About the creator of IRCnewbies
So a little bit (..or lot) about me, I’m 29 years old, and I am from the state of Pennsylvania. I have been around the IRC community since I was about 13 years old, and was fascinated by it from the very beginning. I started off on DALnet in a channel called #Carmichaels. This channel was used for our hometown, and everyday after school everyone would run home and get online, connect to DALnet,
and we’d all chat and make plans with friends for that evening, or talk about the homework we missed, etc. My school was quite small; around 90 in our graduating class, however #Carmichaels peaked around 300-400 of us. Those were the IRC days long before myspace or facebook were even really thought about. I attempted to learn everything, and help while learning; this quickly backfired.
Within 2 months, I was infected with the Sub7 virus; which is something you don’t even hear about nowadays.
When I first came to IRC (again on DALnet), there were about 5,000 people on the network at peak times. Over the years, DALnet eventually grew to over 120,000 concurrent connections (or users) at one time. It was an amazing thing to see. You were able to get anything you wanted when you came into the IRC world. You could get a stolen credit card, you could get movies, music, files, cracks, hacks, and so much more. Over the years, I learned a great deal about DALnet, but more importantly the mIRC program.
In the year 2002, I graduated highschool, and DALnet underwent a series of huge denial of services (ddos) attacks. It made it nearly impossible at the time for anyone to connect. I found the network Webnet (aka WebChat/WebMaster). Within the first year I was a network HelpOp, followed by local & global operator around 6 months later, then I was promoted to run the official scripting channel. The channel ended up being the most popular help channel on the network, so I branched off & started teaching network classes, I was
promoted to a CSOp in order to run the classes effectively, and handle any network related issues as well. The classes varied in users, we had 90 in some classes, but as many as 400 in others. The project eventually branched into classes in multiple languages, and when I retired, the project retired, the scripting channel closed, and the channels were merged with a chat channel to help a network that started to die when I left.
In 2008/2009 I purchased the domain IRCnewbies.com after it had finally expired after about 14 years. I had a small project idea in mind. After being with Webnet, and basically helping the owner of that network hundreds of thousands of dollars, I wanted to start an IRC project of my own. However, I wanted to do something that would be free, and allow a community to come together to help fellow IRC’ers. That’s how IRCnewbies.com was born. A place for any new user to IRC to visit. While on that visit, check out some of the channels on IRC that are available, learn the basics (and even more if desired), post on our forums, create a BIO, and so much more. I thought that the project
was going to be simple, cheap, and easy as pie to start up. Boy was I wrong. I had the following from webnet’s network still, but I lacked so much more in order to make this project successful, and I am still learning, but trying hard to get it just right. The money spent; well, we won’t even go into that. It’s something I wanted to do, so the monetary value means nothing to me for this.
In 2010, about a year after I retired from Webnet, I came back to DALnet. This time, I didn’t start off in a hometown channel, I knew where I wanted to start & it was in #help.
Today, you can find me around the network. I no longer use the ‘Keith2′ nickname since I got my original back – Keith. I can be found in multiple channels on DALnet; #Help, #mIRC, #JmIRCHelp, #Beginner, #Aide, #Html – you get the picture! I am still working my way up on the network. Apart of my goals with this project was to not only create something for IRC that was successful, but also eventually become apart of DALnet’s team. It’s something I think I’d enjoy, as well as bring something extra to the network. That’s for another update in the future; just maybe!
An update for August 2013: On the 18th of August, 2013 DALnet has made a decision on the channels #aide & #html. Both of them have now become a RECOMMENDED help channel on the network. This means we're now able to assist in a larger capacity, but along with that comes more responsibilities! We're now working on putting together a team that can handle the channels, but are also knowledgeable in the areas that they provide assistance in! Thank everyone for your continued support!
As for the real world, I have a degree in Physical Therapy, and Massage Therapy (Specializing in the following: Sports Injury, Cranial Sacral, Trigger Point, Infant, Deep Tissue, Eastern Paradigm and Swedish). Also small business (in spa hospitality). I graduated college in 2006 as the Valedictorian; meaning that I graduated at the top academically. I also received an award for Perfect Attendance, and for placing 3rd in business management in the state of Pennsylvania while competing with Phi Beta Lambda. Yes, first time I didn’t get to be the best.. I take rejection a little better nowadays, haha.
I continue to live in the state of Pennsylvania, in the United States if you’re unaware. (Eastern USA). I live about an hour or so from where I grew up. I think I’m one of the only ones from my school that stayed with IRC, it’s been a pretty good run this far!
As for the Freenode chat network, I maintain the channels #USA, ##Help, ##PhotoShop, ##Psychology, and ##Computers. I can also be found in the #JmIRCHelp channel with the same staff that is used on the DALnet chat network. I have been on Freenode for just under 8 years now.
On the Webnet (aka Webmaster/WebChat) network, I maintain the channels #HelpDesk, #Newbies, #mIRCHelp, and #CService. I have been on this network for a little over 10 years, and since retiring from this network, I am not nearly there as much as I should be, but then again, this is why I appoint people to certain position(s) in channels, I know that they’ll be able to take care of any & all issues with (..or without me; in this case).
Well, that should be enough about myself. I hope that you all enjoy using IRCnewbies.com & continue to check back, and support us. I have been around IRC for many, many years, and I still enjoy it like I am just downloading the client for the very first time. Eventually, I hope that my website/project will be able to provide assistance to hundreds (or even thousands) of users. I can sit in a help channel and help people all day long, but a website can reach many more users at one time!
and we’d all chat and make plans with friends for that evening, or talk about the homework we missed, etc. My school was quite small; around 90 in our graduating class, however #Carmichaels peaked around 300-400 of us. Those were the IRC days long before myspace or facebook were even really thought about. I attempted to learn everything, and help while learning; this quickly backfired.
Within 2 months, I was infected with the Sub7 virus; which is something you don’t even hear about nowadays.
When I first came to IRC (again on DALnet), there were about 5,000 people on the network at peak times. Over the years, DALnet eventually grew to over 120,000 concurrent connections (or users) at one time. It was an amazing thing to see. You were able to get anything you wanted when you came into the IRC world. You could get a stolen credit card, you could get movies, music, files, cracks, hacks, and so much more. Over the years, I learned a great deal about DALnet, but more importantly the mIRC program.
In the year 2002, I graduated highschool, and DALnet underwent a series of huge denial of services (ddos) attacks. It made it nearly impossible at the time for anyone to connect. I found the network Webnet (aka WebChat/WebMaster). Within the first year I was a network HelpOp, followed by local & global operator around 6 months later, then I was promoted to run the official scripting channel. The channel ended up being the most popular help channel on the network, so I branched off & started teaching network classes, I was
promoted to a CSOp in order to run the classes effectively, and handle any network related issues as well. The classes varied in users, we had 90 in some classes, but as many as 400 in others. The project eventually branched into classes in multiple languages, and when I retired, the project retired, the scripting channel closed, and the channels were merged with a chat channel to help a network that started to die when I left.
In 2008/2009 I purchased the domain IRCnewbies.com after it had finally expired after about 14 years. I had a small project idea in mind. After being with Webnet, and basically helping the owner of that network hundreds of thousands of dollars, I wanted to start an IRC project of my own. However, I wanted to do something that would be free, and allow a community to come together to help fellow IRC’ers. That’s how IRCnewbies.com was born. A place for any new user to IRC to visit. While on that visit, check out some of the channels on IRC that are available, learn the basics (and even more if desired), post on our forums, create a BIO, and so much more. I thought that the project
was going to be simple, cheap, and easy as pie to start up. Boy was I wrong. I had the following from webnet’s network still, but I lacked so much more in order to make this project successful, and I am still learning, but trying hard to get it just right. The money spent; well, we won’t even go into that. It’s something I wanted to do, so the monetary value means nothing to me for this.
In 2010, about a year after I retired from Webnet, I came back to DALnet. This time, I didn’t start off in a hometown channel, I knew where I wanted to start & it was in #help.
Today, you can find me around the network. I no longer use the ‘Keith2′ nickname since I got my original back – Keith. I can be found in multiple channels on DALnet; #Help, #mIRC, #JmIRCHelp, #Beginner, #Aide, #Html – you get the picture! I am still working my way up on the network. Apart of my goals with this project was to not only create something for IRC that was successful, but also eventually become apart of DALnet’s team. It’s something I think I’d enjoy, as well as bring something extra to the network. That’s for another update in the future; just maybe!
An update for August 2013: On the 18th of August, 2013 DALnet has made a decision on the channels #aide & #html. Both of them have now become a RECOMMENDED help channel on the network. This means we're now able to assist in a larger capacity, but along with that comes more responsibilities! We're now working on putting together a team that can handle the channels, but are also knowledgeable in the areas that they provide assistance in! Thank everyone for your continued support!
As for the real world, I have a degree in Physical Therapy, and Massage Therapy (Specializing in the following: Sports Injury, Cranial Sacral, Trigger Point, Infant, Deep Tissue, Eastern Paradigm and Swedish). Also small business (in spa hospitality). I graduated college in 2006 as the Valedictorian; meaning that I graduated at the top academically. I also received an award for Perfect Attendance, and for placing 3rd in business management in the state of Pennsylvania while competing with Phi Beta Lambda. Yes, first time I didn’t get to be the best.. I take rejection a little better nowadays, haha.
I continue to live in the state of Pennsylvania, in the United States if you’re unaware. (Eastern USA). I live about an hour or so from where I grew up. I think I’m one of the only ones from my school that stayed with IRC, it’s been a pretty good run this far!
As for the Freenode chat network, I maintain the channels #USA, ##Help, ##PhotoShop, ##Psychology, and ##Computers. I can also be found in the #JmIRCHelp channel with the same staff that is used on the DALnet chat network. I have been on Freenode for just under 8 years now.
On the Webnet (aka Webmaster/WebChat) network, I maintain the channels #HelpDesk, #Newbies, #mIRCHelp, and #CService. I have been on this network for a little over 10 years, and since retiring from this network, I am not nearly there as much as I should be, but then again, this is why I appoint people to certain position(s) in channels, I know that they’ll be able to take care of any & all issues with (..or without me; in this case).
Well, that should be enough about myself. I hope that you all enjoy using IRCnewbies.com & continue to check back, and support us. I have been around IRC for many, many years, and I still enjoy it like I am just downloading the client for the very first time. Eventually, I hope that my website/project will be able to provide assistance to hundreds (or even thousands) of users. I can sit in a help channel and help people all day long, but a website can reach many more users at one time!
