Since people lately seem to be interested in using irc to download anime I figure I might as well compile a quick guide on using irc on my spare time. The first thing you need to remember is that if you are in a channel that subs anime you should never ask when a new releases come out, it applies to all fansubbing channel.

1. go to http://www.sysreset.com/ and d/l the mirc client with sysreset addon

2. basic command to remember:

/server irc.aniverse.com - connects you to an irc server, first step everytime you use irc, if you put -m inbetween /server and the server address like /server -m irc.mircx.com then it will pop open a new status window, it is used to connect to multiple irc networks.
/j #ranma1/2 - joins a channel that belongs to a server.
!rules - sometimes channels have scripts that respond to this command, since different channels and different networks can have varying rules it is usually wise to read it, or if it's not available ask a channel regular what the policies are.
//topic # - reads topic of the channel you are currently in, useful in a fansubbing channel, where it is used to check for any new subbing.
!list - lists all the fileservers available
@find mahoromatic - basically gives you results of which fileserver in the channel you are typing the @find in contains the search query, be aware that fileservers can turn off the @find option to decrease network lag. If you want to be certain you should type !list and check every server available.

3. Some channels have additional commands that lets you stuff such as adding quotes to a bot, crc number for a file to check for file corruption, etc.

4. If you happen to get banned wait until they unban, asking usually won't help unless you know the ops on a personal basis.

5. There are many different types of status one can obtain, but it basically divides into three classes:

Op - Names with a @ infront, they can ban, kick, do whatever a power-tripping nazi does.
Voice - Names with a + infront, it was originally intended to let people talk even if a channel is +m(I'll explain this later), when filesharing addons are available voice can also have access to fileservers where they can get ahead of line(or queue) and access to fileservers that has a voice/op only trigger. You can get voice in an anime channel by sharing. And fyi voice status has nothing to do with talking over microphones...
Regular - Basically anyone else who isn't a voice or op, some network has half-op(%) and a status whose name I do not know (-), but it is not very common.

6. Channel Mode - When you enter a channel, you will on top of the channel window the name of the channel accompanied by [+cMnrst], and you would wonder, what the heck are those? Although it's not extremely necessary, I will enlighten for those who don't know.
+c - no color coding in channel, only white text(my fav mode)
+l (number) - limits the amount of people in a channel, ops usually setup bots to change the limit from time to time to prevent bots flooding by joining and leaving simultaneously
+k (pw) - the channel is non-accessible unless you type the right key(/j #whateverchannel password)
+R - only usernames registered to nickserv can join this channel, in the status window, type /msg nickserv help for more information(note: irc.enterthegame.com does not support nickserv)
+M - only usernames registered to nickserv can talk
+m - only voice and op can talk
+p - channel will not show up for somone who typed /list
+s - people will not see you in this channel if they typed /whois you.
+i - invite only
+r - this channel is registered to chanserv, for non-op it has no meaning
+t - only ops can change topic
+n - no external message(i.e. people can use !list on a different channel by typing /ctcp #thischannel !list, it basically prevents people from inserting message from a different channel)

7. One of the most important thing about irc is using xdcc bots, bots are generally very fast because they are hosted by university students. Universities keep a strict watch on p2p and not irc because not too many uses it to d/l mp3s, so where filesharing in p2p programs is impossible irc is still available for hosting anime. In a fansubbing or dvdripping channel you can see who are the bots with their group tag infront of their name. For example, #animeone's bot would be aone|something, to make sure if it is a bot and not a person you should wait for it to advertise their server on the channel, so you don't end up talking to an actual guy when you're trying to grab files. Most of the time you can leech from a bot by typing /msg aone|bot xdcc list, then do /msg aone|bot xdcc send #(some number), but to be on the safeside you should try /ctcp instead of a /msg infront.

8. irc is useless unless you know the right server and channel address, here's a few that I have gotten.

server: irc.aniverse.com

#alphaanime - They have spirited away and dnangel on their bots, I'm not sure if they still have it since it has been awhile since I visited.
#ranma1/2 - ranma anime and manga
#sailormooncenter - fushigi yuugi, sailor moon, ranma, and other series.

server: irc.mircx.com

#animeone - daa daa daa, narutaru, dear boys, naruto, green green, ikkitousen, tsukihime, galaxy railway, onegai twins.
#anime-keep - full metal alchemist, ikkitousen, avenger, ultra maniac, gad guard, ai yori aoshi enishi, onegai twins, mahoujin guru guru.
#the-triad - ultra maniac, popotan.
#anbudom - gunslinger girl, cromatie high school, planet e's, naruto. #anime-kraze - inu yasha, hundred stories, last exile, scrapped princess, ai yori aoshi enishi, crono crusade.
#dream-anime - There's alot of fservers there and they have just about anything, they're the only ones I know who has done a high quality of initial D 3rd stage.
#infusion - hajime no ippo, gear fighter dendoh, last exile, captain tsubasa 2001, cinderella boy
#12ktp - junni kokki
#hikari - onegai twins, gad guard, peace maker kurogane, da capo.
#shounen-ai - ultra maniac, dnangel, Yami to boushi to hon no tabibito
#psychlo-anime - ruruoni kenshin, initial D 1st and 2nd stage, vandread 1st and 2nd stage

server: irc.enterthegame.com

#soldat - da capo, detective academy, spiral, star ocean EX.
#anime-empire - tsukihime, planet e's, getbackers, konjiki no gash bell, onegai twins, ufo princess s1 and s2.
#tw-leech - naruto
#live-evil - rose of versailles, condor hero, planet e's, galaxy railway, dear boys, detective academy, rumic theater, gilgamesh.

Keep in mind that people in each of those channel also serve other animes as well.


Below is the instruction on filesharing using mirc w/sysreset, if you don't want to share then you can skip the rest.


1. On the menu, go to sysreset->file server manager.
2. Click the tab labeled file server trigger, click add, choose a file dir for the sharing folder and a welcoming file.
3. Highlight the trigger you just created and check /ctcp trigger
4. If you're behind a firewall/router click the tab server config, at upper right, go to advanced options, then check firewall workaround, enabling this option will create a sudden pause of chat of whatever channel you just join, but will ensure that people can get on your fileserver.
5. On upper right, select basic options again, and check queue enabled. In max queues, the total should be at least 5-10, how many files you want a person to be able to queue at any one time is up to you. Total send slot should be 1 unless you can upload at 80 KB/S+.

That will cover the basics for filesharing, if you have questions with specifics you should check the help file for guidance.



-- Anonymous, October 26, 2003

Answers

forgot a few things.

9. To access to someone's fileserver you type the sentence inside the bracket labeled trigger. If it gives you "Server Notice: This server is using an alternate server method, please make sure your DCC Server is active and set to port 59. /dccserver +sc on 59. This is a mIRC command.", then it means your connection attempt to the fileserver failed, unless you want to waste hours trying to reconfig your router or read a 20,000 word essay on dcc protocol specification I advise you to just give up and search for another server.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2003

I'm having a probelm. I'm using fservers and trying to use the "get" command, however, it say that the format should be filename.ext while there is not such extension after the name, what do I do then?

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2003

It means that you didn't include the extension. For example if a file is called blah.avi you have to say "get blah.avi" instead of just "get blah"

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2003

If theres no such ext after the name then you probably didn't enter that directory yet. If the name says "rurouni kenshin", then you would type "cd rurouni kenshin". Then something like this should show up [/rurouni kenshin]. You would then type "dir" and will be brought the next list. You would repeat that proccess until you get actual filenames that say something like "naruto_-_55.avi". That is when you would use the "get" command. to go back a directory type "cd.." and then dir so you could get the list.

-- Anonymous, October 28, 2003