Considering Starting a Network?

Talrias · Lurker Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 163 Location: :noitacoL

If you are considering starting a network or have recently started a network with a few friends and are having difficulties getting more people onto your network, here are a few points to help you out. This was previously posted to the alt.irc newsgroup (by me).

Choose a topic - with thousands of IRC networks in existence you need to pick something unique and focus your network in providing the best service for people interested in that. 'General chat' is not unique.
Advertise it sensibly - that means no spamming forums/news groups. Sensible targeted messages work best - especially word of mouth. Yes, it takes time - but your network will be more respectable because of it, and respect means users.
Choose staff well. While people who can maintain the perfect server uptime and prevent any attacks on your server, this won't help you get other people on your network. You want someone who is an excellent communicator, someone who can get other people talking - someone good with people. In fact you want lots of people like this (of course, a tech guy is useful too).
Be prepared to make compromises. You will have to make decisions about the direction of your network eventually and if you refuse to budge on an issue you will quickly end up with a user count of 1. Be prepared to give up something as important to you as the name of your network. A network name is important; but having a solid community is more important. Take opportunities to merge with similar networks if they arise (but make sure you consider the merger fully - a disastrous merger will effectively put you back at square one).
The users on your network are what determines the network. Be good to them - but be firm on people who break the rules - setting unwanted precedents will be hard to undo in the future. Reward those who help out. This doesn't mean give everyone who spends time in #help an o:line. It means thank them for their contributions, and take their feedback and act on it!

There is no fast route to growing a community from scratch - be prepared for hard work, and lots of it.

Chris

[DiMENSiON] · Eleet Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 621

Very good advice and anyone starting up a network should give them a good read.

WORD OF ADVICE: i see it happening time and time again, people advertising for opers wanted on this forum. it is an extreamly bad idea. only ever select opers from trusted members of your network not any tom dick or harry who happens to reply to a forum post and passes a few basic IRC questions.

Ashen · Idler Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 285

[DiMENSiON], you speak the truth :)

-Ashen

Dr-Voodo · Eleet Joined: 07 Nov 2003 Posts: 535 Location: IRC

[Dimension] sure is right, the best opers is people you can trust and that you already know, going to this forum and pasting "I need a oper" will only after my opinion give you "POWER" hungry kiddies.

[DiMENSiON] · Eleet Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 621

*bows* i know i'm good Razz

ShelLuser · none Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 21

Another thing which I see happening all around me: people not allowing themselves to take the time it needs to setup the server and familiarize themselves with it. automaticly resulting to very surprised reactions when you tell 'm to try "/stats U" to see why those services keep being denied.

I think a very small minority actually tries to get to know at least some of the basic oper commands...

> I'm on server A, I want to detach from net on server B????
> /squit server B
> No man, I no wanna squit the network, only my server!!!.

Ofcourse this might also be described as general stupidity but lets try to be positive; would he have read up on the /squit command before actually linking up....

ShelLuser · none Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 21

Talrias · Lurker Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 163 Location: :noitacoL

EqualSlashed_Brian · Lurker Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 222 Location: IRC

Also for a sucessful network you need lots and lots of lol. And maybe some bandwidth too.

zeke · Idler Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 295

course you need bandwidth.....you need enough pipe for all your users to send "lol" at the same time without lagging! Razz

Aven · Idler Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 393

This is old, but I'd like to mention that to make your IRC Network more 'unique', try to do different things than other networks.

For example, don't use unreal just because everyone else does or anope because everyone else does. Coding your own ircd is always a good thing too, but I'm sure not everyone around is a coder. Take time to know what each ircd or service does... try to find what would go real well to the goal your network is headed to. Personally, I've tried a lot of ircds and services. When I have a chance, I try to check out each new IRC services and ircd just to see what kind of software they are.

Make a goal... not a type of goal like "more /lusers!" because if that's what you're focused on, you can end up a network with a bunch of idiots. Try to focus on something that will bring decent users instead, and what you think would make a successful network.

Don't get any opers that have some sort of bad background (i.e, ddos'd another net, got gline/akilled from another net for such a bad behaviour), etc. and make sure to get ones that are honest... you don't want to end up having a server admin automaticlly de-link because they got mad about something... good server admins should always tell the main server admin something like "I don't like how the network is run so I'm going to delink by tomorrow"... some try to get 'revenge' and delink while lots of users disconnect and all. Choose good server admins.

Give server admins a chance... don't say things like "I want unrealircd because I am the network administrator and I pay for my shell!" give other server admins a chance on how to improve the network and listen to their reasons too, work as a team to make a successful network.

For a small network, try to make a real good main chat channel... for example, if you put a trivia bot there, those who don't like/not interested in trivia will just leave if the main chat channel was like that. Don't have annoying bots or scripts... I'm sure there'd be at least one user that'd be annoyed. Try to make #trivia for trivia, etc. Oh and don't just talk about sex/drugs/porn/etc. it'd be pretty annoying for people looking for a decent network.

"More features" doesn't mean "More users".... which means, don't pick an ircd for its features, pick it for its secure and stability, same goes with services, etc.

Have a website, no matter how small your network is, it's always nice to have a website explaning the policies of the network and the network's goal. Including its servers...

Don't be too nice... for example if a user goes "this net sucks, you don't allow warez" doesn't mean you should allow warez... Always stick to your policies no matter what user drops by and comments whatever you think is wrong to allow.

Don't spy on users much... which means try not joining a private channel of theirs just because they're "new" and they might have bots. /Names can work fine, and if there's something bad really going on... you can find out soon.

ProXy · none Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 17

thx for your tips buddy.

Marion_Oaks_2 · none Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 8

i have a question.

i want to start a network how do i do that

Marion_Oaks_2 · none Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 8

so can anyone help me.

is there a link i need to go to. if so please post one here.

i really need help

FBI · Posted: Jul 20, 2006 6:26pm Post subject:

If you don't know how don't start one....

It takes a lot of knowledge and hard work and money to start a fully fledge IRC Network...
Also Note...A Lot of TIME

http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/ircd/

That would be a good start if you have the time,money and experince
Razz