Document credits below. Text-only version is also available.
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/_/ Version 1.3 - May 2002
Table of Contents
-----------------
Introduction
Chapter 1 Rules and Policies
1.1 Advertising
1.2 Auto Messages
1.3 Voice
1.4 Op and Voice Notices
1.5 Colors
1.6 Excessive Capitals (yelling)
1.7 Chatting
1.8 Profanity
1.9 Popups and Aliases
1.10 Scripts
1.11 Private Help
1.12 Correcting Others
1.13 "Disturbing Other Helpers"
1.14 Trouble with Ops
1.15 Sucking up
1.16 More about the channel
Chapter 2 Frequently Asked Questions
2.1 How do I become an AOP?
2.2 How do I NOT become an AOP?
2.3 What are the "rules" when services are offline?
2.4 What should I do when a user doesn't speak english?
2.5 Where do I send non--general-IRC related matters?
2.6 How do I help users with DCC problems?
2.7 What should I do when someone asks for an IRC Operator?
2.8 What should I definitely not help with?
2.9 What references should I read?
2.10 What web pages may be useful to look at?
2.11 How do I become generally a better helper?
2.12 What happened to the quiz?
2.13 Any new updates in Services?
2.14 How do I become an IRC Operator?
Chapter 3 General Information
3.1 Provide non-client Specific Help
3.2 Proper English
3.3 Credits
Introduction
--------------------
Welcome to the #IRCHelp Helpers' FAQ. In the past, this file was written
for the purpose of informing helpers of the channel's rules and policies
in order to answer questions which new helpers would often have asked.
However, we now recommend that all helpers read this FAQ as to gain an
idea of how to help in the channel, as it contains fundamental etiquette
which should be followed while helping in the channel.
This FAQ contains three sections - Channel Rules, Frequently Asked
Questions and General Information such as credits and useful websites.
Please observe each section carefully.
Chapter 1. Rules And Policies
==============================
1.1 Advertising
-------------------
Helpers who recieve adversitements, invites, or any other form of
spam should let an Operator in the channel know (in private) so
that he or she can take care of the problem. Under no situations
should the helper attempt publically discuss the problem.
1.2 Auto Messages
---------------------
#IRCHelp frowns on auto-messages, including the following:
(on-join messages), (on-part messages), (file-server messages)
and any other forms of script messages. Therefore, helpers should
advise those doing it (in private) to type /remote OFF in order
to stop the problem. If no action is taken by the user to stop
this, the helper must inform the op (in private) of the situation.
1.3 Voice
-------------
Operators in #IRCHelp have the option of giving a voice (mode +v) to
any helper they wish, and may remove it when they see fit. Helpers
should not ask for nor expect a voice, and should not complain if
their voice is removed.
1.4 Op and Voice Notices
----------------------------
Only voiced helpers should use op and voice notices to communicate
with operators (command: /notice @+#irchelp <message>).
1.5 Colors
--------------
Since not all IRC clients support color codes such as the ones mIRC
uses, it has been decided that no colors are to be used in #irchelp.
You may use bold and underline sparingly, if needed. To enforce this
rule, the channel has mode +c set.
1.6 Excessive Capitals (yelling)
------------------------------------
Use of capitals for whole sentences is viewed as yelling almost
everywhere on the Internet, and is considered to be rude. An operator
will warn users who yell.
1.7 Chatting
----------------
During busy times, chatting is discouraged. It is inconvenient to
users to have to scroll up to read an answer to their question, or
to have to repeat their question if it wasn't seen. Users who wish
to chat should join another channel to do so.
1.8 Profanity
-----------------
Obscene or profane language is unacceptable in #irchelp for anyone,
especially operators and helpers as they are there to set an example.
This also applies also to lewd or obscene nicknames.
In the event of seeing a helper/op use such language within the
channel, it is wise to report the case to a channel operator, who will
make sure that the correct staff are informed of the matter
1.9 Popups and Aliases
--------------------------
Ideally, #irchelp provides precise, personal answers to all questions
posed by users. Therefore, in the light of this, helpers are not
permitted to use popups or any other form of automated answering
system, unless they are the only active helper/op in the channel
during a crowded time, where it would be hard to answer all the
questions asked efficiently.
1.10 Scripts
---------------
Helpers should disable any script functions which are triggered by
any events in a channel, including auto-greet and auto-ping scripts.
Such scripts are unnecessary, and often annoying.
1.11 Private Help
--------------------
Helpers should not privately help users unless the matter is
personal. Helping in the channel may answer the questions of other
users.
1.12 Correcting Others
-------------------------
Correcting each other in the channel is unprofessional. If an operator
or another helper makes a mistake in helping a user, you should
correct them in private if you wish to tell them of their mistake. The
correction should then be made by the helper who made the
mistake.
1.13 "Disturbing Other Helpers"
----------------------------------
A rule of thumb should be: "One helper per user requesting help."
In other words, if someone is already being helped, it is usually
smart to let the person helping him/her to finish his/her job. It does
not make you a "bad helper" if you stay quiet for a second. Getting help
from multiple helpers confuses users (especially those new to IRC).
If an another helper was helping a specific user, and has been idle for
quite some time and the person who wanted help is still waiting to get
helped you may gently "take over" him of course. The goal of #IRCHelp
is to help users after all.
1.14 Trouble with Ops
------------------------
If you, as the helper, are having problems with a particular op which
exist as a personal agenda rather than a help related problem, then
you are encouraged to either inform a SOp or an XO about it (depending
on whether the op is an AOp or SOp.) You can find out which one of
these groups to contact by going on the IRCHelp site, which can always
be found as a link to in the channel topic.
1.15 Sucking up
------------------
Our butts are for sitting, not for kissing. Please keep this in mind
because we will respect those who are honest and calm.
1.16 More about the channel
------------------------------
The channel was registered on the 9th October 1996 which makes it the
oldest DALnet help channel - that's nearly seven years ago, and it
seems like a long time if you think about it. Infact, some of the
original staff are still here, like PapaGrodin, and Merishel
occasionally drops by. When the channel was first registered, it was
founded and ran by nsmf until the DALnet Help Committee
(http://help.dal.net/) took the channel over and made it the official
DALnet general IRC help channel. We have had several appointed leaders
since then, starting with Delphy and more recently PB. The channel is
now lead by Aries1 since PB resigned in early 2002. Things have never
looked better, and we look forward to the future.
For more information on #IRCHelp please check our website at:
http://help.dal.net/irchelp/
===============================================================================
Chapter 2. Frequently Asked Questions
======================================
2.1 How do I become an AOp?
-------------------------------
To become an operator in #irchelp, you must first help long enough
to be recognized as a competent helper. You must then be nominated,
and then voted in by a majority of the current channel operators.
To be recognized as a competent helper, you obviously must abide by
the channel rules. You should also display that you understand the
use of commands and mode settings, and can convey these to users who
need help.
2.2 How do I NOT become an AOp?
-----------------------------------
If you do not wish to ever become an AOp, simply do the following:
- Ask for a voice
- Ask how to be an operator
- Disregard channel rules
- Argue with operators
- Constantly annoy the operators
- Give wrong answers
- Disrespect the users
2.3 What are the "rules" when services are offline?
-------------------------------------------------------
When services are offline, nicknames and channels do not belong to
anyone. Therefore, no one can "take back" their nickname or channel
until services return.
In cases of extreme flooding of a channel with no operators, the
user may be directed to an IRC Operator.
Also note that the channel bots (IHBOT/OPBOT) have been scripted to
instruct the users to do so while services are down, so there is
a small chance you will be asked questions of this nature, unless
they ignore the topic and notices from IHBOT.
2.4 What should I do when a user doesn't speak english
----------------------------------------------------------
You can direct them to:
Non-English help channels (recommended):
French #DALnetAide
German #DALnetHilfe
Spanish #DALnetAyuda
Norwegian #hjelp (also helping in Swedish and Danish)
Non-English help channels (non DALnet recommended):
(note that we cannot guarantee the best of help in these channels):
Arabic #ArabHelp
Greek #HellasHelp
Hebrew #IsraHelp (formerly #HebHelp)
Italian #ItaliaHelp
Malay #MsiaHelp
Especially during not-so-busy times you can help him/her in his/her own
language too but you are encouraged to also repeat the same in english.
You should prefer to language-specific help channels though, especially
when there is a recommended one. Remember again, we are here to help
users.
2.5 Where do I send non-general-IRC related matters?
--------------------------------------------------------
Other DALnet recommended technical help channels:
Everything #Help_Channel
Macintosh #Macintosh
mIRC #mIRC
pIRCh #pIRCh
Scripting #HelpDesk
Viruses #nohack
Windows #Windows95
2.6 How do I help users with DCC problems?
----------------------------------------------
If IHBOT is present, ask them to attempt a DCC CHAT with him.
If IHBOT is not around, you may help them with it yourself. Here are
a few of the common problems with DCC sends:
1. mIRC's default "Local Info" setup is incorrect for using
DCC. You may either send them to #mIRC or help them
yourself.
2. It could be a problem with a firewall or proxy. You may
direct them to another help channel.
3. It may be a problem with their computer's network setup.
This is the case with @Home Internet users. Again, another
help channel may be able to help them.
2.7 What should I do when someone asks for an IRC Operator?
---------------------------------------------------------------
The only problems that should be directed to an IRC Operator are:
- Clone attacks
- Extreme flooding
- SPAM Bots (bots only)
In general, any other problems can be resolved in #irchelp. Note that
if a rule is not being broken, an IRC Operator cannot help any more
than we can. Refer to DALnet's AUP if common sense does not dictate
to you these rules.
ftp://ftp.dal.net/dalnet/document/official-papers/aup.txt
2.8 What should I definitely not help with?
-----------------------------------------------
Helping with non-IRC matters may confuse some of the users seeking
IRC help, or give them the idea that it is a technical help channel
rather than an IRC help channel.
Users with questions on the following topics should be directed to
other recommended help channels:
a. Computer problems
b. Scripting
c. Popups and aliases
d. mIRC specific problems
e. The Internet (non-IRC)
Users with questions on these topics should not be helped* (other
than to tell them that it is illegal):
a. Warez
b. Movies
c. MP3s
d. Nuking
Users with questions concerning mass inviting/spamming/channel
take-overs and how to perform them, should be informed of the
consequences and *never* told how to do such things.
2.9 What references should I read?
--------------------------------------
The DALnet acceptable use policy, available at
http://www.dal.net/aup/
Other DALnet documents:
ftp://ftp.dal.net/
http://help.dal.net/docs/
Help Files from IRC Clients:
/ircintro (in mIRC)
2.10 What web pages may be useful to look at?
------------------------------------------------
mIRC Homepage http://www.mirc.com/
DALnet homepage http://www.dal.net/
Nuke, Hacking Help http://www.nohack.net/
DALnet HC homepage http://help.dal.net/
IRC reference site http://www.irchelp.org/
IRCHelp homepage http://help.dal.net/irchelp/
2.11 How do I generally become a better helper?
--------------------------------------------------
This is often asked more than some may think, but usually its asked
for the wrong reasons - over eagerness to learn can be a bad idea,
read 1.15 for more idea of what this means.
However, for genuine people who wish to know as much as possible to
be better helpers, refer to all of the urls mentioned above in 2.10,
also http://help.dal.net/docs/ especially, and have a look through
those see if there's anything you don't know yet. It'll benefit you
greatly to do this.
Also, if you have a guide in #IRCHelp (an Op who gives you advice
and tips to be a better helper) don't forget to keep in touch and
get as much out of him/her as possible in order to benefit you and
the users you help.
2.12 What happened to the quiz?
----------------------------------
If you've recently come back helping in #IRCHelp after a long time of
inactiveness, you may have noticed that the quiz no longer exists. We
decided to have it taken off after a meeting. This has now been
replaced by a new system ran by the Training Team where helpers are
occasionally anonymously tested, and some who have special potential
or need extra help are given guides to give them tips and ideas of
how to be better helpers.
2.13 Any new updates in Services?
------------------------------------
Please note, if you haven't been helping on DALnet for a while, you
might not have known that several commands have been changed/added:
/nickserv set KILL [on/off] --> /nickserv set ENFORCE [on/off]
/nickserv sendpass <nick> <email> (Sends nick password to email.)
/chanserv sendpass #channel <email> (Sends chan password to email.)
/chanserv HELP set successor (read this)
/nickserv register <password> <EMAIL> (now need to add email.)
/nickserv set passwd OLD NEW
/chanserv set #channel passwd OLD NEW
Note: When registering nicks, one now needs to confirm them by
checking his/her email address and following the instructions which
DALnet provides.
2.14 How do I become an IRC Operator?
----------------------------------------
This has been added because there are a few helpers who only plan on
helping because they think they'll become IRC Operators by doing so.
Let's just put it straight - that won't happen, ever. Just because a
small amount of our staff are IRC Operators doesn't indicate that
#IRCHelp is an IRCOp training ground. Please understand this and stop
wasting both your and our time. We want dedicated, honest and genuine
people who wish to help the channel, not help themselves.
For more information on this, check:
http://ahnberg.pp.se/ircop.html
===============================================================================
Chapter 3. General Instructions
================================
3.1 Provide non-client Specific Help
----------------------------------------
When helping users, helpers should avoid client specific
instructions. There are dozens of IRC clients, so when helping
users you should try to use methods that work in most clients.
Example:
JoeUser asks how to change channel topic. You should not tell him
to "double click the channel window" unless you are sure that he
uses mIRC. And even if the person who asked it uses mIRC, someone
else in the channel may not. It is universal client knowledge that
/topic #channelname <topic> works in all clients.
When it comes to services, you may use any of these:
/nickserv <command> [<optional parameters>]
or
/msg nickserv@services.dal.net <command> [<optional parameters>]
or even
/quote nickserv <command> [<optional parameters>]
(note: /quote sends raw data to server)
Keep the fact that not all clients recognize /nickserv though, even
if 90 percent of IRCers are using mIRC or whatever the case.
3.2 Proper English
----------------------
Helpers are encouraged to speak proper english. This does not mean
that you may not help if english isn't your native language. You
should try your best though, correct english is easier to read than
"slang" or text full of abbreviations ("u r my friend"). It isn't a
race, right? You've got time to type "you", "you're", or "your"
instead of the usual "ur."
Please try to make this extra effort as it makes users understand
you better, so they don't have to come back asking the same
questions over and over because they didn't understand you.
3.3 Credits
---------------
Ariel7 [Ariel7@dal.net] Wrote original FAQ.
MrD [md@gxt.net] Wrote current FAQ.
Thanks to:
SixSix [pasi@geekabyte.net]