For many people, internet relay chat (irc) seems like an intimidating jungle, inhabited exclusively by UNIX nerds. In reality it's a delightful adventure, waiting to happen to almost anyone with an Internet connection. At once romantic and high tech, funny but sometime dangerous, irc is the very essence of the Internet culture, and the perfect post-modern experience for those with know-how. Although the most advanced irc client software understands over 400 commands, The irc Survival Guide can show you how to establish an identity and join the irc community using just five basic commands. Rewards are great: participation in an international culture that offers you a choice of more than 1,000 separate conversations in many languages 24 hours a day.