The Sims Wiki:IRC Channel

The Sims Wiki operates two IRC (Internet Relay Chat) channels that allow people to communicate with each other via live chat over the Internet. Almost any topic is up for discussion in the channels as long as it's not overly inappropriate.

Channels are maintained by an IRC contact, a trusted member of the community selected to handle channel affairs, as well as providing a link between the wiki and the channels. The current IRC contact is K6ka.

If you're new to IRC, please see our Getting started page, which will walk you through some of the very basics of using IRC.

See how much fun we have in the channel by taking a look at the IRC quotes.

Rules
There is an official policy for the IRC channels. In short, use your common sense and treat others how you wish to be treated; this will help keep drama and conflict to a minimum, and maintain a comfortable atmosphere between users. If you happen to witness something you shouldn't, be sure to tell an operator via a private message.

Chanops
If you're having a problem with a user or something else on IRC, you can query a channel operator, or "chanop". You can find out more about chanops here as well as requesting these rights here. In short, channel operators are much like "moderators" in any other public chat room, and each IRC channel has its own set of channel operators. The list of channel operators for each channel is located further down this page.

Voice
To help protect the channel against abuse and still permit non-malicious users from being locked out, trusted regulars of the channels may be voiced (+). Voice carries no special privileges or permissions other than the ability to speak on the channel when it has mode +m (moderated) set. If you are voiced, it does not make you a "superuser" of sorts; it is only done because we feel that you can be trusted not to disrupt the channel maliciously. To be voiced, you must have a NickServ account and have spent some time in the channel. Once you are added to the channel access list, you will be automatically voiced by ChanServ whenever you join the channel.

IRC channels have separate access lists; thus, getting voice in one channel does not automatically grant you voice in another.

Accessing the channels
The wiki operates two IRC channels on two different IRC networks. They are technically separate from each other and are run on different servers. To connect to these channels, you will need an IRC client. IRC is not part of the HTTP protocol, so by default your web browser can't connect to IRC on its own. You can choose to download and install the listed clients below, or you can use the "webchat" IRC clients that run in your web browser listed under the appropriate section below.
 * AndChat - a free IRC client for Android OS.
 * Chatzilla - a free IRC client for Firefox.
 * Colloquy - an IRC client for Mac OS X.
 * HexChat - A popular free IRC client for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
 * mIRC - a client for Windows which isn't free but there is a 30 day free trial and you are able to purchase it if you wish.
 * Rooms - an IRC client for iOS which is not free.

freenode
Our freenode channel is the original, oldest channel, registered as #wikia-sims on irc.freenode.net. If you have an IRC client, click here to join #wikia-sims. If you do not wish to install an IRC client, you can use the webchat, which runs right in your web browser.

These users are channel operators on the freenode channel; if you have any issues, you can query them.
 * Chanops

ChatLounge
The wiki also operates a channel on the smaller ChatLounge network, registered as #TheSimsWiki on irc.chatlounge.net. If you have an IRC client, click here to join #TheSimsWiki. If you do not wish to install an IRC client, you can use the webchat, which runs right in your web browser.

These users are channel operators on the ChatLounge channel; if you have any issues, you can query them.
 * Chanops

IRC bots
These are bots that you may see on the IRC channels. Please remember that these are not humans.

freenode

 * ChanServ is freenode's channel services bot. It manages the registration of the channel on the network and controls access to the channel. ChanServ will never see channel messages; for help, please use the /msg ChanServ help command.
 * delta is a bot that can create links to pages on the wiki by typing . It has various  serious and not-so-serious commands that can be viewed by typing " " and " ". Controlled by Xd1358.
 * Eve is a bot, built on the same framework as delta, but with different features. A list of available commands can be viewed by typing in " ". Controlled by MrBenC.
 * Margo is a mysterious bot whose functions are largely unknown. We're still waiting for its owner to tell us more about her. Controlled by MrBenC.
 * Mystique is the successor of the late "Deus ex machina" and has a number of leisure commands, most of which are documented here. Controlled by Lost Labyrinth.
 * Relay-TSW is an inter-network relay bot, and will post messages sent to our channel on freenode to the ChatLounge channel, and vice-versa. Controlled by MrBenC.
 * wm-bot is a bot used in several Wikimedia channels. It generates a statistics page for the channel, among other tasks. Information about the bot can be found at wm-bot. The bot's access to #wikia-sims is controlled by K6ka.

ChatLounge

 * Alice is a bot that looks up URLs pasted on the channel. It will report on the title of the webpage the URL points to, as well as the domain name. Controlled by MrBenC.
 * ChanServ is ChatLounge's channel services bot. It manages the registration of the channel on the network and controls access to the channel. ChanServ will never see channel messages; for help, please use the /msg ChanServ help command.
 * Eve is a bot, built on the Limnoria bot framework. A list of available commands can be viewed by typing in " ". Controlled by MrBenC.
 * Hel is an anti-spam bot. It has IRC operator privileges on the network, meaning it can forcefully disconnect and ban users from the entire network. Controlled by MrBenC.
 * Margo is a mysterious bot whose functions are largely unknown. We're still waiting for its owner to tell us more about her. Controlled by MrBenC.
 * Narfi is another anti-spam bot, like Hel. The only difference is that Narfi is connected to the European (EU) side of the network, while Hel is on the US side. Controlled by MrBenC.
 * Relay-TSW is an inter-network relay bot, and will post messages sent to our channel on freenode to the ChatLounge channel, and vice-versa. Controlled by MrBenC.

Stats page
The freenode channel has a webpage, referred to as a "stats page", which lists the most active users over a given period of time, actions taken, and topic changes, among other things. The stats page can be viewed here.

I need help!
If you need help with connecting to or using the channel, first see our Getting started page, and then ask on IRC if your question isn't answered there. If you cannot get on the IRC channel in the first place, you may ask for assistance on the talk page.