== 3 easy steps ==

1. Start your favorite IRC client
1. `/server irc.oftc.net`
1. `/join #kernelnewbies`

== Intro to IRC ==
IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is communication network. Users can talk together in realtime, each user has a nick. There are rooms (called channels) on irc, their names are beginning with #. For more information browse to [http://www.irchelp.org/].

Kernel newbies are gathered on #kernelnewbies on irc.oftc.net. This channel is about kernel development, it's internals and so on. For general linux discussion please go to other channels like #linux, or one with the name of your favorite linux distribution.

== How to simply join #kernelnewbies IRC ==
Kernel newbies are using irc network at [http://www.oftc.net/oftc/ OFTC.net]. If you don't have an favorite IRC client (or you don't know any), choose one:
 * xchat (GUI, gtk, runs under linux other unices and also windows)
 * irssi (text only, linux & unices)
 * kvirc (GUI, kde, linux & unices)
 * ksirc (GUI, kde, linux & unices)
 * konversation (GUI, kde, linux & unices)
 * BitchX (text only, linux & unices)

Upon first start, some clients popup a window with serverlist. If you don't want to play with it and click, close it and you'll probably find one line at the bottom that looks like a command line. Enter there:

/server irc.oftc.net
 This will connect you to the server.

/join #kernelnewbies
 You will join the channel and you can talk to us :)