GenWiki:Freenode.net/FAQ

Fragen und Antworten (FAQ) zum Thema IRC.

Dieser Artikel ist eine Übersetzung der englischen FAQ-Seite bei freenode.net IRC-FAQ (engl.) mit dem Stand vom 05.04.2008.

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Häufig gestellte Fragen

Diese Seite wurde verfaßt, um Antwort auf einige der Fragen zu geben, die wir am häufigsten gestellt bekommen. Sollten Sie hier keine Antwort auf Ihre Frage finden, schicken Sie uns bitte eine E-Mail: <email>staff@freenode.net</email>!

Generelle Fragen

Was ist freenode? Wieso gibt es das?

freenode ist ein spezialisiertes (kein universelles) Diskussions-Netzwerk, das derzeit auf der Basis von Internet Relay Chat (IRC) realisiert ist. Es existiert, um einzelne Gemeinschaften zu unterstützen. Es stellt eine interaktive Umgebung bereit, die bei der Koordination und Hilfe in Projekten gleichberechtigter Teilnehmer behilflich sein soll, so z.B. bei der Entwicklung freier Software und Open Source. Unser Ziel ist es, unseren Teilnehmer dabei zu helfen, ihre kommunikativen und kooperativen Fähigkeiten zu verbessern und eine freundliche sowie effiziente Umgebung für die Projektkoordination und die technische Unterstützung bereitzustellen. Für weitere Informationen zur Netzwerk-Philosophie schauen Sie bitte hier.

Soll ich einen Channel bei freenode einrichten?

Es kommt darauf an. Einige Channel-Kategorien werden als zutreffend für dieses Netzwerk betrachtet und auf der der Netzwerk-Richtlinienseite aufgeführt. Sollten Sie einen Chat-Channel mit einem breit interessierenden Thema eröffnen wollen, wird freenode wahrscheinlich nicht das Richtige für Sie sein. Ähnliches gilt, sofern Sie einen Channel eröffnen wollen, um gewisse ungesetzliche Aktivitäten zu entfalten, auch in diesem Fall ist freenode nicht das Netzwerk, das Sie verwenden sollten.

Wieso wurde es freenode genannt?

Vor der Einrichtung der gemeinnützigen, freenode überdachende Organisation Peer-Directed Projects Center (PDPC), nannten wir das Netzwerk Open Projects. Wir fanden dann eine neue Bezeichnung, freenode, um seinen neuen Status als PDPC-Dienstleistung zu unterstreichen. Der neue Name bringt die besten Eigenschaften freier Software und der Open Source zum Ausdruck. Er deutet die nicht-hierarchische Natur dieses Netzwerkes an, in dem die einzelnen Channels durch die Gruppen am Laufen gehalten werden, die sie auch eingerichtet haben, die Netzwerk-Truppe arbeitet, um eine entspannte und angenehme Umgebung aufrecht zu erhalten.

Ist der Quellcode, der für ihre Server verwendet wird, öffentlich einsehbar?

Ja. Wir nutzen derzeit Hyperion IRCD, das in seinen SVN Quellcode-Repositories erreicht werden kann, sowie Theia, unseren IRC-Dienst (daemon), in seinem eigenen Repository. Beide werden unter den Bedingungen der GNU General Public License angeboten.

Gibt es minimale Verhaltensstandards bei der Ntzung von freenode?

Die grundlegenden Richtlinien für dieses Netzwerk werden hier dargestellt. Darüber hinaus rufen wir Sie dringend dazu auf, den freenode Channel-Leitlinien und der freenode Philosophie zu folgen, um uns zu helfen, das Netzwerk als freundlichen und nützlichen Ort zu erhalten.

Was ist fST oder freenode Standard Time?

Das ist unsere offizielle Zeitzone. Naja, so eine Art. Wir nehmen das nicht todernst. :) freenode Standard Time ist UTC.

Benutzeranmeldung

Warum sollte ich meinen Benutzernamen (nick) anmelden?

Die Leute in freenode kennen Sie nur mit Ihrem Benutzername. Wenn Sie ihn anmelden, können Sie ihn immer wieder benutzen. Melden Sie ihn nicht an, kann am Ende jemand anderes den von Ihnen gewünschten Benutzernamen anmelden. Melden Sie Ihren Benutzernamen an und verwenden ständig den gleichen Benutzernamen, werden die Leute beginnen, Sie mit Ihrem "guten Namen" wiederzuerkennen. Wenn Ihre Gespächspartner eine IRC-Software verwenden, die CAPAB IDENTIFY-MSG unterstützt, sind sie in der Lage mitzuteilen, wenn jemand Ihre Identität vortäuschen sollte.

Wenn ein Channel in den Modus +r gesetzt wird, können Sie ihn nicht betreten, sofern Sie keinen registrierten Benutzernamen verwenden und sich bei NickServ korrekt identifiziert haben. Versuchen Sie es trotzdem, könnten Sie zu einem anderen Channel weitergeleitet werden. Wird ein Channel im Modus +R betrieben, können Sie nicht mitreden, sofern Sie keinen registrierten Benutzernamen verwenden und sich bei NickServ korrekt identifiziert haben. Beide Betriebsarten werden verwendet, um eine Belästigung durch DoS-Kiddies zu reduzieren.

Für weitere Informationen wie man einen Benutzernamen anmeldet, vgl. den folgenden Punkt.

Wie ist der empfohlene Weg, einen IRC-Benutzernamen (nickname) anzumelden?

Bitte folgen Sie diesen Schritten, um einen Benutzernamen anzulegen und Ihr Client-Programm zu konfigurieren. Überprüfen Sie bei jedem Schritt, daß er erfolgreich durchlaufen wurde:

1. Wählen Sie einen dauerhaften Haupt-Benutzernamen (master nickname). Beachten Sie dabei die geplanten Änderungen für die Regeln für angemeldete Benutzernamen und versuchen Sie somit einen einfachen Namen zu finden, der (nur) aus Buchstaben und Ziffern besteht und als Ihr Hauptbenutzername dienen soll, so daß Sie Ihren Namensreservierung nicht verlieren, sobald die Änderungen in Kraft treten. Wenn Ihr gewünschter Benutzername bereits registriert, aber in den letzten 60 Tagen nicht verwendet worden ist, fragen Sie ein Mitglied unserer Truppe. Wir werden ihn dann gerne für Sie freimachen. Um Konflikte zu vermeiden, sollten Sie die Verwendung von Namen öffentlicher Projekte oder von Handelsmarken vermeiden. Schreiben Sie sich Ihr Paßwort auf und heben Sie den Zettel an einem sicheren Ort auf.
2. Melden Sie Ihren Benutzernamen an:

   /msg nickserv register <MeinPaßwort>

3. Ergänzen Sie eine gültige E-Mail-Adresse für Ihren primären Benutzernamen, so daß wir eine Möglichkeit erhalten, Ihr Paßwort zurückzusetzen sowie für den Fall, daß Sie einen "selbständigen" Decknamen haben wollen. Um Ihre E-Mail-Adresse nicht öffentlich anzuzeigen, markieren Sie sie zunächst als geschützt:

   /msg nickserv set hide email on

   Dann geben Sie die E-Mail-Adresse selbst an:

   /msg nickserv set email <Meine E-Mail-Adresse>

4. Melden Sie einen alternativen IRC-Benutzernamen an, benutzen Sie dabei dasselbe Paßwort. Damit erhalten Sie die Möglichkeit, auch dann als angemeldeter Benutzer online zu gehen (und dabei jeglichen Schutz beizubehalten), wenn Ihr eigentlicher Benutzername eingefroren wird (ein "Geist" wird). Viele Clients ergänzen dann während der Verbindungsaufnahme einen Unterstrich an Ihren Benutzernamen, wenn der angegebene Benutzername momentan nicht verfügbar ist. Wenn Sie den Benutzernamen, ergänzt um einen Unterstrich ebenfalls anmelden, wird dieser Prozeß einfacher vonstatten gehen. Wenn z.B. Ihr eigentlicher Benutzername MeinName ist, melden Sie bitte auch MeinName_ als alternativen Namen an, wenn Sie möchten.
5. Während Sie den alternativen Namen benutzen, verbinden Sie ihn mit dem primären Namen:

   /msg nickserv link <MeinName> <MeinPaßwort>

   Das bewirkt, daß beide Benutzernamen derselben Person zugeordnet werden und gestattet es den Diensten, Sie angemeldet (und geschützt) zu belassen, auch wenn Sie von Ihrem primären Benutzernamen zu Ihrem alternativen Namen wechseln und umgekehrt.

6. Sollten Sie eine ältere Version xchat verwenden und einen Decknamen angefordert haben, so müssen Sie den Anweisungen unbedingt folgen, damit der Client Sie korrekt bei NickServ identifizieren kann, bevor Sie einem Channel beitreten. Die aktuellen Versionen von xchat können damit besser umgehen.
7. Konfigurieren Sie Ihren Client so, daß er Sie bei NickServ automatisch identifiziert, sobald Sie sich mit freenode verbinden, so daß es weniger wahrscheinlich wird, daß Sie ohne Identifizierung bei NickServ mit dem Netzwerk verbunden sind. Der einfachste Ansatz ist es, das NickServ-Paßwort als Server-Paßwort anzugeben.
8. Wenn Ihr Client in der Lage ist, automatisch einen alternativen Benutzernamen zu versuchen, konfigurieren Sie ihn so, daß er dabei den von Ihnen angemeldeten alternativen Benutzernamen verwendet. Auf diese Weise wird es weniger wahrscheinlich, daß Sie jemals ohne Ihre Anmeldung auftreten (oder Ihren Decknamen, sofern Sie einen haben).

What's the easiest way to identify to nickserv when I connect to freenode?

Just plug your nickserv password into your client as a server password. You'll be identified to nickserv automaticaly when you connect. In some cases, it's more convenient to configure your client to send the command /msg nickserv identify YOURPASSWORD to achieve the same effect.

     We recommend you read and follow the steps of the canonical nickname setup to make sure your client identifies reliably to nickserv.

How can I tell when someone might be spoofing a user's identity?

If your client supports CAPAB IDENTIFY-MSG, you can configure it to let you know when someone speaking on channel or via /msg is not identified to services. Scripts to take advantage of CAPAB IDENTIFY-MSG are currently available for irssi and mIRC, and a patch is available for sirc and ksirc. If you want other people using this feature to know that you're you, have your client identify to nickserv when you connect to the network. You should also follow the canonical setup steps for your IRC nickname.

     When the registered user name policy changes associated with the NOIDPREFIX server capability go into effect, you'll be able to distinguished unregistered users by the tilde ('~') character at the beginning of their IRC nicknames.

When do IRC nicknames expire?

We consider IRC nicks expired after 60 days without use. Nicks which are at least two weeks old and which were last used less than two hours after their creation are also considered to be expired. These time limits do not apply to staff-reserved nicks, which are allocated and dropped as needed. Also, if the nick you want to register is someone's alternate nickname, and it's the only alternate nickname they have, we may be reluctant to drop it, even if it's expired.

     If you're trying to get a nickname expired so that you can register it, please try to make sure you own the underlying alphanumeric basename. At some point we'll be changing over to NOIDPREFIX. The freenode policy page mentions the feature and there's more information here.

     Finally, the nickname drop process will be replaced with a more direct request process when we move from services to Registry.

How do you know the last time an IRC nickname was used?

We know this only as a result of your identifying to nickserv when you connect to the network. If you don't identify, we'll have no way to know that your nick is in use, and it will eventually be dropped. You should also follow the canonical setup steps for your IRC nickname.

How can I take over a registered nick that hasn't been used in a long time?

Nicks which are considered expired are not dropped automatically on a regular basis. We do drop them when we notice them and, if you ask a staffer, we'll be happy to manually drop the one you want so that you can re-register it.

I registered my nick and now someone else has it. Did someone steal it? How do I get it back?

To keep your registered nick, you must continue to use it. If you don't sign onto the network for at least 60 days, or you don't identify to nickserv for at least 60 days, the nick is considered expired, and someone can ask to have it dropped. When a nick has been dropped and picked up by some other user, we can't take it back from them. That would be unfair to the user who picked it up.

Using the Network.

Can I access the network via webchat?

There is no official freenode webchat, but there are many such facilities available. Just consult Yahoo or Google for a list and try one of the pages on the list. Obviously freenode can not recommend a particular webchat facility, and we might have to limit access if they're abused, but we're happy to have you connect in this way.

Why can't I send private messages to other users?

freenode regularly experiences private message spam, including large-scale spambot infestations. As a result, we've blocked private messages from users who are not identified to nickserv as registered users. We haven't yet decided whether to make this permanent, though response has been largely favorable. Meanwhile, to send messages, all you need to do is register and identify with your nickname. Once you do so, you can use

         /msg nickserv set unfiltered on 

     to allow unregistered users to message you, if you don't mind the possible spam. And you can always reach a freenode staffer, whether you are registered or not. Here's how.

How can I receive private messages from unregistered users?

Due to spam and other problems, freenode filters private messages sent by unregistered users. To receive these messages, you must first opt in by registering your nickname and using:

         /msg nickserv set unfiltered on 

     Working with unregistered users is very important, since most of our users start out this way. It's our hope that, as an experienced freenode user, you'll take this extra step to give new users the help they need.

What are those 'i=' and 'n=' strings in my hostname?

They're actually in your username field. Usernames on IRC typically display a tilde ('~') at the beginning of the username if it does not match what is returned by the identd or authd service. Prior to Hyperion 1.0, freenode followed this convention. However, it resulted in unnecessarily-broad bans. As the catalysts page implies, we don't support unnecessary use of bans. When they're used, though, they should be targetted as narrowly as possible. With the tilde construction, banning someone with the user name foo without regard to whether they match ident is frequently done in this way:

         /mode #channel +b nickmask!*foo@hostmask 

     which bans both foo and ~foo. Unfortunately, it also bans usernames such as:

         foofoo
         moofoo
         goofoo
         anythingfoo 

     With the new construction, it is possible to ban foo only, in this way:

         /mode #channel +b nickmask!?=foo@hostmask 

     (Note that the '?' character in wildcards matches exactly one character; it does not match zero-or-one-characters as it does in regular expressions.)

How do I connect to freenode? How do I use the network?

Information on using the network can be found here and guides to hyperion, the code tree under development, can be found here. A list of servers can be found here.

How can I get a list of freenode public channels?

Check the Gelhausen site for a current list.

How do I access freenode via IPv6?

The simplest way is to connect to irc.ipv6.freenode.net.

What is the purpose of channel #defocus?

It's a social channel. It's the home channel of the freenode project, a place for friendly, relaxed conversation with staff and users. Sometimes it will be forwarded to another channel, but underneath you may just find that the character of the channel hasn't changed much. It's not a forum for IRC politics or a place to flame the staff, on a personal or professional basis. It's not really a support channel, though we probably won't get too upset if you ask a question or two if you're voiced. Due to problems in the past with trolling, the channel is moderated, though we try to voice most users as they enter the channel. If there's no one around to voice you, we hope you'll understand, and feel free to ask for help from network staff if you're having problems.

Why can't anyone see what I'm typing on channel?

One of several server features might be keeping people from seeing your comments. The channel might be moderated using channel mode +m; if so, no one can talk who hasn't been explicitly voiced by a channel staffer via +v. You might want to send a private message to a channel staffer to find out what's wrong. Channel staffers are identified on most clients with an @ in front of their nicks.

     You might be silenced by a +q mask; this feature is used to prevent problem users from talking on channel, or to moderate the channel during a seminar. +v or +e can be used to counteract the effects of +q. Again, send a private message to a channel staffer to find out what's wrong.

     Finally, the channel might have +R set. This mode prevents you from talking on channel until you're registered and identified to nickserv. In this case, you'll see a message in your server notice window which explains the problem and points you to nickserv for more information.

Who are these people with "pdpc/supporter/" and "pdpc/sponsor/" on the beginnings of their hostnames?

They're users who have donated to Peer-Directed Projects Center, the not-for-profit entity which runs freenode. The hostnames acknowledge their donations.

When do IRC channels expire?

IRC channels are considered to be expired when their primary and alternate channel contact nicknames are expired. We occasionally drop expired channels and nicks in a large run, designed to clean out the databases. We also drop nicks which are considered to be expired on an individual basis, either on request or when we notice them. If a channel contact's nick and the alternate contact's nick are dropped, the associated channel will be dropped along with them.

     Subject to resource availability, staff may occasionally monitor channels whose contact nickname registrations are not expired, in the interest of determining whether the channels are actually active. If a channel has no activity or has no conversation for a period of 60 days, it may be considered to be expired.

     This process will be replaced with a more direct request process when we move from services to Registry.

Who sets channel policy on freenode?

Channel policy is set by channel owners. Network staff set the basic ground rules for the use of the servers and we try to influence channel policies in a positive direction by urging channel owners to adopt the freenode channel guidelines. They're formulated based on our experience encouraging the growth of relaxed, productive discussion environments. We strongly urge you to adopt these guidelines to help keep freenode a friendly and useful place for community discussion and project coordination.

Why do you freeze channels when groups leave the network?

Frequently when groups leave the network, they put up a pointer to the location of their new channel, on another network. This helps ensure that active users who were unaware of the move can find the new channel. But leaving the message up permanently encourages people to use freenode channel topics as billboards for channels on other networks, or as forums for IRC politics. If you've moved, we'll leave your pointer up for a week. After that, please use your project or group website to point to the new channel.

How do I find out what's going on with the network?

We put information on the network in a variety of places. Your best ongoing source is this website; it provides reference information on the network, its philosophy, the software it uses, etc. In addition, staff send WALLOPS messages with time-sensitive status information (as well as a variety of general comments and announcements). To receive these messages, on most clients, you can use "/umode +w" or "/mode yournick +w". For best results, place the command in your client's startup script. (Please be careful; some clients, including ERB and XChat, don't have a /UMODE command, and will pass on UMODE to the server, often causing a false positive on a spambot test.)

     Finally, we send information we judge to have global significance to our users via global notices. You don't generally have to do anything to see these, though they may appear on a different window of your client (along with the WALLOPS messages).

How can I get fewer notices from the staff?

Most of those messages are sent via WALLOPS, an IRC facility for displaying messages from server operators. On freenode, WALLOPS messages may contain non-critical comments and announcements from staff, as well as detailed server administration information. If you don't like the number of messages or the messages seem too trivial or detailed, you can turn them off by turning off user mode "w". On most clients this can be accomplished via:

         /umode -w 

     or

         /mode yournick -w 

     For best results, place the command in your client's startup script.(Please be careful; some clients, including ERB and XChat, don't have a /UMODE command, and will pass on UMODE to the server, often causing a false positive on a spambot test.)

     We also send information with global significance to our users via global notices. These notices are a bit more difficult to turn off; you can usually tell your client to ignore notices from specific staff members, notices from all staffers or all notices. It's not recommended. But on most clients, it works something like this:

         /ignore *!*@freenode/staff/* notice 

My firewall logs show that someone from your network is trying to crack my box. What's going on?

You're probably seeing our open proxy detector. After numerous problems with clonebots, we began checking for open proxies and similar software on the hosts of clients connecting to our network. We use BOPM for this. It's popular with a number of IRC networks, and it's very reliable. For more information, please see our policy page.

Why is my client trying to connect to 127.0.0.1 when I try to connect to your network?

You've tried to connect to freenode during a massive clonebot (or some other denial-of-service) attack. IRC suffers from the lack of a reputation-based system for filtering out malicious clients. For this and other reasons, we must sometimes shut off new connects or shut down servers for (hopefully brief) periods of time. We apologize for the inconvenience and want you to know that we are slowly working on the problem. We hope you'll consider donating to PDPC, the not-for-profit entity which runs freenode, to help us acquire the resources to advance this and other projects.

Why does my client get "connection rejected" when I try to connect to your network?

As in the case above, you've tried to connect to freenode during a large denial attack, and our listening ports are closed. Please try a different server or check back in a few minutes if you can't get in.

I joined this channel and now I can't access freenode anymore. The message says I'm a clonebot. What's going on?

Apologies for the inconvenience. Due to problems with drones and automated clonebots, we've had to institute automated network bans when clients join certain channels. Please contact <email>staff@freenode.net</email>, providing your IP address to be unbanned.

Someone told me to join this channel and now I can't get to the network anymore. What's going on?

Someone has played a practical joke on you. Please see above. Sorry for the inconvenience. Please feel free to let us gently tap the malefactor over the head with a rubber mallet. ;)

Do you mind if I refer annoying user foo to one of the auto-kline channels to get him out of my hair?

Please don't do that. It causes staff headaches and extra work. We'll be extremely testy if you refer people to those channels, as a practical joke or to get rid of annoying users.

Why did someone CTCP VERSION me?

CTCP VERSION causes your IRC client to return a client-name-and-version string to some requesting user. It's a service provided by your client which you can turn on and off. On many IRC clients, you can even set a false VERSION string. But the random person using the command on your client was probably just curious what IRC client you're running. And freenode requests that information when you connect to the network.

     Occasionally, a cracker will use CTCP VERSION to try to determine if your client is vulnerable to attack. Update your client regularly to avoid security problems, and don't be too worried unless they're doing more than just CTCP VERSION, or doing it over and over.

Why does user freenode-connect send CTCP VERSION when I connect to the network?

CTCP VERSION is a public IRC client interface which you can turn on or off or even spoof. We've started to request version information using that interface when users connect to freenode, so that we can help users with client-related problems, track down abusive bots and deny network access from old, insecure releases of client software, as well as analyze client-use statistics to help us better support our users' needs. It helps us as administrators for you to leave CTCP VERSION available and un-spoofed, but you should upgrade your client frequently to reduce your exposure to attacks.

     For privacy purposes, staff will treat your client version information in the same way it treats personal information provided by group contacts, though we may also publish that version information in statistical form, aggregated with that of other users. We'll be careful to avoid using it in ways which unnecessarily disrupt your use of the network.

Why do I get these [freenode-info] messages sometimes when I join a channel, or during a netsplit?

Messages labeled freenode-info contain important, non-time-critical information for freenode users. They're designed to appear with varying, random frequency and are sent using numeric 477. You're most likely to see them on your channel window around the time when you join a channel, or occasionally while rejoining from a netsplit. If you find them extremely annoying, we provide a set of scripts to allow you to turn them off, but we strongly urge that you leave them turned on. Otherwise, you may miss an essential notification, and your reliable, timely access to the freenode network may be impaired.

I'm getting a lot of spam/porn/blank messages. What can I do to block them?

Sometimes freenode has to deal with infestations of spam bots. These bots often join large channels to get lists of people to spam via private message. We're working on long-term solutions to the problem. In the meantime, your best bet is to register your IRC nickname and do the standard setup, then set your user mode to +E to filter out any private messages sent to you by unregistered users. Depending on which client you're running, one of these commands will set that user mode:

         o /umode +E
         o /mode YOURNICK +E
         o /quote mode YOURNICK +E
         o /raw mode YOURNICK +E

     (Please be careful; some clients, including ERB and XChat, don't have a /UMODE command, and will pass on UMODE to the server, often causing a false positive on a spambot test.)

     If you run a support channel, please consider using something like:

     /mode #yourchannel +rf #yourchannel-unregistered

     This will forward unregistered users to a separate channel on join. You can let those users know about registration options, but try to provide them support on the 'unregistered' channel, as well---it's a way to help keep spammers from taking away support options from our unregistered users!

When I send private messages to my friend, it says that she's blocking messages from unidentified users. How do I fix it?

Your friend has set user mode +E to block messages from unregistered users. Just register your IRC nickname and do the standard setup and your problem will be solved.

Why does my cloak not work with xchat?

Older versions of xchat have this problem when connecting to freenode: when you automatically execute a command at connect time, it does not wait to join channels until the command is through executing. If you have this problem and you configure your client to identify to nickserv, then wait a couple of seconds before completing, all that will happen is that you'll sail right onto your autojoined channels without a cloak.

     You can use one of these user-provided connect scripts (in TCL or python) to identify to nickserv and join your channels (rename the script, stripping the '.txt' off the end)—but we recommend that you simply update to a more recent version of xchat. If you do one of the scripts, make sure you use the python version if your copy of xchat is compiled without TCL support.

Is there some way to make irssi and channel forwarding work properly together?

As of Hyperion 1.0, this should work properly. There have been reports that post-Hyperion-release versions of irssi have been changed in ways that break forwarding, but these have not been confirmed. Please email <email>staff@freenode.net</email> if you experience any problems.

Does freenode provide SSL-based client access?

Not at present. We did have a server set up as a testbed for a while, but we probably won't provide SSL on a consistent basis until we can provide end-to-end encryption.

Getting Help

How do I get help from the network staff?

Just enter the command:

         /stats p

     from within your IRC client. Certain clients, such have BitchX, have bugs which make it harder to use the command; in those cases you may have to type something like /quote stats p. You'll be provided a current list of on-call freenode staffers. Feel free to message one or more staffers as necessary until you find someone who can help you. Not all freenode staffers are listed; please use this list as your indication of current availability.

     If the active staff list is empty, you can try joining channel #freenode and, in whatever channel you're sent to, enter the command

         /who freenode/staff/*

     to get a list of staffers you may be able to contact for help.

May I message you?

You should always feel free to message a freenode staffer. You don't even have to ask; we consider it proper etiquette for you to just message us out of the blue and say Hi, can you help me with a problem?...

Can I get a hostname cloak?

Yes. You can get a generic "unaffiliated" user cloak to hide your hostname from DoS attacks or you can get a project cloak to show your participation in a community project.

     If you're thinking about getting a generic cloak, though, please consider instead making a donation to Peer-Directed Projects Center. PDPC is the not-for-profit entity which runs the network. If you donate, you'll get a nice cloak by way of acknowledgement and have the satisfaction of knowing that you've helped the network and PDPC continue to grow.

     Regardless of which type of cloak you decide to get, the setup is the same.

     Just read this link, which explains the procedure. Be sure to check off all 7 steps and make sure they're done. Then:

         o If you'd like a generic "unaffiliated" user cloak, just ask a network staffer to turn it on for you.

         o If you'd like a project cloak, contact your project leader to set it up.

         o If you'd like to donate, just use one of the buttons on the navbar at the lefthand side of the page. We'll mark your cloak to indicate your level of support!

How do we set up cloaking to identify participants in our FOSS project?

First register your group to provide freenode staff with an official liason to your project. We'll contact you to work out an appropriate cloaking suffix to identify your participants. Your group contact will be responsible for contacting us, as needed, to designate the IRC nicknames of participants who are eligible to have your project cloaks, as well as the specifics of the cloaks.

     Until Registry replaces services, this process will remain a mostly-manual one, so please don't hesitate to ping a staffer if you don't receive a response within a week or so.

Groups and Group Contacts

What is the purpose of group registration?

When you register your group or organization, you indicate your official participation in the network. Registration allows you to reserve, acquire and control channels associated with your group name and allows you to provide your participants with hostname cloaks. Group registration is required to sponsor a new server.

     At some point, registration will be required to create permanent channels on freenode.

What level of activity is expected from groups registered on freenode?

No minimum level of activity is expected or required from registered groups. You need not sponsor a server, provide your members, participants or employees with hostname cloaks or actively moderate the channels reserved to you.

     Registration indicates your official participation in freenode and provides your group with facilities and capabilities which you can use as needed.

What functions can group contacts perform?

Group contacts represent your group to freenode staff. Group contacts can request cloaks for group members or project participants. They can request password resets for channels reserved to your group. They can request changes in the channel contact or access list for any channel reserved to your group. Group contacts serve as technical contacts if your group sponsors a server.

How do we set up group contacts?

The following checklist will help you set up your registration and group contacts.

        1. Read the documentation. The page on group registration provides basic reference information.

        2. Discuss registration with your board, manager or core group. Group registration indicates official participation by your group or organization in freenode. If this is something your group wants to do, it should make an official decision to do so before proceeding.

        3. Fill out one or more approving group contact form(s). Have a board representative, a manager or a member of your core group, as appropriate, fill out the group contact form, selecting "I am: approving a contact person" and providing his or her own contact information. More than one approving contact form can be submitted, as appropriate.

        4. Fill out one or more approved group contact form(s). Have one or more active group contacts fill out the group contact form, selecting "I am: a contact person being approved."

How do you verify group contacts?

A representative of Peer-Directed Projects Center, the not-for-profit entity which runs the network, will telephone your group contact to verify the information provided on the form.

What is the difference between an approving and an approved group contact?

An approving contact has the authority to represent your group, project or organization and to verify that your group has approved its registration with freenode. For a legal entity, an approving contact can be an upper-level manager or a member of your board. For an informal group, an approving contact should be your project lead or a member of the core committee that makes decisions for your group.

     An approved contact, where specified, is an individual who does not have clear authority to represent your group and must be approved by at least one approving contact.

How are group cloaks formatted?

Group cloak components appear in left-major order and are separated by slashes ('/'). They are:

        1. Group or project name. We'll provide you with a group name and with optional project names.. For each cloak you request, you should select a name from the set we've reserved for you.

        2. Cloak hierarchy. You can select "inside" tokens to indicate the user's role in your project or group. These might include words like developer, staffer, support, member or even donor. You can create a hierarchy of roles if you wish. "Inside" tokens and any cloak hierarchy are entirely your choice, and some projects omit them.

           Please use the token bot to indicate automated utility clients.

        3. Unique identifier. The last token of a group cloak is a unique identifier for the user to whom the cloak belongs. Examples: the user's name, their forum name, their committer id or account id on your server, or their master IRC nick. Whatever you choose must be unique within the context of your project or group.

           With your user's permission, we'll prefix a period-separated label to this token to indicate if your user is either a donor to PDPC or a freenode staffer.

To whom may we offer a group cloak?

Group cloaks indicate a relationship with your group or project. You may offer a cloak to any individual with whom you want to assert such a relationship. For example, you might want to cloak group members or organizational employees, developers, administrative or staff personnel or even donors. It's your choice. You request the cloak and we'll offer it to the person you specify. They'll decide whether to accept it.

How do we request group or project cloaks?

To request a cloak, just provide us with your user's master IRC nickname and the proposed cloak. You can request a list of cloaks or cloaking changes at one time. If it's a short list, check with first level support and we'll be happy to help. If it's a longer list, please email it to <email>staff@freenode.net</email> and mark your email as containing cloak updates for your project. You can still check with first-level support to speed things along.

     We'll process your cloak updates as soon as we can. Global changes, such as those involved in a group name change, will probably take longer.

What plans do you have to automate the group contact function?

We intend to eventually replace services (nickserv, chanserv, etc.) with an application which has been tentatively termed Registry. Registry will change the emphasis from "nicks and channels" to "users and groups" and will provide for delegation of group contact functions, for group-oriented control of channels, and for direct setup of hostname cloaks by group contacts. Registry is not currently implemented.

When will group contact processing be automated?

Due to very light availability of coding help, we can't predict when Registry will be finished. We'll keep you posted.

I haven't received a response on my group contact form yet. What's up?

We're several months behind in our processing of the forms. We're catching up as quickly as we can.

How can I speed up the processing of my group contact form?

We use the "squeaky wheel" system. Speak to first level support and ask to have the priority bumped up. We'll do our best to get you taken care of quickly!

How do our group members request hostname cloaks or channel resets?

You should provide your members with the name of someone associated with your group who can process their requests. We may not be able to point them directly to your group contact due to our privacy policy.

freenode Project Organization

Who runs freenode?

About 20 volunteer staffers around the planet run the network, under the direction of the head of the project. Christel Dahlskjaer, who following the death of original founder, Rob "lilo" Levin in September 2006, head up the freenode project.

How do I volunteer?

If you spend time in #freenode or elsewhere around the network, it's possible you'll be asked if you'd like to perform some staff role. We usually look for people who haven't asked.

Do server owners run the network?

No, they don't. Server owners may be tapped for a staff role, but the roles of staffer and facilities host are as separate as we can make them. On most IRC networks, the roles are combined, which often results in heavy IRC politics and uneven service. We can't eliminate politics, but we do our best to minimize the effect of such activity on the network.

What privileges do staff members get?

It varies from staff member to staff member. No minimum level of access is guaranteed to any staff member, including those who host servers.

Who administers the servers?

Staff members update server configurations and install new releases of the software. They're responsible for routing changes and server problem resolution. Facilities hosts are asked to provide technical contacts who can perform administrative functions in areas where freenode staffers have no access.

How do I link my server?

Servers are hosted, not linked. For information on how to host a server, please take a look here.

Who do I complain to?

If you have a constructive suggestion, please email it to: <email>staff@freenode.net</email>. If you would like to suggest a server feature, please email it to: <email>features@freenode.net</email>. If you think you've found a bug in the server code, please email a detailed bug report to: <email>bugs@freenode.net</email>. Please avoid sending flames and abusive messages to staff, particularly while we're trying to solve a problem. It may be good for your ego, but it doesn't help the network.

Do you get a lot of complaints?

Not so many, but the ones we get can be, uh, very memorable. When things are running well, people tend to forget how much work it takes to keep freenode running. If you like the service, tell a staffer. It'll make our day. :)

Contributions

Why do you need money?

Peer-Directed Projects Center, the parent organization of freenode, is an IRS 501(c)(3) (tax-exempt) organization chartered to provide social support services for peer-directed project communities. We talk about some of the planned projects here. Without your support, we'll find it difficult to maintain and expand the growing freenode network or take on the other community service projects in planning.

Who decides how the money you collect will be spent?

The Board of Directors of Peer-Directed Projects Center must approve all expenditures of funds for freenode and other PDPC projects. All expenditures are made in accordance with the Texas Nonprofit Corporation Act, as appropriate for corporations exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code and as appropriate for corporations accepting corporate donations which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the US Internal Revenue Code.

What does it cost when I donate?

If you donate via PayPal, we receive your donation less PayPal fees. At last check, we were charged at the standard rate, 2.9% plus a 30 cent fee (US). An additional 1% was charged for donations from foreign donors, though not for Canadian donations.

     If you donate via check or money order, it may cost us 50 cents per donation, if enough people donate that way. It hasn't been an issue so far.

Why should I wear a Cloak to acknowledge my donation?

When you wear the Cloak, your donation becomes more visible, which helps to raise awareness of the idea of donating to Peer-Directed Projects Center, the not-for-profit entity which runs freenode. So, in a sense, your donation goes twice as far. We strongly recommend that you do the necessary setup and wear the Cloak!

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