Hackathons/Laptop setup/Linux IRC

On Linux, we'll be using HexChat, a popular graphical IRC chat client.

IRC client setup instructions

1. Start the software manager application of your system.
2. Search for HexChat.
3. Install the HexChat package.

IRC client practice: joining the MediaWiki channel

During this workshop we'll get practice using IRC and help each other as we contribute to project in the #mediawiki channel on the Libera Chat network.

Here are the connection details for joining the Libera Chat network and the MediaWiki IRC channel:

IRC server name: irc.libera.chat
channel name: #mediawiki

1. Start HexChat
2. Go to the HexChat menu, choose "Network list"
3. Set the "Nick name" and "User name" fields to the same value.

   Make sure this value is unique - if it is not, you may need some extra steps later.

4. If it exists, choose Libera Chat in the list of networks (Libera Chat is a network created in May 2021, when we moved from Freenode to Libera Chat, so it is only listed by default in recent Hexchat versions)
   1. Click the "Edit..." button next to the list of networks.
5. If it does not exist:
   1. Click "Add" next to the list of networks.
   2. Enter "Libera Chat" and press Enter.
   3. Click the "Edit..." button next to the list of networks.
   4. Click "Add" at the top.
   5. Enter "irc.libera.chat/6697" and press Enter.
6. Make sure that "Use SSL for all the servers on this network" is enabled
7. Make sure that "Login method" is set to "SASL (username + password)"
8. Set a password in the "Password" field near the bottom of the edit window. Remember this password.
9. Click "Close".
10. Click "Connect".

Return to laptop setup

« Return to laptop setup