IRC Screenshot

This screenshot is of mIRC running on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0. There are two windows inside the mIRC window. The top window is a "channel window", and the bottom window is the "status" window.

The status window is where information from the IRC server is displayed. Many people minimize this window to get it out of the way. However, be sure to have a peek at it sometimes. Occassionally, important information is displayed here, such as disconnections from the IRC server, information on ping replies, notify list information, etc. Many of these messages can be configured to be displayed in the active chat (channel or private) window, as well.

The channel window is where the real action is. This is the window most people talk in most of the time. At the bottom of this window is a place for you type what you want to say (be sure to press enter when you want to send your text). On the left hand side of this window is where what other people are saying is displayed. What you say will be displayed in this window as well. On the right hand side of this window is the "nickname list". This is a list of all the people in the channel at the moment. The ones with the @ symbol next to their names are "channel operators". These people administer the channel and have the power to force people who break the rules out of the channel if need be (though, we try not to do that if we can avoid it. We're pretty understanding).