[ Thanks to Jason
Greenwood for this link. ]
“Internet Relay Chat, better known as IRC, is a distributed
client-server system in which users can communicate with any number
of other users in real time. IRC servers host channels that are
dedicated to discussion forums on specific topics. These topics
aren’t fixed other than by convention and the whims of the IRC
operators (more on that). If you are old enough to remember CB
radio (i.e.: mid-30s and up), you pretty much understand
IRC—at least in the human sense of the experience.“A number of IRC servers exist around the world, some with
hundreds of channels. IRC servers can also peer with other servers.
IRC channels cover a plethora of topics, from purely social to
politics to business or to high-technology. In the Linux world,
there are channels devoted to programming in most of the popular
languages, as well as your favorite Linux distribution, office
applications, games, and so on. IRC channels are great places to
meet and exchange information, ask questions, answer questions, or
just plain chat. All this chatting takes place via an IRC client
such as Xchat, Ksirc, Kvirc, GAIM, Kopete, and a number of
others…”