduct that covers problematic situations; please see that channel's guidelines and user information above, for relevant links and userlists.
:* '''All other {{mono|#wiki...}} channels''': Speak to a channel operator for that channel.
:* Beyond that, the Wikimedia channels are supervised by the ]—currently ] ({{mono|dungodung}} on IRC), ] ({{mono|Snowolf}} on IRC), ] ({{mono|AlexZ}} on IRC), ] ({{mono|foks}} on IRC), ] ({{mono|stw}} on IRC), ] ({{mono|Matthew_}} on IRC), and ] ({{mono|AmandaNP}} on IRC)—who can advise on serious problems that channel operators cannot resolve.

''If the problem relates to user conduct in any channel'', your first recourse should be to try and resolve matters with the person involved. If this fails, ask to speak to a channel operator. If your problem cannot be resolved by channel operators, then it may be raised further, as previously mentioned.

: '''It is the policy of some channels that you should not post logs on the wiki, or circulate them without permission from those involved'''; rather, if a matter requires logs then please obtain permission before circulating or publicizing them, and if in doubt ask a channel operator or other experienced user for advice.
{{/Access requests}}

== See also ==
=== Information ===
* ] – how channel access works on Libera Chat IRC
* ]
* ] – the primary channel for editors seeking help on using and editing the English Misplaced Pages
* ] – information page on Meta-Wiki (not to be confused with ], an IRC client)
* ] – main list
* ] – provides information about obtaining a hostmask cloak
* {{Section link|m:IRC/wikipedia-en-admins/User list#Operators}} – list of channel ops for #wikipedia-en-admins

=== Tools ===
* ] – Cross-platform application that allows users to watch recent changes, and automates many vandal-fighting tasks
* {{Section link|Misplaced Pages:Scripts#IRC channel scripts}}

=== User essays ===
* ] – other opinions on these IRC channels and their use by Wikipedians
* ] – written by members of the arbitration committee in January 2007

=== Quotes ===
* ] (]) – a collection of humorous IRC quotes, posted only with consent from the quotee
* ]
* – X!'s tools, get quotes from the IRC Quote Database

=== Other discussion venues ===
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] (text and voice chat)
* ] (voice chat, defunct)
* ]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*

{{Help navigation}}
{{Misplaced Pages technical help|collapsed}}
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 20:08, 16 August 2024

Use of IRC on Wikimedia For the policy concerning the use of Misplaced Pages as a chat room, see WP:FORUM.
Community portal
This help page is a how-to guide.
It explains concepts or processes used by the Misplaced Pages community. It is not one of Misplaced Pages's policies or guidelines, and may reflect varying levels of consensus.		Shortcut
This external system is not subject to the WMF Privacy Policy.
Wikimedia IRC has been migrated from freenode to Libera Chat. For more information, please see meta:IRC/Migrating to Libera Chat. References to freenode on this page and others may be out of date.
New to IRC? Please go to the IRC channel to reach our online helpers!
To begin using Wikimedia IRC channels, see: IRC/Tutorial and m:IRC/Instructions. For the related WikiProjects, see:WikiProject IRC and WikiProject IRC collaboration.

The Libera Chat network has "chat rooms" dedicated to Misplaced Pages 24 hours a day, in which Wikipedians can engage in real-time discussions with each other. Many Wikipedians have chatting open in one window and hop back and forth between it and other windows in which they are working on Misplaced Pages. The chat rooms most relevant to English Misplaced Pages are listed hereafter; a more complete list of channels (for other language Wikipedias, other languages, and recent changes feeds) exists at m:IRC/Channels.

"Chat room" is a name for an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel. IRC chat takes place on a network of servers; the network that hosts the Wikimedia channels is known as Libera Chat. To participate in the chat, you need a type of program or plug-in called an IRC client. Popular clients are listed below.

Use and anonymity on IRC are covered in more detail below. Note that IRC needs more care to maintain anonymity than Misplaced Pages editing does. Anyone can see your IP until you become cloaked, and the process to become cloaked is not immediate.

How is Misplaced Pages IRC related to Misplaced Pages?

Misplaced Pages IRC is not owned or controlled by Misplaced Pages/Wikimedia. It is a project run by volunteers of their own accord. The Misplaced Pages channels on Libera Chat were designed by users of Misplaced Pages as places for Wikipedians to chat using IRC. They are casual and not logged publicly. As far as their influence on Misplaced Pages goes, IRC is equivalent to a conversation in a pub – the discussion may be conducted between a small number of people but may be overheard by hundreds, or more if the logs are published.

Shortcut

When the channels are used to attack Wikipedians, or when IRC discussions are cited as justification for an on-wiki action, the resulting atmosphere is very damaging to the project's collaborative relationships.

IRC tutorial and host masking

Main page: Misplaced Pages:IRC/Tutorial

Server

Wikimedia uses the IRC server irc.libera.chat, port 6697. Connect to this server, then join some channels that interest you, such as #wikipedia-en.

Register your nickname

If you want to use a certain nickname on the network and don't want anyone else to take it, and also to be added to a channel's access list, you must register your nickname with the network. You can do so by typing (in any window): /msg nickserv register password email@address.tld, of course substituting password for any password of your choosing, and email@address.tld with your email address. Follow the steps (including sending a confirmation message in an email). Then configure your IRC client to send an identify message upon login, such as /msg nickserv identify password.

Anonymity and masking

Main article: meta:IRC/Cloaks

As on Misplaced Pages itself, you can use IRC with a name that hides your IP address, and allows you to remember your preferred settings. If you have any special access rights to any channel, those will be remembered under your name too. On IRC these are two separate matters – registering a nickname is quick and easy (like on Misplaced Pages itself), and that name is then password protected for your own use, and cloaking is the request to have the account configured to hide its IP address from other users. These matters are all covered in the IRC tutorial.

To request that your IRC account be cloaked, send the following private message: /msg wmopbot cloak. Group Contacts then process these by hand. Cloaking is optional, but a good idea. Cloak requests typically take several weeks to process.

The following are the requirements necessary to obtain a cloak:

  • User must have a verified e-mail address (throwaway/disposable emails are not acceptable)
  • User must have at least 250 edits on Wikimedia projects
  • User must have a Wikimedia project account registered for at least three months
  • User must not be actively blocked from a project

Note that anonymity is maintained with more difficulty on IRC than on Misplaced Pages. Without a hostmask, your IP address will be visible, and indexed on some Internet websites. Even with a hostmask, your IP address is at risk of being revealed due to the nature of the IRC protocol (due to the effects of a "ghost" session). If you are concerned about your anonymity, you may wish to consult with someone familiar with IRC.

Another straightforward way of guaranteeing anonymity on IRC (and elsewhere) is to subscribe with a VPN service provider. This will re-route all your Internet traffic and effectively replace your IP address with the service provider's.

Alternatively, Tor may be used to connect. Libera Chat provides an onion service under libera75jm6of4wxpxt4aynol3xjmbtxgfyjpu34ss4d7r7q2v5zrpyd.onion but authentication using SASL EXTERNAL or ECDSA-NIST256P-CHALLENGE is mandatory. Tor access to the clearnet domain (irc.libera.chat) is blocked.

Publicly logged channels

There are several Wikimedia channels which are purposefully logged. Some of them are listed here:

  • #wikidata (logged by wm-bot)
  • #wikimedia-labs (logged by wm-bot)
  • #wikimedia-mobile (logged by wm-bot)
  • #wikimedia-toolserver (logged by wm-bot)
  • #wikimedia-operations (logged by wm-bot)
  • #wikimedia-tech (logged by wm-bot)
  • #wikimedia-dev (logged by wm-bot)
  • #mediawiki (logged by wm-bot)
  • #wikimedia-office (publicly logged when a scheduled staff discussion is happening)

List of applications and web clients

Shortcuts

Most people needing live help editing Misplaced Pages can access IRC easily by clicking here: #wikipedia-en-help . Web-based IRC is a good choice for first-time IRC users, for portable use, and for those who cannot, or prefer not to, install separate software.

The usual way to access IRC is by downloading an IRC client. These are more full-featured and make it easy to watch multiple chats at a time. Scripts to enhance IRC clients are available online at Misplaced Pages:Scripts. From the long list of IRC clients, some popular options are:

IRC error: Unable to join channel (invite only)

This error occurs when you attempt to join a non-public channel (see non-public channels, below). If you know that you have access to a non-public channel and you still receive this error, the simplest fix is to ask ChanServ for an invite (see /msg ChanServ help invite for more info). If you have a cloak, you can ask a channel op to add an invex (+I) on your cloak so that you do not need to ask ChanServ for invites each time you need to join the channel.

If, however, you know you both have access to the non-public channel and you know that you have an invex (+I) on your cloak for that channel, your client might be automatically joining the channel before authenticating. Double-check to make sure your client is set up according to Libera Chat's connection guide, and configure your client to log in when you connect.

Use of IRC

Once you are connected to the Libera Chat IRC network, you can choose which public channels you join and which chats you engage in. If you are authorized to join non-public channels then you can take part in those too. Consider also requesting a cloak to mask your IP address and give other users confidence that you are the Misplaced Pages user you claim to be.

In general on IRC, each channel operates autonomously and each has its own norms and policies—these may cover conduct (including civility, appropriate topics, and language), on/off-topic chat, who may join, and who may be asked to leave. Each channel is autonomous and in general there is no appeal from a decision by the operators of that channel to an outside body (which may have any or no reason), so it is worth checking the channel norms and rules before accidentally making a mistake of conduct. That said, in general most channels used by Wikimedia communities are friendly and do have people you can contact in case of problems. (See problems and help below.)

Once connected, some users stay logged-in to the chatrooms whenever they are on Misplaced Pages, and check in on the discussions from time to time, to read what has been accumulating there and to participate. Some programs used for chatting notify you whenever there is activity in a chat room so you will not miss anything. Often, users jump onto a chat room to draw the attention of others there of something on Misplaced Pages that needs attention.

Non-public channels

Further information: Misplaced Pages:IRC/Channel access and configuration guide

A number of non-public channels exist, to which access is limited. The best known of these on English Misplaced Pages is the administrators' channel, but others exist also for groups such as the arbitration committee, checkuser and account creator collaboration. Access to these channels requires use of a registered account, described previously. If you are part of a given group that has a non-public channel, you can request access so that you can join.

Steps to getting access to non-public channels:

  1. Request it — Post a new request under pending requests for access, at the end of this page, providing your registered IRC account and links evidencing access.
  2. Get it — A channel operator will then drop by to give you access to the channel. Alternatively, ask in #wikimedia-ops, using the !ops keyword to get attention.
  3. Use it — Once your request is complete, you can invite yourself to the channel using ChanServ's INVITE command as long as you've identified to NickServ. (See /msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY and /msg ChanServ HELP INVITE for more information.)
  4. (Optional) In order to gain automatic access to a non-public channel (i.e. without having to use the ChanServ's INVITE command each time), you should first obtain a cloak. From there, simply ask an op on the channel to add an invex (+I) for your cloak. If you already have a cloak when requesting access, ops will typically add an invex for you at the same time they're giving you access, but if you obtain a cloak after gaining access or you change your cloak after gaining access, you can typically reach the channel's ops by using either the !ops keyword or requesting assistance in #wikimedia-ops.

The IRC instructions page may also be helpful for getting around.

List of useful channels

Non-public channels listed with a blue padlock icon () require additional user access in order to join them. See non-public channels and pending requests for access for more information. See meta:IRC/Channels for a more extensive list.

General channels

The main general-purpose channels relevant and related to English Misplaced Pages are:

Channel Description
#wikipedia General Misplaced Pages related chat.
#wikipedia-en General chat focusing more on the English-language Misplaced Pages.
#wikipedia-en-help Help channel for Wikipedians. Helpers are voiced, a setting that lets what they say be seen by everyone in the channel. Request a cloak to be voiced automatically (if you have autovoice on your account already, identify to NickServ by typing /msg NickServ identify <nick> <password> to activate it). More information can be found on its page.

User groups

Functional groups

Channel Description
#wikipedia-en-admins Used by admins and some other users. I.e.: stewards and Wikimedia Foundation staff. (See #wikipedia-en-admins below for more information.)
#wikipedia-en-functionaries Used by English Misplaced Pages functionaries and global stewards.
#wikipedia-en-arbcom-clerks Used by clerks and members of the Arbitration Committee.
#wikimedia-admin Used by admins across all Wikimedia projects for cross-wiki admin co-ordination. (See the page IRC/wikimedia-admin on Meta-Wiki for more information.)
#wikipedia-en-BAG Used by the Bot Approvals Group for coordination and discussion/monitoring of Misplaced Pages:Bots/Requests for approval. BAG members are voiced (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "+" next to their nickname); anybody is welcome.
#wikimedia-vrt A public channel for matters related to the Volunteer Response Team and its volunteers. This channel is for co-ordination and collaboration, and to find a VRT user to speak to in private; it is not suitable for confidential discussion. VRT agents are voiced (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "+" next to their nickname).
#wikipedia-en-editfilters Used by edit filter helpers, edit filter managers, and administrators for semi-private discussion relating to edit filters.

Social channels

Channel Description
#wikimedia-social A channel intended primarily for social discussion among contributors to Wikimedia projects.
#Wikimedia-offtopic A semi-social channel for conversations that don't really fit into the other Wikimedia project channels.
#Misplaced Pages-coffeehouse A place for relaxing, intellectual on-topic chat related to Misplaced Pages and other associated topics.
#wikipedia-politics A channel to discuss politics.
#wikipedia-trivia A fun channel with trivia for both new and veteran editors to polish their Misplaced Pages knowledge.

Channels for specific tasks

Channel Description
#wikipedia-en-unblock For the discussion and review of blocks and features live updates of CAT:UNBLOCK. Administrators are voiced (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "+" next to their nickname). Not recommended for idling.
#wikipedia-en-accounts Used for coordination and collaboration between members of the account creation team. This channel is invite only (+i).
#wikipedia-en-accounts-admins Used for coordination and collaboration between administrators of the account creation team. This channel is invite only (+i).
#countervandalism For requesting voice in restricted channels and technical help running a countervandalism channel. See m:CVN for details about the CounterVandalism Network.
#cvn-wp-en For listing and discussing current English Misplaced Pages vandalism issues (requires confirmation).
#cvn-wp-en-newpages For listing new page creations on English Misplaced Pages that contain possible vandalism.
#wikipedia-en-spam A botfeed of all links added to English Misplaced Pages. Channel is for linkspam reverting. Feeds for other languages and projects also now exist.
#wikipedia-spam-t Talk channel associated with #wikipedia-en-spam .
#wikipedia-en-csd For listing edits that add a speedy deletion tag.
#wikipedia-en-lta Discussion about long-term abuse. Semi-private: All users active on English Misplaced Pages who either have a wikipedia cloak or are eligible for one are welcome. Users with cloaks are automatically invited.
#wikipedia-en-abuse-log For listing recent edits that have tripped the edit filter, as specified in User:DatBot/filters.
#wikipedia-en-abuse-log-all A feed of all edit filter hits. You can subscribe to get direct messages when specific filters are tripped. See User:MusikBot/AbuseFilterIRC for documentation.
#wikipedia-en-revdel For sending urgent revision deletion requests to administrators. Administrators are opped (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "@" next to their nickname) and are the only ones able to see requests.
#wikimedia-npp General discussion regarding new page patrolling.
#wikipedia-en-spi Public channel for coordination among sockpuppet investigation clerks and other users.

WikiProjects

Channel Description
#wikipedia-en-afc Used by the AFC project to discuss the backlog, administrative changes (especially to our helper script) and other related tasks.
#wikipedia-chess For WikiProject Chess.
#wikipedia-en-ambassadors Coordination and collaboration for members of the Misplaced Pages Ambassadors Team (part of WikiProject: Public Policy).
#wikimedia-lgbt Used by WikiProject LGBT studies for cross-project coordination, collaboration and socialization.
#wikiphys For WikiProject Physics.
#wikipedia-en-roads For WikiProject Highways coordination and collaboration. Retired in favor of WP:DISCORD.
#wikipedia-teahouse Used for discussion on the Teahouse by guests and hosts.
#wiki-hurricanes For WikiProject Tropical cyclones.
#WikiProject-United-States For WikiProject United States and related projects and topics.
#wikipedia-library Used for discussion on The Misplaced Pages Library by coordinators and guests.
#wikipedia-medicine Used for discussion and coordination with WikiProject Medicine and related projects and topics.
#wikipedia-en-openproxies Discussion and coordination related to the WikiProject on open proxies

Technical channels, and technical support for tools

Technical

Channel Description
#wikimedia-tech Technical issues related to the Wikimedia systems.
#mediawiki Discussion and technical questions related to the MediaWiki software (including template help, and other questions).

Tools, and support for tools

Channel Description
#AutoWikiBrowser General discussion and support requests for AutoWikiBrowser.
#huggle Support for the tool Huggle.
#swviewer Support for the tool SWViewer.
#wikipedia-userscripts Help and discussion of JavaScript tools.

#wikipedia-en-admins

Shortcut

All current and former English Misplaced Pages administrators in good standing have a presumption of entry to this channel, subject to appropriate conduct. Stewards and people who currently work for the Foundation are allowed access, too. Access to this channel is set to invite only (+i). Administrators who want to join this channel have to request access to this channel before being able to join the first time. Access can be requested hereafter.

Once an editor is granted access, they retain it unless they are involuntarily de-sysopped or request removal of access to the channel. Formal access to the channel will not usually be long-term revoked unless a participant refuses to abide by the standards of conduct expected of channel members or unless the user is involuntarily de-sysopped. If a user is theoretically unable to ask for and receive their administrator rights from the Bureaucrats' noticeboard, they will not be permitted access to the channel.

The channel has an internal code of conduct and newcomer information. These guidelines set out some "anti-abuse" provisions that consensus agrees the channel operators may draw on, if they are notified of a problem. However, as with all guidelines, they are intended to be for the benefit of the project, with common sense, and not "set in stone".

IRC/wikipedia-en-admins on Meta has more details, including a list of all users who have access to the channel. See also Misplaced Pages:List of administrators/IRC nicknames.

Help

Problems and help

Help for accessing IRC itself is best requested on the talk page, if you have read the tutorial and other information and are still unable to use it. Once you can access IRC by some means, there are help and information channels on most Wikimedia-related topics listed above, type /join #channelname into any window, to join them and ask your question (e.g., /join #wikipedia-en-help). It is customary on IRC to just ask, not to ask whether you can ask. :-)

Within the Wikimedia and English Misplaced Pages channels, your first recourse if you have difficulty, is to ask to speak to a channel operator, if any are around. You can identify channel operators in most of these channels since they will appear as having the "o" flag in a list of channel users and flags. Type /msg chanserv flags #channelname for a list of users and their access levels (this can sometimes have hundreds of lines). Further help can be obtained as follows:

  • #wikipedia-en: Ask to speak to a channel operator. If needed, you can often address such problems to administrators who are IRC users. (Please see the userlist of #wikipedia-en-admins for information.)
  • #wikipedia-en-admins (the non-public admins channel): Has adopted its own code of conduct that covers problematic situations; please see that channel's guidelines and user information above, for relevant links and userlists.
  • All other #wiki... channels: Speak to a channel operator for that channel.
  • Beyond that, the Wikimedia channels are supervised by the IRC Group Contacts—currently Dungodung (dungodung on IRC), Snowolf (Snowolf on IRC), Az1568 (AlexZ on IRC), Fox (foks on IRC), Stwalkerster (stw on IRC), Matthewrb (Matthew_ on IRC), and AmandaNP (AmandaNP on IRC)—who can advise on serious problems that channel operators cannot resolve.

If the problem relates to user conduct in any channel, your first recourse should be to try and resolve matters with the person involved. If this fails, ask to speak to a channel operator. If your problem cannot be resolved by channel operators, then it may be raised further, as previously mentioned.

It is the policy of some channels that you should not post logs on the wiki, or circulate them without permission from those involved; rather, if a matter requires logs then please obtain permission before circulating or publicizing them, and if in doubt ask a channel operator or other experienced user for advice.

Pending requests for access to channels

Ops: Please remember to update m:IRC/wikipedia-en-admins/User list when you add a new user.

If you wish to access a non-public channel, please add your name and details below. Alternatively it can be quicker to leave a note on the talk page of any user of that channel (who might be able to help, or can add you to the access list) who may see it, or another appropriate talk page.

Please also register your nickname before adding a request (type in /msg nickserv register password email@address.tld, replacing password with one of your choice and email@address.tld with your email address). You may also optionally register a cloak (see above). Format for requests (add to end of list): 

* Username and rights links: {{Userrights|{{subst:REVISIONUSER}}}} ~~~~
** IRC account: (IRC username)
** (Optional) cloak: 
** Channels and evidence: en-admins, ]

Be sure to replace (IRC username) with your username.

See also

Information

Tools

User essays

Quotes

Other discussion venues

References

  1. "Connecting to Libera.Chat - Accessing Libera.Chat Via Tor". Retrieved 13 July 2021.

External links

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