Dear Students:

     Here are the "bare-bones" directions you'll need for our
"virtual" classes.

     Maybe it would be a good idea for you to print out these
directions, so you can consult them while on-line.

     From an MSU computer lab.

     1. Find MIRC32. It may be under
Start-Programs-Applications-Classroom Applications, or something like
that.

     2.. Double-click on the mIRC icon to open it up.

     3. You'll see a little screen inside the larger mIRC screen. This
is the "welcome" screen with the photo of the programmer who made it
up. Find the little box at the upper left corner of this little box
and click on it to find "Close". Careful not to close mIRC altogether
(i.e. don't go to the upper left-hand box of the LARGE mIRC screen
behind this little one).

     4. YOu'll be presented with a screen that says "mIRC Setup." Make
sure that CHSS is highlighted. This is the server chss2.montclair.edu
-- the one we will all be connecting to.

     NOTE: if you're using mIRC32 (or any other IRC client program),
make sure the port for chss2.montclair.edu is 6667.

     This is important -- because, if you are using the Java applet on
a Web browser, you use port 8080 -- the address is:

     http://chss2.montclair.edu:8080

     , because the little Java applet that acts as a very basic
interface with our CHSS2 IRC server is on port 8080. 

     5. Now enter your "Real Name", "Email" address, and "Nickname".
For "Nickname" please use your real first name, or real first name and
first initial of your last name, whichever. Forget the "Alternate"
box. 

     6. Now click on the "Connect" button.

     If you connect successfully, you'll see a message to that effect.
It'll look something like this:

     -	chss2.montclair.edu Message of the Day - 

     Welcome to CHSS Chat

     End of MOT/D Command.

     -- something like that. 

     You'll also see a little screen which gives you a choice of
"channels." CLOSE this screen. 

     COMMANDS:

     NOTE: These are general IRC commands. They'll work on all IRC
clients, like mIRC, and (most of them) on our bare-bones IRC Java
client that runs on the Web browser (not all clients support all IRC
commands -- mIRC supports most of them).

     You'll need the simplest of commands. ALL COMMANDS BEGIN WITH THE
FORWARD SLASH, /.

     You'll enter your commands on the bottom line, so make sure you
have a cursor there. If you don't, put the mouse there and click to
create one.

     TO JOIN A CHANNEL

     /join #channelname

     ALL CHANNEL NAMES BEGIN WITH #.

     You will do one of the following:

     Freshman Composition students will do this:

     /join #fc             

     (remember:  means "press the Enter key")

     Social Protest Literature students will do this:

     /join #spl      

     Middle English Literature students will do this:

     /join #mel      

     Internet for English Majors students will do this:

     /join #int     


     Now, you are in!

     You can "emote" with the command

     /me

     , as in

     /me feels like sneezing.

     Everyone reads 

      feels like sneezing.

     You can leave the channel while staying on the server with

     /leave #channelname

     You can leave the channel AND disconnect from the server with

     /quit

     You won't need any more than this! If you do, ask during class
and I will help you.

     "See" you in our virtual classes!

     Grover Furr