Introduction
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a form of realtime Internet chat. It is mainly designed for group (many-to-many) communication in discussion forums called channels, but also allows one-to-one communication via private message. On IRC you can talk to many other members using Ubuntu, on topics ranging from idle chit-chat to support with your Ubuntu. Though a channel might have many people in it at any one time, they might not always be at their keyboard; so if no-one responds, just wait around and someone will hopefully answer soon enough.
This page serves as an information base for users of the Ubuntu IRC channels. The Ubuntu channels can be found on the Freenode network, irc.freenode.net. XChat in Ubuntu has this network preconfigured and the main channel, #ubuntu, will automatically be joined. Kubuntu also comes with Konversation, which is also pre-configured for the Kubuntu help channels. When participating in Ubuntu IRC channels, please abide by the Code of Conduct and channel guidelines.
IRC Clients
The following is just a list of programs that you can use to enter the Ubuntu channels listed below.
Ubuntu & Xubuntu (GTK+)
Pidgin - Popular instant messaging software but also supports IRC. May be easier for beginners.
XChat - GUI based IRC client.
Smuxi - A cross-platform, flexible and user-friendly IRC client for GNOME.
LostIRC - A simple GTK IRC client.
Loqui - Another GTK client, with a range of features intermediate between XChat's and LostIRC's.
Kubuntu (QT)
Quassel - KDE4/Qt based, IRC client.
Konversation - KDE GUI based IRC client.
KvIRC - a more powerful, though less KDE-integrated, GUI client.
Kopete - Multi-protocol instant messaging and IRC software for KDE (no support for IRC in KDE4).
Console based
Irssi - Popular command line/text based IRC client.
WeeChat - Another popular command line/text based IRC client.
Other operating systems
Free or shareware IRC clients are available for most systems. For those users who would rather not search for and install an IRC client on their system, the Freenode Webchat is suggested as a way to connect to the Ubuntu IRC channels.
Channels
There are many real-time discussion channels for the Ubuntu community via the Freenode IRC service. The following is a list of the channels, a brief description, and the channels contact. The contact person mentioned in this list is the contact person for channel issues. For general support questions, please ask your question in the appropriate channel:
Please make sure you are connected to irc.freenode.net server (port 8001) in your IRC client
List of Ubuntu IRC channels |
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Support and talk channels |
Contact person |
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#ubuntu |
Ubuntu help channel |
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#kubuntu |
Kubuntu help channel |
Riddell |
#edubuntu |
Edubuntu help channel |
RichEd |
#xubuntu |
Xubuntu help channel |
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#ubuntustudio |
Ubuntu Studio help channel |
_MMA_ |
#ubuntu+1 |
Help channel for development versions |
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#ubuntu-offtopic |
Community related non-support discussion |
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#kubuntu-offtopic |
Community related non-support discussion |
Nalioth |
#xubuntu-offtopic |
Community related non-support discussion |
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#ubuntu-education |
Generally non-technical channel for Ubuntu in education |
RichEd |
#ubuntuforums |
Ubuntu Forums: support & community chat |
zenwhen |
#ubuntu-powerpc |
Ubuntu PowerPC support |
? |
#ubuntu-beginners-help |
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Team channels |
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#ubuntu-devel |
Ubuntu development coordination |
mdz |
#xubuntu-devel |
Xubuntu development coordination |
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#kubuntu-devel |
Kubuntu development coordination |
Riddell |
#kubuntu-netbook |
Kubuntu Netbook Edition development coordination |
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#ubuntustudio-devel |
Ubuntu Studio development coordination |
luisbg |
#ubuntu-accessibility |
The Accessibility Team channel |
TheMuso |
#ubuntu-artwork |
Artwork for all Ubuntu derivatives |
kwwii |
#ubuntu-beginners |
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#ubuntu-boot |
Boot/Init team |
Keybuk |
#ubuntu-brainstorm |
Ubuntu Brainstorm channel |
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#ubuntu-bugs |
Channel for Bugsquad and Bug Days |
heno |
#ubuntu-bugs-announce |
bot announcing new bugs on Ubuntu |
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#ubuntu-desktop |
The Ubuntu desktop team |
Keybuk |
#ubuntu-drupal |
The Ubuntu-Drupal development/support channel |
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#ubuntu-doc |
Ubuntu documentation team coordination |
mdke |
#ubuntu-h.u.c |
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#ubuntu-eu |
Discussions about Ubuntu-eu and related stuffs |
Yann2,smurf |
#ubuntuforums-unanswered |
Ubuntu Forums Unanswered posts team channel |
ajmorris |
#ubuntu-hardened |
Discussions on the Ubuntu hardened project |
trulux |
#ubuntu-helpteam |
Ubuntu support team channel |
coolbhavi |
#ubuntu-installer |
Ubuntu installer development |
cjwatson |
#ubuntu-iso |
Discussions about Ubuntu community iso testing |
heno, pochu |
#ubuntu-kernel |
Ubuntu kernel team coordination |
lamont |
#ubuntu-laptop |
Ubuntu laptop development |
mjg59 |
#ubuntu-locoteams |
Coordination of all local coordination teams |
smurf |
#ubuntu-marketing |
Marketing Team channel |
jenda |
#ubuntu-meeting |
All meetings are held here |
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#ubuntu-mirrors |
Channel for mirror administrators |
Jeeves_ |
#ubuntu-mobile |
Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded development |
Mithrandir |
#ubuntu-motu |
Coordination of the Ubuntu MOTU team |
Hobbsee |
#ubuntu-motu-school |
Ubuntu MOTU team schooling channel |
/sh |
#ubuntu-mozillateam |
QA of all Mozilla Products in Ubuntu |
Admiral_Chicago |
#nuubuntuteam |
NU Ubuntu Team Staff Channel |
jozef, maco, jdhore |
#ubuntu-quality |
Ubuntu QA team channel |
LaserJock, heno |
#ubuntu-science |
MOTU Science team and general Ubuntu science discussion |
LaserJock |
#ubuntu-server |
Ubuntu server help and discussions |
soren |
#ubuntu-sugarteam |
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#ubuntu-testing |
Help for testing Ubuntu |
stgraber |
#ubuntu-toolchain |
Coordination of the Ubuntu toolchain team |
jbailey |
#ubuntu-translators |
Coordination and discussions about Ubuntu translations |
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#ubuntu-trivia |
The place for challenging your geek buddies |
theCore |
#ubuntu-virt |
Ubuntu virtualisation help and discussions |
soren |
#ubuntu-website |
For Ubuntu (and related project) website discussions |
newz2000 |
#ubuntu-women |
For Ubuntu women |
pleia2 |
#ubuntu-ops |
Home of the Ubuntu IRC Team managing the main channels |
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#ubuntu-irc |
International Ubuntu IRC operators channel |
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#ubuntu-youth |
Channel of the Ubuntu Youth project |
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Localized channels |
Contact person |
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If you start a new local channel, please adhere to the channel naming conventions |
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#ubuntu-dz |
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#ubuntu-ar |
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#ubuntu-ast |
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#ubuntu-au |
elkbuntu |
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#ubuntu-at |
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#ubuntu-bd |
Ekushey |
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#ubuntu-be |
JanC |
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#ubuntu-berlin |
Berlin - Germany |
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#ubuntu-br |
MarioMeyer, licio |
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#ubuntu-ca |
Burgundavia |
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#ubuntu-cat |
arualavi, RainCT |
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#ubuntu-ch |
stgraber |
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#ubuntu-cl |
mruiz |
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#ubuntu-cn |
freeflying |
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#ubuntu-co |
MagicFab |
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#ubuntu-cy |
Cyprus-Cyprus |
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#ubuntu-cz |
ondrej |
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#ubuntu-cr |
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#ubuntu-de |
juliux, smurf, ubuntu-de IRC Operatoren |
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#kubuntu-de |
Emonkey, serenity |
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#ubuntu-dk |
soren |
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#ubuntu-eg |
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#ubuntu-es |
Spain / Spanish speakers |
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#ubuntu-l10n-es |
Ubuntu Spanish Translators team channel |
Mailing List: [email protected] |
#ubuntustudio-es |
Spanish Ubuntu Studio help channel |
luisbg |
#ubuntu-fi |
Mirv |
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#ubuntu-fr |
France / French language |
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#ubuntu-gl |
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#ubuntu-gr |
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#ubuntu-hr |
ivoks |
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#ubuntu-hu |
phanatic |
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#ubuntu-id |
Belutz |
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#ubuntu-ie |
Mean-Machine, tck, Drazha |
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#ubuntu-il |
sivang |
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#ubuntu-in |
g0sub |
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#ubuntu-ir |
zwnj, MehdiHassanpour |
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#ubuntu-it |
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#ubuntu-jp |
jkbys, burepe, hito_jp |
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#ubuntu-jo |
Syntux |
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#ubuntu-ka |
AlinuxOS |
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#ubuntu-ko |
Atie |
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#ubuntu-lat |
Hord |
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#ubuntu-lb |
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#ubuntu-lk |
Lastnode |
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#ubuntu-lv |
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#ubuntu-me |
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#ubuntu-mx |
maggit |
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#ubuntu-my |
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#ubuntu-ni |
xblackfire |
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#ubuntu-nl |
Seveas |
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#ubuntu-no |
Simira |
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#ubuntu-nz |
Plug |
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#ubuntu-pa |
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#ubuntu-pe |
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#ubuntu-ph |
jsgotangco |
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#ubuntu-pk |
FouadRiazBajwa |
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#ubuntu-pl |
sylwester |
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#ubuntu-pt |
licio |
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#ubuntu-ro |
nmsa |
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#ubuntu-rs |
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#ubuntu-ru |
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#ubuntu-se |
Nafallo |
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#xubuntu-se |
ozamosi |
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#ubuntu-sg |
wickedpuppy |
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#ubuntu-sk |
Slovakia - forwarded to #ubuntu-cz |
rejden |
#ubuntu-tam |
sriramadas |
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#ubuntu-tn |
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#ubuntu.tr |
? |
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#ubuntu-tw |
BlueT |
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#ubuntu-ua |
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#ubuntu-uk |
Gary |
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#ubuntu-uy |
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#ubuntu-ve |
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#ubuntu-vn |
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#ubuntu-cym |
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#ubuntu-za |
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United States Teams |
Contact person |
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#ubuntu-us |
atoponce |
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#ubuntu-us-ak |
hardwire |
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#ubuntu-us-al |
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#ubuntu-us-ar |
? |
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#ubuntu-us-az |
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#ubuntu-california |
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#ubuntu-chicago |
nixternal |
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#ubuntu-us-co |
MitchM |
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#ubuntu-us-ct |
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#ubuntu-dallas |
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#ubuntu-dc |
mattva01, kjcole |
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#ubuntu-us-fl |
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#ubuntu-us-ga |
boredandblogging |
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#ubuntu-us-hi |
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#ubuntu-houston |
lthrbls |
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#ubuntu-illinois |
nixternal / eddieftw |
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#ubuntu-us-in |
schultmc |
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#ubuntu-kansas |
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#ubuntu-us-ky |
etank |
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#ubuntu-us-la |
r2d2rogers |
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#ubuntu-us-ma |
jrib |
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#ubuntu-us-md |
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#ubuntu-maine |
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#ubuntu-us-mi |
greg-g |
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#ubuntu-us-mn |
tonyyarusso |
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#ubuntu-us-mo |
PenguinistaKC |
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#ubuntu-montana |
bodhi_zazen |
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#ubuntu-us-nc |
_marx_ |
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#ubuntu-us-ne |
dthacker |
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#ubuntu-us-nh |
nikkiana |
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#ubuntu-us-nj |
joe_cot |
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#ubuntu-us-nm |
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#ubuntu-us-ny |
ausimage |
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#ubuntu-us-oh |
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#ubuntu-us-ok |
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#ubuntu-us-or |
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#ubuntu-us-pa |
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#ubuntu-us-sc |
Flare183 |
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#ubuntu-us-sd |
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#ubuntu-us-tn |
w4ett |
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#ubuntu-us-tx |
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#ubuntu-texas-west |
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#ubuntu-us-ut |
atoponce |
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#ubuntu-wisconsin |
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Bots
LogBots
There are 2 logging bots active: ubuntulog and LoCoBot. Ubuntulog is a bot that sits in the main channels and maintains a log of that channel. the LoCoBot provides the same service, but for LoCo team channels. If you are interested in having a LoCoBot in your channel, please contact [email protected]. The channel logs from these two bots can be found online at:
Please be aware that when you are on IRC you may be logged by bots other than these, sometimes without permission of channel operators. Please keep in mind that you are in a public place and even if it is not said explicitly others may be logging their conversations which include yours. The content of all Ubuntu channels, whether official logs or otherwise, are considered to be in the public domain.
ubottu
This bot sits in a channel and provides various types of information upon command.
It contains the facts database and is active in #ubuntu, #kubuntu, #kubuntu-devel, and many others. See Ubottu Usage for details on how to operate the bot. In #ubuntu-desktop, -devel, -bugs, -motu, -offtopic, #kubuntu-devel, #bzr and #launchpad, ubottu also listens for Launchpad/Malone/debbugs URLs and bug numbers and will give inforomation about the requested bugs. In #ubuntu-offtopic a few fun-features are enabled as well.
Registration
If you intend to use the IRC service on a continued basis, you are advised to register an account. That will give you a unique IRC identity, and will also allow you to access channels where unregistered users have been locked out for technical reasons.
Ubuntu members can get an Ubuntu hostname cloak. See https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-irc-cloaks for information about obtaining one.
Operators
IRC operators can help you if there is a problem or disturbance in the channel. In most channels, saying « !ops » will alert operators, but this should only be done in response to serious channel emergencies. Channel operators and the IRC Team can be contacted in #ubuntu-irc for general enquiries.
DCC exploit
On IRC, there is a small group of abusive users that finds it funny to send invalid DCC commands causing certain vulnerable users to disconnect. This causes a somewhat large spamming of disconnect and reconnect messages and is generally disruptive to the chat room. By default, Feisty uses port 8001 and should not need this fix, but Dapper and Edgy users may still be vulnerable. More on this is available here.