- information provided by Michelle Lowe and Phyllis Michele Greenhouse What is IRC? | What is #POTTERY? | IRC Software | Starlink Servers | Questions | Help
Having gone through many incarnations, the #pottery channel on IRC seems to be relatively stable at the starlink system. Many potters from the US, Canada and other parts of the world visit regularly and talk clay. We have potter friends come in from Singapore, Santo Domingo, Australia (and more). We all gather to compare notes on glazes, let off steam about problems and ask advice about technical or aesthetic concerns with immediate response. For an isolated artist/craftsman this can be an invaluable source of support and recharging. Sharing cyber real-time moments has proven to be a wonderful way to take a break from the studio or just kick back and hang out with new found claypals.
The busiest times seem to be late evening, around 10 pm eastern US time. You can often find someone to talk to during the day as well.
IRC is a system where people can log into channels and "talk" interactively by exchanging typed messages in real time. Unlike email mailing lists like ClayArt, messages you send to a chat room appear immediately. IRC is accessible from any internet service provider with a full internet connection. Local BBS's who have internet Slip or PPP accounts are able to connect to IRC. Not all freenets are able to access IRC. back to the top
IRC is a system where people can log into channels and "talk" interactively by exchanging typed messages in real time. Unlike email mailing lists like ClayArt, messages you send to a chat room appear immediately. IRC is accessible from any internet service provider with a full internet connection. Local BBS's who have internet Slip or PPP accounts are able to connect to IRC. Not all freenets are able to access IRC.
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#POTTERY, originally established on the Undernet in February of 1995, is now on the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) system known as the"starlink." The #POTTERY channel is a great chat (typing to others in the same area) room where we cyber clay folks gather to compare notes on glazes, let off steam about problems and ask advice about technical or aesthetic concerns with immediate response. For an isolated artist/craftsman this can be an invaluable source of support and recharging. Sharing cyber realtime moments has proven to be a wonderful way to take a break from the studio or just kick back and hang out with new found claypals. back to the top
#POTTERY, originally established on the Undernet in February of 1995, is now on the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) system known as the"starlink." The #POTTERY channel is a great chat (typing to others in the same area) room where we cyber clay folks gather to compare notes on glazes, let off steam about problems and ask advice about technical or aesthetic concerns with immediate response. For an isolated artist/craftsman this can be an invaluable source of support and recharging.
Sharing cyber realtime moments has proven to be a wonderful way to take a break from the studio or just kick back and hang out with new found claypals.
IRC (internet relay chat) is the place online where you can chat, with text, in real time. IRC requires software, there are several applications for IBM platform, the most popular being mIrc. The best software to use for Mac is probably IRCle. (Older versions of Homer probably won't work.) Homepages for downloading ircle and Mirc: ircle: Ircle Home Page and Mirc: MIRC homepage or Another MIRC homepage - Version 3.92 is the most recent. Although America Online is now IRC capable, if you're using Windows you'll have to get the 32-bit version of winsock to be able to use MIRC to reach the #pottery channel. If you're using a Macintosh, you only need to enable AOL-link in the Preferences if AOL is your primary internet provider. Once you have your software downloaded and unzipped/unstuffed, you have to type in a server address for the irc system you want to go to. back to the top
IRC (internet relay chat) is the place online where you can chat, with text, in real time. IRC requires software, there are several applications
for IBM platform, the most popular being mIrc. The best software to use for Mac is probably IRCle. (Older versions of Homer probably won't work.)
Homepages for downloading ircle and Mirc:
ircle:
Ircle Home Page
and Mirc:
MIRC homepage or Another MIRC homepage - Version 3.92 is the most recent.
Although America Online is now IRC capable, if you're using Windows you'll have to get the 32-bit version of winsock to be able to use MIRC to reach the #pottery channel. If you're using a Macintosh, you only need to enable AOL-link in the Preferences if AOL is your primary internet provider.
Once you have your software downloaded and unzipped/unstuffed, you have to type in a server address for the irc system you want to go to.
Starlink is the name of the current server system where #pottery is located. The newest versions of mIrc and Ircle have starlink servers listed. Older versions of Ircle have a mouse click command for "other servers" where you type in starlink addresses. It may take you several tries to find a starlink server address that will work for you. Sometimes servers have temporary problems or get full of users and won't let any more on. Just work your way down the list and you will find one that works for you. Starlink server addresses to reach the #pottery channel: miami.fl.us.starlink.org cinci.oh.us.starlink.org aspen.co.us.starlink.org roseburg.or.us.starlink.org WeAretheB.org SouthBend.IN.US.StarLink.Org Glen.VC.AU.StarLink.Org Denver.CO.US.StarLink.Org NewYork.NY.US.StarLink.org Utrecht.NL.EU.StarLink.Org RockHill.SC.US.StarLink.Org Once you reach the starlink system just type- /join #pottery to get to the channel Evenings US time are still popular times to chat. Check in Monday and Wednesday nights 8-11 EST if you haven't found anyone on one these channels at other times. back to the top
Starlink is the name of the current server system where #pottery is located. The newest versions of mIrc and Ircle have starlink servers listed. Older versions of Ircle have a mouse click command for "other servers" where you type in starlink addresses. It may take you several tries to find a starlink server address that will work for you. Sometimes servers have temporary problems or get full of users and won't let any more on. Just work your way down the list and you will find one that works for you.
Starlink server addresses to reach the #pottery channel: miami.fl.us.starlink.org cinci.oh.us.starlink.org aspen.co.us.starlink.org roseburg.or.us.starlink.org WeAretheB.org SouthBend.IN.US.StarLink.Org Glen.VC.AU.StarLink.Org Denver.CO.US.StarLink.Org NewYork.NY.US.StarLink.org Utrecht.NL.EU.StarLink.Org RockHill.SC.US.StarLink.Org
Once you reach the starlink system just type- /join #pottery to get to the channel
Evenings US time are still popular times to chat. Check in Monday and Wednesday nights 8-11 EST if you haven't found anyone on one these channels at other times.
Macintosh: There are two IRC software applications for Macintosh, one is called Homer, It currently does not work easily with the IRC network for #POTTERY The main shareware Macintosh program to look for on the Internet is "ircle" Ircle Home Page Windows: There are an ever increasing amount of graphically oriented software apps being written for WINDOWS, but in my humble opinion, MIRC is by far the most user friendly and has regular monthly updates. It also contains many of the bells and whistles that we on IRC have come to find quite conventient and enjoyable! MIRC homepage or MIRC homepage - Version 3.92 is the most recent. DOS: For those of you without the benefit of windows to enhance your IRC sessions, I suggest you contact your local internet provider and ask if you will have to use a specific protocol to connect with Internet Relay Chat. You may have to settle for a plain vanilla unix line, and be virtually blind to any generic actions that others with the graphics capabilities are able to perform and view and hear! Your best bet is to try and get up and running on Windows ASAP ! Or, better, buy a Macintosh and be able to run both!
Once you have a connection established through your local provider, you need to run your IRC program. There are some uncomplicated set up commands which basically ask you for your real name/email address/provider and also, what user ID you intend to use on the Internet Relay Chat. (some people use a variation on their real name, others make up a nick name based upon whatever seems to strike their fancy at the moment. Your "nick" may be capriciously changed at whim by typing /nick whatever. If for some reason there is another user on the IRC with the same nick, you will be defaulted to an alternate nick that you have chosen in the setup. You'll also need to provide the address for an IRC server (above). Once having logged on with the IRC software, you type: /join #POTTERY and you will automatically be in the chat room that we inhabit. Most IRC software allows you to set it up to automatically join #pottery when you log in.
Once you have a connection established through your local provider, you need to run your IRC program. There are some uncomplicated set up commands which basically ask you for your real name/email address/provider and also, what user ID you intend to use on the Internet Relay Chat. (some people use a variation on their real name, others make up a nick name based upon whatever seems to strike their fancy at the moment. Your "nick" may be capriciously changed at whim by typing /nick whatever. If for some reason there is another user on the IRC with the same nick, you will be defaulted to an alternate nick that you have chosen in the setup. You'll also need to provide the address for an IRC server (above). Once having logged on with the IRC software, you type:
/join #POTTERY
and you will automatically be in the chat room that we inhabit. Most IRC software allows you to set it up to automatically join #pottery when you log in.
Most of the regulars that visit the #POTTERY channel, seem to come and go at all hours of the day and night. However, for the more regimented clay arters out there, we have set up Monday and Wednesday evenings for chat from about 6 pm PST or 9 pm EST - 10 pm PST or 1 am EST. the hours may vary due to individual schedules and of course, typing burnout...(guffaw) back to the top
Most of the regulars that visit the #POTTERY channel, seem to come and go at all hours of the day and night. However, for the more regimented clay arters out there, we have set up Monday and Wednesday evenings for chat from about 6 pm PST or 9 pm EST - 10 pm PST or 1 am EST. the hours may vary due to individual schedules and of course, typing burnout...(guffaw)
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