Getting Started

How do I connect to the chat?

There are 2 ways:

1) Use the Java chat client: Click the "Live Chat" link that appears on each page of this site. A new web page will launch. Click the connect button and make up a nickname. A chat windows should appear inside the chat webpage. Then chat away! Additional help for the java chat can be found here.

2) Use an IRC chat client: Instead of using the java chat, you can download a program designed specifically to connect to the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network. Download and install instructions are below.

What is IRC?

IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat. It's a chat network that has been around since the 80s - making it older than the web. There are many different IRC servers out there, each of which can host thousands of individual chatrooms or "channels." Our chat channel is #sg1archive and it is located on the irc.wikkedwire.com IRC server. For more info about IRC in general, check out irchelp.org and irc.org. For more info about the wikkedwire server, check out their website.

What's the difference between the java chat client and the IRC chat client?

If you use the Java client, you can chat from within your web browser from any computer you want without having to install any additonal software. (You may, however, need to upgrade your version of java - more on that later.) Java's not perfect though - sometimes it can crash your browser or make it run slowly. Some people have also had problems remaining connected to the IRC server using the Java client.

If you use an IRC client, you can register your nickname so that nobody else can use it, join other chat channels, send files to each other, chat privately with individual members, and a bunch of other stuff. And because it's a dedicated chat program, it won't affect the performace of your web browser. However, you need to download and install the program on each computer on which you want to use the client.

In addition, you can use both. For example, use the IRC client on your main computer and the java client when you're on a different computer...

How do I download and install an IRC client?

Windows users: Download and installation instructions for the IRC client mIRC program can be found at www.mirc.com.

Mac users: Download and installation instructions for the IRC client ircle are at www.ircle.com.

To access our chatroom, you will need the following info:

server: irc.wikkedwire.com (port 6667)
channel: #sg1archive
(to enter the chatroom, type /join #sg1archive )

Additional info about IRC:
Check out irchelp.org and irc.org.

I can't get the Java chat to work. The Java chat is acting funny...

You may need to download or upgrade your version of Java. The most recent version of Java (for all operating systems) can be downloaded from Sun Microsystems. And if you want to test if Java is working at all, go to this page. If you can see the crossword puzzle, then you've got java.

If you want to install/upgrade Sun Java on your Windows XP machine, you should remove Microsoft's Java first. Here are instructions. Then download and install Sun's Java Virtual Machine. Get it here.

If you've done all of this, and you still can't load a java application in your web browser, then perhaps for some reason your browser has java turned off. Instructions on how to enable it are here.

Sun Java, Microsoft Java, why should I care?

Java is a progamming language that lets you write standalone applications that will work on all platforms. For example, limewire is a program written in java. As long as you have the Java Virtual Machine installed on your computer, you should be able to run it on any operating system. You can also embed a java applet in a web page. An applet is a little java program that will automatically be downloaded to your computer and run when the web page loads. So when you use the java chat function, your computer is doing all of the work, not Arcady's server. Which is good for webmasters.

Microsoft doesn't really like things like java, which could theoretically make a user's choice of operating system irrelevant. So the origianal version of Windows XP has no Java, and if you wanted it, you had to download the Java Virtual Machine (written by Java inventor Sun Microsystems). When they released Service Pack 1 for Windows XP, they replaced the Sun Java Virtual Machine with their own version called Microsoft Virtual Machine. They changed the Sun version, claiming that their "enhancements" would make Java run better on Windows machines. What it did was make some java applications run differently on Windows vs. non-Windows systems. This defeates the purpose of Java, which is to allow one application to run the same way on all systems, regardless of operating system. (Basically, they broke java on purpose.) Sun sued Microsoft, claiming anticompetive behavior, and a judge ordered that they remove Microsoft VM and put the Sun Java VM back in. So your version of Java may differ depending on your Windows XP installation. The courts recently allowed Sun to license their Java VM directly to computer manufacturers (bypassing Microsoft), so for example Dell can ship computers with Sun Java regardless of what Microsoft wants.

There's nobody in the chat room. This chatroom sucks!

Well, if everybody connects to the chat and then leaves 2 seconds later, it's pretty easy for people for miss each other. When you come here to read the forums, connect to the chat, and keep it open the entire time you're here. At any given time, the main page shows that there are usually several people around. If you stay logged into the chat while you're doing other stuff on the forums, then you increase the chances that more people will be available to chat at the same time.

In addition, there are people who meet regularly. For example, there are usually a bunch of people on around 3PM Eastern Daylight Time, which corresponds to early evening in Europe (19:00 GMT). Here's a neat little Time Zone Converter website.

I have more questions, more info for the FAQ...

Post them here, and they will be incoroporated into the FAQ. Please don't start new topics with technical questions about the chat.

A few people have requested an etiquette guide for the chat...

Chat etiquette for #sg1archive

Basically, if everyone adheres to just one rule, there won't be any problems. That one rule is "Don't be an ass." But here are a few details just in case:

DON'T TYPE EVERYTHING IN ALL CAPS. IT IS LIKE SHOUTING AND VERY ANNOYING.

Don't double post.
Don't double post.

Don't change your nickname every five minutes.

Most of us act pretty mature most of the time. Profanity and sexually suggestive talk is ok, provided you are just kidding around and not personally attacking another individual.

What do I do if I see someone repeatedly breaking these rules?

If someone is being an ass, report him/her to Arcady or one of the channel operators.

What/who is a channel operator?

Channel operators or "ops" are like moderators for the chat channel. They can kick people off, ban them, etc. They are also there to offer assistance.

You can tell who the ops are by looking at the list of people in the channel. In the Java chat, ops are at the top of the list and have a little gavel icon next to their name. In mIRC, ops have an @ next to their name, and in ircle, their names appear in red.

Channel ops and forum moderators are not necessarily the same people. This is because not all of the forum moderators join the chat regularly, and not all of the forum moderators are familiar with IRC. Arcady and HurricaneMB are the only ops right now. More may be added later.

How do I contact an op?

If you are just asking for help, you can ask in the main chat channel. However, if you are reporting someone for being an ass, please do so privately. In the java chat, use the whisper balloon button. If you're using an IRC client like mIRC or ircle, type /query nickname message. Example: /query Arcady hurricane is being an ass. This will open a separate chat window in which you may chat privately. Alternatively, you can just send a private message via the forums. If you can't find an op, send a PM to Arcady, and your problem will be addresed ASAP.

Additional Chat Info

How do I register my nickname so that nobody else can use it?

Instructions: click here

How do I chat privately with someone in the chat channel?

Instructions: type /msg Nickname message. For example, /msg Arcady what's up? This will open a new window where you can chat privately. In most clients, you can also right-click the name of the person with whom you wish to chat, and select msg or query.

Additional info about IRC:
Check out irchelp.org and irc.org.

well done hurricane that look like it took alot of time ........ well done...... im in aww

thanks hurricane, i know what to do now. i dont understand what is wrong with microsoft...

A very good FAQ mb, covers a wide range of chat info, sweet

Thanks Hurricane,

I have now been able to register my nick-name on the Java.

I am in the process of moving the chat to a new server, since the people that run the old one cannot seem to keep it working.

The new webchat is now in place. Click the "Live Chat" link to try it out.

For IRC client users, you need to change the server to irc.wikkedwire.com and connect to channel #sg1archive as before.


This post has been edited by Arcady: Jan 23rd 2004, 11:21 AM

Uh, I hope these qusetions belongs here..

How do I use the search function correctly? I've tried several searches and none of them have come up with anything. I know that that could mean that there just isn't anything but I don't want to get yelled at for starting a thread about something already there.

Also, I accedently hit the "subscribe to this forum" button, what does that do?

It's not really in the right place, but that's Ok..... happy to help.

I think the major cause of people not finding what they want is usually that they can't use the search properly and not that it doesn't exist. A few useful things to remember when using the search feature are:

- The defaults are probably going to be wrong for what you want to search for. If you just open it and type stuff in the box you probably won't find what you want.

- If you want to search all threads from all dates, you need to first select the 'All forums' option from the 'Search Where' choices and also set the 'Search posts from' choice to 'Today and... Older'.

- If you want to search for something using multiple key words, you need to use the 'AND' operator between them unless you just want to search for posts where the two (or more) words appear in the order you write them.

For example, if you want to find all posts containing both of the words Stargate and Goa'uld, you would enter "Stargate AND Goa'uld" in the search box (without the quotes). If you just searched for "Stargate Goa'uld", you would only get results where a post has the word Stargate immediately followed by the word Goa'uld in it.

Hope this helps you in your searches

The option to subscribe to a topic is so that you can receive notification by email when new posts are added to the topic, so that you don't miss anything.

If you have any other questions, feel free to send me a private message or send a private message to one of the mods.

Thanks MUCH!!
(About the search thing, that's what I figured and why I asked.)

Uh, just one more thing....If I do have more questions, how do I send a private message? (Really new to this...really new )

Below each members post, there is as list of buttons. The second one says "PM". Just hit that and you can send that member a PM.

If you click the person's name, it takes you to their profile. In the upper left box labeled "Communicate", click the "Click Here" link next to Personal Message. Click here to see what I mean.

If you have any problems, then you can PM me.

The chat server is now at irc.wikkedwire.net, room is still #sg1archive. I'm surprised no one has posted that in this thread.

I've got mIRC and I can't connect to the chat room. What do I do?

I got Java up and running again now.

This post has been edited by Draconus: Jan 23rd 2004, 1:46 PM

I have changed all previous references to the new server info.

Thanks

i got this nasty error when i try to set my name as "Admiral_Zarn", it says something about admin impersonation.... wtf is wrong with it? i know someone couldnt have taken that name because i made it up.... plz help

Hmmmm, that's pretty strange - I've never heard anything like that before. I guess there must be an administrator of that IRC network that has a similar name. You might have made your name up, but I've seen several people with the nickname Zarn around before... Navy ranks are often prepended to Scifi names anyway, so..... maybe it is only matching part of it anyway and just recognises the Zarn bit. All I can suggest it to try a totally different name

BESS blocks the site that tells how to register a nickname....what do I do to register one?

I second that...I can't seem to figure out how to register a nick.
I've read the old instructions...and tried to whisper to nickserv with no success.
Can anyone help? Thanks,
~Joli

/msg NickServ register <your password> <your email>

Then, every time you connect,
/msg NickServ identify <your pass>

You can also abbreviate /msg NickServ IDENTIFY to just /ns identify

This post has been edited by Lord ?okar: Apr 29th 2004, 4:44 PM

How do you quit the chat?

Ummm, click the little 'x' in the corner of the window?

First quickly unplug your computer and throw the CPU out the window....you can throw the monitor too, but that's a waste.

or type /quit