IRC is Internet Relay Chat. There are literally millions of people using IRC at any given time. Here are some basics for understanding IRC, if you're unfamiliar with it.

IRC is not accessed in the same way that you access web pages. You must have a special piece of software, an IRC 'client', to access IRC and chat with other users.

The most popular IRC Client is mIRC which you may download FREE from www.mirc.com. There's plenty of info there about IRC and mIRC features but we'll hopefully give you enough to get started.

When you run this software (mIRC), you can access any of the IRC Nets. Some of the big ones are DALnet, EFnet, UnderNet, etc.

We've selected the server run in association with bondage.com because it's smaller and doesn't have some of the problems which huge nets have, simply because of the number of users and servers they have linked together. Of course, there are likely to be more play partners around too considering the bondage.com affiliation.

IRC CHANNELS (also called 'rooms' or 'chatrooms' in other chat environments) are accessed by #name, like #DoubleMoon. People may create channels with most any name on any net, but they cannot be duplicated on the same net. So there will only be one #DoubleMoon on bondage.com and to make sure you are in OUR #DoubleMoon, you MUST be on bondage.com. If there's a #DoubleMoon on some other net, we don't know about it and it's not connected with us in any way. (We were previously on StarChat Net but moved from there to bondage.com's chat server.)

SO, to get to our #DoubleMoon on IRC, you run mIRC. On the first time through, you'll need to enter a nickname and other info as prompted. Realize that your nickname will have to be unique from all other users on the bondage.com server. This is another advantage of a small net, the nicknames aren't all taken. If you try one that's taken, you'll be notified and you can change it a little or add a ` or something to make it unique.

Example nickname: LadyArianda - If that were already in use by another user, she might change it to Lady_Arianda or LadyArianda` (After having Maxwell deal with the imposter, then she could go back to LadyArianda <weg>)

Using mIRC, connect to the bondage.com server by typing the following command in the Status window "/server irc.bondage.com 6667" then when it shows you are connected, type in "/join #DoubleMoon" to enter our channel.

Maxwell should be there to greet you. On IRC, Maxwell is a 'bot' which simply means that there's not a live person operating him usually. Instead, he's a collection of commands which perform basic functions like keeping the channel open and to greet folks who enter.

Whether you're in #DoubleMoon or elsewhere on IRC, if you have a question, ask. Most IRC users are very helpful and glad to share what they know about this great little way to get people together, all over the world. Asking is likely how they learned and most all of them are glad to pass on the favor.

Once you're connected and in the channel, here's how to participate.

TALKING: Just type what you want to say and hit Enter. Talk/chat is designated by your nickname and the words you typed. The line will appear so that everyone in the room may read what you said. Example...

<LadyArianda> Greetings, All and Sundry

ACTION: Actions are designated with an asterisk before your nickname and an automatic color change. Example...

* LadyArianda greets all those present.

To do this action, LadyArianda would have typed... /me greets all those present. The software will replace 'me' with your current nickname. (Wait til you catch yourself trying to do a /me in email! hehe)

WHISPER: There are two types of whispering, in general. One is to simply color your text to appear lighter than the default black. You can play with colors in channel sometime. Everyone can read this kind of whispering, but it's understood that you are speaking quietly.

The other kind of whispering is also referred to as an IM or PM in other chat environments. This is a way to communicate with a single person privately (hence PM - Private Message).

To PM another user, type /msg nickname whateveryouwanttosay This will send your message to them. When they reply, a small window will open in which you may continue chatting with this person only, without the rest of the channel seeing the conversation.

Using mIRC, you will find a button on the task bar for each window you have open. One is Status, which is always there. Another will be #DoubleMoon. If you have private chats going or are visiting other channels, there will be a button for each.

You may switch between individual channels and PMs by clicking on these buttons. That will bring the clicked room to the front of your stack of windows. The others are still there, just not visible. There are also options for displaying all open windows at once, by cascading or tiling them. If interested in this, ask while in channel for a quickie... er... quick instruction.

Other IRC player/chatter conventions, are similar to those we use in email. Mini-actions can be mixed in normal text with <> notation, ala <weg>. If roleplay is going on, OOC comments should be designated to avoid confusion with IC (in character) text. ((This would be an out of character comment)) Using (()) is fairly common for that. And of course, all the myriad emoticons are honored    : )