GeekShed IRC Network
Flash Client Upgrade
Jan 7th
We have, for quite a while now, offered TFlash as our web based IRC client. This was originally written as a quick replacement for the Java client we used previously. TFlash has, however, stood up to the test of time and has proved to be a very popular client amongst users.
We have now decided that it is time to upgrade TFlash to make it bigger and better. To this end, we contracted Mike Parks (BigRedPimp) of thinkrightgames.com to carry out the work. He is an incredibly experienced Flash developer and has made an exceptional job of the new Flash Client.
Today we have launched this new client and it should now be embedded on all of the sites that had the old Flash client embedded.
Development of the client started in early December and, since then, a team of testers have tirelessly tested it and removed bugs. We thank them for their help. If you do however find a bug, please report it using the address at the top of the new flash client.
BigRedPimp has put in a huge amount of effort with this project and we thank him unreservedly for his time and for doing this project for such a low cost. We are glad to call him a friend of GeekShed.
If you have any questions about the new Flash client, please come and see us in #help on irc.geekshed.net.
You can see the new TFlash at http://www.geekshed.net/chat/
We have now decided that it is time to upgrade TFlash to make it bigger and better. To this end, we contracted Mike Parks (BigRedPimp) of thinkrightgames.com to carry out the work. He is an incredibly experienced Flash developer and has made an exceptional job of the new Flash Client.
Today we have launched this new client and it should now be embedded on all of the sites that had the old Flash client embedded.
Development of the client started in early December and, since then, a team of testers have tirelessly tested it and removed bugs. We thank them for their help. If you do however find a bug, please report it using the address at the top of the new flash client.
BigRedPimp has put in a huge amount of effort with this project and we thank him unreservedly for his time and for doing this project for such a low cost. We are glad to call him a friend of GeekShed.
If you have any questions about the new Flash client, please come and see us in #help on irc.geekshed.net.
You can see the new TFlash at http://www.geekshed.net/chat/
GeekShed Management Script
Jan 5th
GeekShed has an officially supported management script written by the GeekShed staff along with users Zetacon and GrimReaper. It offers a range of features including canned messages to help people with common questions as well as some decent channel and nickname management features.
We have checked out the tags directory at http://www.geekshed.net/gs-script/ so you can find each version of the script. We recommend using the latest version (i.e. the one with the highest version number). The script is the one ending in .mrc. The .sig file is the GPG signature of the script and has been included from versions 1.8 for posterity. Public key Phil Lavin (Freelance Programmer) can be found on major key synchronizing servers.
Load it into the remotes section of your script editor just like any other script or place it in your mIRC install dir and type:
We have checked out the tags directory at http://www.geekshed.net/gs-script/ so you can find each version of the script. We recommend using the latest version (i.e. the one with the highest version number). The script is the one ending in .mrc. The .sig file is the GPG signature of the script and has been included from versions 1.8 for posterity. Public key Phil Lavin (Freelance Programmer) can be found on major key synchronizing servers.
Load it into the remotes section of your script editor just like any other script or place it in your mIRC install dir and type:
/load -rs gs-chanscript.mrcAny problems, come see us in #help on irc.geekshed.net
Login Service
Jan 4th
We have, for a while now, had a login service which links to our services database to allow you to login to areas of the site, such as the quote database, using your services login. This has always been an experimental feature however we are now happy that it’s working great and have finalized it. We have applied an SSL certificate to the site to allow your username and password to be encrypted as it passes over the Internet for our auth service to verify.
We hope to be able to use this service in the future for lots of cool areas of the site including web based nickname and channel registration.
We hope to be able to use this service in the future for lots of cool areas of the site including web based nickname and channel registration.
What Ports Can I Use to Connect to GeekShed?
Jan 2nd
Besides the default port 6667, all GeekShed servers accept standard connections on the following ports:
6660, 6661, 6662, 6663, 6664, 6665, 6666, 6668, 6669, 7029, 7070, 1494, and 1755
All servers also accept SSL connections on port 6697.
Should you experience difficulties in connecting, you can try another port or another server. Should you still have difficulties, you can post in the forums where someone will be able to assist you.
All servers also accept SSL connections on port 6697.
Should you experience difficulties in connecting, you can try another port or another server. Should you still have difficulties, you can post in the forums where someone will be able to assist you.
Subservient Chris Raises Money for GeekShed and the MDA
Dec 26th
For the past two years, Chris Pirillo has held a fundraiser on New Year’s Eve known as Subservient Chris. Both of those years, all of the money raised went directly to the IRC network to help defray expenses and operating costs. This year, we plan to do things differently.
Cory (Gimpi) Carrier was a member of our IRC network for many, many years. We were all lucky to have called him our friend. Cory struggled with Muscular Dystrophy from the time he was born, and worked tirelessly raising money for the MDA. We sadly lost Cory back on October 1st of this year, due to complications from the H1N1 Flu virus. His loss has left a huge hole in our community, and in our hearts. Therefore, we wanted to find a way to remember and honor him. Chris Pirillo is helping us do just that, because Cory was also a member of his community.
For the fundraiser this year, GeekShed will only be keeping 25% of the donations received. At the end of the night, we will be donating the remaining 75% to the Tuscon, AZ chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, who worked with Cory and his family for so many years. They provided care and support for Cory – and many others – and do a lot of good things for people struggling with this awful disease.
Here’s how the fundraiser works: on New Year’s Eve from 10PM until 1AM Eastern time, Chris will turn himself into the equivalent of the Subservient Chicken. You, the community, can make your donations directly to GeekShed. For a minimum $10.00 donation, you can request something silly for Chris to do live on his stream. As you make the donation, simply put your request for him in the comments section, so that he will know what it is you want him to do.
In the past, Chris has done everything from singing songs like Barbie Girl to putting peanut butter on his face for his puppies to lick off! He’ll do pretty much anything you ask, as long as it’s legal, and not demeaning/disgusting. Please keep in mind that younger people will be watching, and keep your requests appropriate.
Please join us on New Year’s Eve for the fun and laughter. If you are able to make a donation, we would sincerely appreciate it. I know that the people we are working with at the MDA are appreciative, as well as Cory’s family.
Who owns GeekShed IRC?
Dec 26th
GeekShed IRC is owned by Geek Shed Ltd. GeekShed Ltd. is a UK registered company (company #07055433) boarded by Allan Jude and Phil Lavin as directors and Marcus Joyce as secretary. Allan, Phil and Marcus all have equal share holdings.
GeekShed Ltd. exists for administrative purposes and GeekShed IRC is run as much as a democracy as possible. Reasonable caution is taken with access to the network and not all staff hold the same access rights. Access is granted as appropriate for the task each staff member is required to perform.
GeekShed Ltd. is funded solely by donations and uses these for administrative costs and for projects that directly benefit our users.
GeekShed Ltd. exists for administrative purposes and GeekShed IRC is run as much as a democracy as possible. Reasonable caution is taken with access to the network and not all staff hold the same access rights. Access is granted as appropriate for the task each staff member is required to perform.
GeekShed Ltd. is funded solely by donations and uses these for administrative costs and for projects that directly benefit our users.
IRC Clients
Dec 21st
At least once a week, we get asked about IRC clients that people can use. Although GeekShed offers the TFlash flash-based chat client that can be used and embedded on one’s site, unless you’re a casual chatter on a few channels, it is often beneficial to use a dedicated IRC client. By using a client, you are able to have more features such as scripts, logging, and more advanced channel moderation tools.
Below is a list of some IRC clients. It is not an exhaustive list, so if you do not like any of the clients, search around the web for one that you do like.
Do you recommend any of these clients, or one that isn’t listed? Feel free to add a comment, and let us know.
Below is a list of some IRC clients. It is not an exhaustive list, so if you do not like any of the clients, search around the web for one that you do like.
| Client | Supported Platforms |
| mIRC | Windows |
| IceChat | Windows |
| X-Chat 2 | Windows |
| Colloquy | Macintosh |
| X-Chat Aqua | Macintosh |
| Linkinus | Macintosh |
| Konversation | *nix |
| ChatZilla (Firefox addon) | Windows, Macintosh, *nix |
| Opera | Windows, Macintosh, *nix |
| BitchX | Windows, Macintosh, *nix |
| Irssi | Windows, Macintosh, *nix |
Quote Database
Dec 18th
Development of the long awaited quote database has finally completed today. It was halted for an extended period owing to Anope’s old encryption being stranger than a hippie on Halloween. We have converted the majority of the passwords in our database to SHA1 and it is therefore now possible to use the QDB.
Check it out and submit some hilarious quotes of your own at http://www.geekshed.net/qdb/.
If you have any problems, come and see us in #help on irc.geekshed.net.
Check it out and submit some hilarious quotes of your own at http://www.geekshed.net/qdb/.
If you have any problems, come and see us in #help on irc.geekshed.net.
Normal service is resumed
Dec 11th
Due to an over keen data-centre staff member inadvertently taking one of our servers from its rack and formatting it, we have suffered an extended period of downtime for some of our services. These services include RSS topic feeds and User Count badges.
A new server was brought online today and we have restored the information from backups to this server. Normal service is now resumed.
If you notice any problems, let us know in #help on irc.geekshed.net.
Access System Tutorial
Dec 10th
On GeekShed, we have two access systems. Standard access system, and XOP. XOP is a simplification of the access system to make things a bit easier. However, with simplification comes a loss of features.
XOP is enabled by default for newly registered channels. It has 4 ChanServ commands – VOP, HOP, AOP and SOP for auto voice, auto halfop, auto op and auto admin, respectively. See ChanServ Commands for help with those commands.
The regular access system really isn’t very difficult to get your head around and provides you with much more control over your channel. To use it, you must first turn XOP off with the command:
/cs set #channel xop off
Following this, you must use the access level system to give people certain privileges in your channel. The access level system uses numbers to represent access. They range between -2 and 10000. The list below shows which levels, by default, map to which access within the IRC server:
-2 – Unable to join the channel
-1 – Not allowed to be oped in the channel
0 – Regular user
3 – Voiced user
4 – Halfop user
5 – Full op user
10 – Admin user
9999 – Channel owner
To change the access level of a user, use the following command:
/cs access #channel add
An example of the use of this command is:
/cs access #chills add Phil 5
This would make Phil level 5 (an op, by default) in #chills.
However, there is much more to the access system than this. You can customize many aspects of your channel.
These are:
AUTODEOP :: Channel operator status disallowed
AUTOHALFOP :: Automatic mode +h
AUTOOP :: Automatic channel operator status
AUTOPROTECT :: Automatic mode +a
AUTOVOICE :: Automatic mode +v
NOJOIN :: Not allowed to join channel
SIGNKICK :: No signed kick when SIGNKICK LEVEL is used
ACC-LIST :: Allowed to view the access list
ACC-CHANGE :: Allowed to modify the access list
AKICK :: Allowed to use AKICK command
SET :: Allowed to use SET command (not FOUNDER/PASSWORD)
BAN :: Allowed to use BAN command
BANME :: Allowed to ban him/herself
CLEAR :: Allowed to use CLEAR command
GETKEY :: Allowed to use GETKEY command
HALFOP :: Allowed to use HALFOP/DEHALFOP commands
HALFOPME :: Allowed to (de)halfop him/herself
INFO :: Allowed to use INFO command with ALL option
KICK :: Allowed to use KICK command
KICKME :: Allowed to kick him/herself
INVITE :: Allowed to use INVITE command
OPDEOP :: Allowed to use OP/DEOP commands
OPDEOPME :: Allowed to (de)op him/herself
PROTECT :: Allowed to use PROTECT/DEPROTECT commands
PROTECTME :: Allowed to (de)protect him/herself
TOPIC :: Allowed to use TOPIC command
UNBAN :: Allowed to use UNBAN command
VOICE :: Allowed to use VOICE/DEVOICE commands
VOICEME :: Allowed to (de)voice him/herself
MEMO :: Allowed to list/read channel memos
ASSIGN :: Allowed to assign/unassign a bot
BADWORDS :: Allowed to use BADWORDS command
FANTASIA :: Allowed to use fantaisist commands
GREET :: Greet message displayed
NOKICK :: Never kicked by the bot’s kickers
SAY :: Allowed to use SAY and ACT commands
These levels are all minimum levels, except AUTODEOP and NOJOIN, which are maximum levels. Thus, any user with an access level higher than the one defined for a particular access level name will have permission to do that.
To see how these are currently configured in your channel, use the command:
/cs levels #channel list
Any of these can be customized using the command:
/cs levels #channel set
So… If you would like users of level 7 and above to be able to read channel memos in #chills, you would do:
/cs levels #chills set memo 7
As you can see, the power provided by the non-XOP access system is incredibly diverse. Give it a try – you never know, you might like it.
Any questions, ask in #help.