Sunday, October 31, 2004

Efnet, IRC Networks, Bots etc...


I spent most of the night helping to configure an Eggdrop bot (one of four) to run on our #jesusconnect channel on Efnet IRC network. What is IRC? Internet Relay Chat. There are more IRC Networks than I would care to begin to tell you about. Not only that but each IRC Network such as Efnet, Dalnet, Undernet, etc have thousands and thousands of chat channels on each SERVER. I am talking about a GLOBAL chat network called Internet Relay Chat. I know, it sort of blows the mind but it is true. All you need to access IRC is an IRC client such as Mirc or Pirch. Do a google search and sooner than later you will be installing the client software and getting ready to start out on your first IRC journey.

At Jesus Connect we feel that our calling is to introduce the church (as a whole) to the new (and not so new) technology that is already in place to be used to reach the world for Christ. You can go to our website at Jesus Connectand see what we are doing thus far. We have spent the last year completely rebuilding Jesus Connect from the ground up. There you can read our mission statement, statement of faith and other articles. Our IRC channel is just one of our ministry outreach efforts to the globe. We not only want to tell people that God listens and cares about them but we also want to equip the saints (you) to use the technology that we have at our fingertips to reach the lost and hurting people of our world for Christ.

So, if you want to visit with us on our #jesusconnect channel you can just log on to any Efnet IRC server and then you can just type /join #jesusconnect and that will put you into our channel. When you arrive you will find our bots. Hal, Tal, Mallet. These three personas or nicks are our bots. A bot is a program that is programmed (go figure huh) to perform specific tasks within our channel. All three bots are known as Eggdrop bots. They main function in cyberlife is to keep our channel open on the Efnet server and to provide us with the ability to keep control of our channel. If we did not leave the channel open 24x7 then someone else could open up our channel name and take control. That is something that we do not want to happen. If someone else takes control of our channel name then they can start perverting or twisting our original intent for being there. We want the #jesusconnect channel to be a Christ and family oriented place where folks from all walks of life can enter and find refuge. We want folks to find the grace of God, forgiveness of God and the truth of Gods word. In order to do this we need to find a place to park our channel (Efnet) and put bots in place that wont get tired, sleepy or hungry (like I am now...) and keep our channel open and protected.

For now, I am going to encourage you to drop by for a visit. If you have questions about IRC or how to find the MIRC or Pirch client or how to configure them write me an e-mail at moffittjc@jesus-connect.net and I will respond to you in private email. For now, I am going to take care of the tired, sleepy, hungry me and leave the IRC world to our bots.

Nite nite