The Official #US-Opers EFNet Frequently Asked Questions - By Disciple
The Official and most recent copy can be obtained from:
http://www.irchelp.org/ircd/usfaq.html
All other copies may be old and/or obsolete.
Last Updated: Sat Aug 28 16:02:25 EDT 1999
Many of the answers to these questions were obtained from http://www.irchelp.org/ and http://www.the-project.org/efnet/opermyth.html. Most of these questions are answered elsewhere, but not all in one place, hence this text. These are the questions that appear most often in #us-opers and instead of sending people to a bunch of different places, I decided to compile them into one text. This text will become more detailed as time goes on, but if I have left anything out, or I have made a mistake, you may /msg me (Disciple) on efnet.
This FAQ may be distributed freely. You may use parts from it for anything else, or for another FAQ, as long as due credit is given.
QUESTION INDEX:
1. What are servers I can run bots on?
2. Why can’t I register a channel or nickname?
3. Can an IRC Operator help me with a taken over channel or opless channel?
5. How do I find an active operator?
6. How do I see a list of all the operators on the server I’m on?
8. what are all the /stats commands I can use?
9. What are all the user modes and what do they do?
10. Will operators kill spammers and flooders?
11. Will operators kill or kline for my nick?
13. Will operators kill or kline because someone is “nuking” me?
14. Is there a way I can see operwalls without being an operator?
15. How do I become an IRC Operator?
16. How do I link my own efnet server?
17. New server guidelines clarification.
18. Where can I get the actual IRC server itself?
21. Are there any other mailing lists like the Routing one?
22. What is a TCM, and what is a TCM Oper?
23. Where can I get TCM Dianora and help/information about it?
24. Where can I get OOMon and help/information about it?
25. What are the new features in Hybrid6?
26. When I join #us-opers and ask for help, how come sometimes I get banned?
27. I need help setting up my irc server, will someone help me?
28. I’m looking for a small irc network to chat and maybe link a server to. Where can I find one?
29. What is timestamp and what does it do?
30. When I do /list I get disconnected. What can I do to see a list of channels?
31. What is a wallop/operwall and a locop message?
33. I would like to find out more about efnet and how it’s run. Where can I find this information?
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
Question 1:
Q: What are servers I can run bots on?
A: irc.core.com, irc.freei.net, irc.arpa.com, irc.concentric.net, and irc.lagged.com are a few of the efnet servers that allow non abusive bots.
Question 2:
Q: Why can’t I register a channel or nickname?
A: It is a common belief on efnet that nicks and channels are not owned. They are simply “occupied” or “in use”. The debate whether to add services to efnet has gone on for many years, but there are no services on efnet, and there probably never will be services. If you would like an irc server with services, dalnet offers both chanserv and nickserv.
Question 3:
Q: Can an IRC Operator help me with a taken over channel or opless channel?
A: Usually not. 99.9% of the time Operators will not help you with channel takeovers. The Job of an IRC Operator is to make sure that their server, and the entire network is running smoothly. EFNet operators are not here to handle channel matters. Operators are incapable of opping themselves or anyone else in channels they are not already opped in. There is nothing in the efnet IRCD code that allows operators to do this. Your best bet is to start a new channel. The people are what make the channel, not the name of the channel. For a complete detailed list of what opers can and can not do, along with what they can do but usually will not do, visit http://www.the-project.org/efnet/opermyth.html.
Question 4:
Q: My channel is opless and there are a few idle people in there, can an operator get rid of them for us?
A: Operators are capable of “removing” them, but probably will not. They are not doing anything wrong, and who do we know who to believe. For all we know, you could be the one trying to takeover the channel. That is why operators will probably not help you in this situation.
Question 5:
Q: How do I find an active operator?
A: use “/stats p [irc server]”. The number by the operators name tells you how long, in seconds, they have been idle.
Question 6:
Q: How do I see a list of all the operators on the server I’m on?
A: “/stats o” will show you the list of all the operators in the conf file. If the server is running Hybrid 5.3p6 you will also see the TCM Operators. “/stats o” does not work on remote servers, only the one you are currently connected to.
Question 7:
Q: I was killed and I want to know why, but when I ask no one gives me an answer or tells me to go away.
A: If you were killed, you were either pissing someone off or breaking one or more of the servers rules. Read the servers /motd to see if you were in violation of any of their rules. Operators do not have to answer for their actions to users however. EFNet is a private network, run by private servers and not a democracy.
Question 8:
Q: What are all the /stats commands I can use?
A: The modes are (use /stats [letter]):
? Server connection statistics
b B-lines
c C/N-lines
d D-lines
e E-lines
h H/L-lines
i I-lines
k K-lines
l Data transfer statistics by connection
The numeric fields are as follows:
sendQ (outgoing message queue)
sendM (protocol messages sent)
sendK (total kilobytes sent)
receiveM (protocol messages received)
receiveK (total kilobytes received)
time in seconds since the connection was created
L Same as STATS l, except shows IP address instead of host
m Command statistics
o O/o-lines
p Current opers online
t General server statistics
u Server uptime
v Server link information
y Y-lines
z More server statistics
For more information see ircopguide section: VIII. Server Information Commands (TRACE, STATS, LINKS, and HTM) For more information on what some of these modes do see section: VII. IRCD and Associated Files on the same page.
Question 9:
Q: What are all the user modes and what do they do?
A: A list of all the user modes, with a description of what they do is available at http://apatrix.asu.net/irc/docs/umodes.html.
Question 10:
Q: Will operators kill spammers and flooders?
A: Usually. If you /whois the spammer/flooder, /stats p [the server they are on], and /msg an active oper, they will usually handle them.
Question 11:
Q: Will operators kill or kline for my nick?
A: No. It is a general belief that nicks are not owned on efnet.
Question 12:
Q: I was talking to someone and they changed their nick. Can an operator tell me what their new nick is?
A: No. efnet operators cannot see what peoples new nicks are.
Question 13:
Q: Will operators kill or kline because someone is “nuking” me?
A: Usually Not. All logs are fakable, and having a server downed because of an oper killing or k:lining a “nuker” isn’t worth it.
Question 14:
Q: Is there a way I can see operwalls without being an operator?
A: No. Only IRC Operators can see them.
Question 15:
Q: How do I become an IRC Operator?
A: In short, you don’t. Becoming an IRC Operator requires not only a strong working knowledge of IRC and this IRC network, but also a working relationship with hub admins and other opers. Opers are selected when there is a need, and never given based on who is asking for it. See ircopguide section VI for more details.
Question 16:
Q: How do I link my own efnet server?
A: A general rule of thumb is, if you have to ask “how”, you’re probably not ready to run an efnet server. If you do not already know how efnet works, and how to link a server, it is a pretty safe bet that your server will not be linked. Never the less, if you feel you are ready, the new server guidelines and server application are at ftp://ftp.blackened.com/pub/irc/new-server- guidelines.
Question 17:
Q: In the new server guidelines, it says “it is in the applicant’s best interest to do some homework on what applications have been approved in the past and which ones haven’t and, more importantly, why they were approved or denied.” What does this mean, and where can I find this information?
A: This means you need to go through some of the applications that have been submitted and see what works and what doesn’t. You can view past applications at http://www.the-project.org/efnet/votes/closed.votes/, and the discussion about them at http://www.the-project.org/routing/.
Question 18:
Q: Where can I get the actual IRC server itself?
A: Hybrid is archived at ftp://ftp.blackened.com/pub/irc/hybrid/, and IRCD Comstud is archived at ftp://ftp.coms tud.com/pub/cbehrens/ircd/.
Question 19:
Q: Where can I get Hybserv?
A: ftp://ftp.magenet.com/pub/hybserv/.
Question 20:
Q: If I decide to send in a server application, where will the discussion and voting of it take place?
A: The Routing List. It is archived at http://www.the- project.org/routing/current/. Most of efnets routing/connection “issues” are discussed there.
Question 21:
Q: Are there any other mailing lists like the Routing one?
A: Yes. There is the IRC3 mailing list that is archived at http://www.the- project.org/ircd/, the Admins mailing list that is archived at http://www.the-project.org/admins/, and Operlist which is at http://www.the-project.org/operlist/current/threads.html.
Question 22:
Q: What is a TCM, and what is a TCM Oper?
A: TCM stands for Texas Connection Monitor. It is a connection monitor bot. It checks for clones, flooders, and other abusive clients. A TCM Oper is someone with oper access to this bot. A TCM Oper has the same power as a local oper, with the exception that they cannot /squit or /connect their server.
Question 23:
Q: Where can I get TCM Dianora and help/information about it?
A: http://www.db.net/~db/tcm.html.
Question 24:
Q: Where can I get OOMon and help/information about it?
A: http://toast.blackened.com/oomon/.
Question 25:
Q: What are the new features in Hybrid-6?
A: A list of all the new features and changes in Hybrid-6 are available at hybrid6.
Question 26:
Q: When I join #us-opers and ask for help, how come sometimes I get banned?
A: #us-opers is not a help channel however, some of the people in the channel are helpful. My suggestion to you is if you have a question, and you feel compelled to ask in #us-opers, that you read this faq first and if it’s not covered in here, that you ask once and if no one answers try elsewhere. If your question is about something non-irc related, like software, or hardware try #help. If you have an irc related question that no one answers in #us- opers, try #irchelp or http://www.irchelp.org/.
Question 27:
Q: I need help setting up my irc server, will someone help me?
A: Once again #us-opers is not a help channel. If you need help setting up your irc server, try reading the help files first, and if you still need help after that, try asking in #IRCD.
Question 28:
Q: I’m looking for a small irc network to chat and maybe link a server to. Where can I find one?
A: There is a list of IRC networks by size at networks.
Question 29:
Q: What is timestamp and what does it do?
A: Timestamp is a protocol which disallows netsplit ops and channel desynchs. For more technical info on timestamp, see ircserv.
Question 30:
Q: When I do /list I get disconnected. What can I do to see a list of channels?
A: Use the efnet channel list at chanlist.
Question 31:
Q: What is a wallop/operwall and a locop message?
A: A Wallop also known as an Operwall, is a message that is sent to all other opers on the entire network. Only operators can see these messages. A locop is the same thing, but it only sends the message to the opers on the same server you are currently connected to.
Question 32:
Q: Someone is bothering/spamming/flooding/etc. me, and there are no active opers on the server they are on. What do I do?
A: Opers wont kill or kline someone if they are “bothering” you, but if somone is spamming and/or flooding and there are no active operators on the server to take care of them. The best thing you can do is /ignore them until either an oper becomes active or they /quit.
Question 33:
Q: I would like to find out more about efnet and how it’s run. Where can I find this information?
A: The easiest way to learn how efnet works is to just stick around. It takes time, but reading these url’s will give you a “heads up”. Some of these url’s have been stated in above questions. Think of it as a basic overview/crash course/reference guide, of how things work on efnet.
http://www.the-project.org/efnet/opermyth.html - List of what efnet opers do and don’t do (IRC Bible)
http://www.the-project.org/routing/current/ - US Routing archive
http://www.the-project.org/ircd/current/ - IRC3 Mailing list
http://www.the-project.org/operlist/current/threads.html - Operlist Mailing list
usfaq - #US-Opers FAQ (This Document)
ircopguide - A basic but very informative guide for irc operators
ftp://ftp.blackened.com/pub/irc/new-server- guidelines - New server guidelines and server application
ftp://ftp.blackened.com/pub/irc/irc- stats/index.html EFNet Stats
http://www.db.net/~db/tcm.html - tcm-dianora help and information
http://www.toast.blackened.com/oomon/ - OOMon help and information
http://www.efnet.org - Misc. EFNet information