This personal FAQ answers many of the questions that
Khaled Mardam-Bey, the developer of mIRC, is often asked.
If you are looking for something specific, remember that you can type Control+F
in your browser to search for a word.
Personal
Question: Where are you from? Answer: I am British and have lived in the United Kingdom for most of my
life, however I was born in Amman, Jordan to a
Syrian
father and a
Palestinian
mother.
I have family living all over the Arab world, including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan,
East Jerusalem, and the West Bank.
Question: Have you ever visited Palestine or Israel? Answer: I last travelled to Palestine and Israel in 2005 for my thesis
research into
Fair Trade,
Olive Oil
and the
Occupation
for a Masters degree in Development Studies at King's College, London.
Question: What is your position on the conflict? Answer: The Palestinians have endured, and continue to endure, a great
injustice. I support any solution that resolves the issue fairly and
compassionately for both sides.
Question: What is your religion? Answer: The
Belief-O-Matic
seems to think I'm a secular humanist.
Question: Any life-style choices I should know about? Answer: I'm vegetarian for
ethical,
environmental
and
health
reasons.
Question: Do you use any social networks? Answer: I use twitter
to follow a few people,
facebook
to keep in touch with friends and a few groups, and
flickr
for sharing photographs.
Question: What kind of music do you like? Answer: I enjoy just about any kind of music but put on the spot I might
break out into
ELO,
the soundtrack from
Electric Dreams,
and T-Five.
Question: What are some of your favourite things? Answer: I used to own a 2-XL and loved it to bits.
My favourite game on the
Intellivision
console was
Dungeons and Dragons.
Nowadays, my two favourite things are my Android phone and my Kindle.
Question: Any other interests? Answer: I recently started learning
archery
but I've been known to dip into
squash,
aikido,
fencing,
hockey,
jazz,
theatre
and playing the guitar.
mIRC and IRC
Question: I heard that you created IRC? Answer: Sorry, not me! IRC was created by Jarkko Oikarinen
in 1988.
IRC is the oldest multi-user chat system on the internet, and as a
protocol it's older than the World Wide Web.
IRC has continued to improve since Jarkko first created it, and is
still developed by a large and dynamic group of volunteers who give
their time, knowledge, and resources to the internet community.
The many public IRC networks that allow millions of people to
communicate freely through IRC are owned and administered by thousands
of independent individuals and organizations around the world as a
public service to the internet community.
Many of the people who contributed to the development of the
internet believed in a spirit of co-operation and sharing of
knowledge and saw the internet as a way of allowing people to
communicate freely.
IRC has hopefully continued to flourish in that same spirit.
Question: So what did you create? Answer: I created mIRC, the IRC client.
IRC needs two separate parts to work, one is the server, and the
other is the client. The client is the software that you run
on your computer in order to connect to an IRC server, join channels,
and talk to people. The server is the part that, in the background,
running on another computer on the internet, connects all IRC clients
together.
There are many IRC clients, and many IRC servers, some are more
popular than others.
Question: So mIRC isn't the same as IRC? Answer: That's correct, it isn't. mIRC is just a popular IRC client.
Question: What inspired you to create mIRC? Answer: When I first started using IRC, most IRC clients were difficult
to use or limited in features. I wanted to see if I could create an IRC client
that was both fun and easy to use.
Question: When was the first version of mIRC released? Answer: I started working on mIRC in late 1994, and released the
first public version on the 28th of February, 1995.
Question: How many people use mIRC? Answer: The number appears to be in the millions. The total number of
downloads passed the 150 million mark some time ago. There are thousands of
downloads of mIRC per day through the mIRC website. The mIRC mailing
list has around a million subscribers.
Question: How did mIRC become so popular? Answer: It grew in popularity entirely by word-of-mouth. I listened
to users, added features that they asked for, and tried to help them when
they had issues. I never marketed, promoted, or advertised mIRC in any way.
Question: Do you work on mIRC by yourself? Answer: Yes and no.
I work on mIRC from my home, and I am the only software developer,
however many volunteers have helped me out over the years.
Most noted is the venerable
Tjerk Vonck,
who created the first #mIRC channel, the mIRC website, and much more.
The mIRC beta team, the ops on #mIRC and other channels who help
users with mIRC issues, the Discussion Forums moderators, the website
mirror and download providers, the language translators, and thousands
of other people, have also been invaluable.
It's unlikely that mIRC would have developed into what it is today
without the input and help of many people.
Question: Why does mIRC have so many features? Answer: Most of the features in mIRC were requested by users. It's
a fine balancing act: you want to be attentive and receptive to user requests
but at the same time you want to avoid
software bloat.
Of the many feature requests I've received over the years, only a handful have
actually made it into mIRC.
Question: Will you be releasing the mIRC source code for public
use at some point? Answer: mIRC is the way I make a living, so it isn't currently
practical for me to release the source code.
Question: Will you be making a version of mIRC for other operating
systems? Answer: I'd love to create a cross-platform version of mIRC one day,
however maintaining the Windows version takes up so much of my time that it
isn't currently practical.
Question: Will mIRC be translated into other languages? Answer: I'm currently working on making mIRC easy to translate, so
you should see mIRC in languages other than English in the near future.
Question: What were you doing before mIRC? Answer: I was taking a Masters degree in
Cognitive Science at the University of Westminster in London, which is where
I first learned about the Internet and IRC. Unfortunately I never finished my
thesis due to mIRC taking up all of my time.
Question: How do you pronounce mIRC? Answer: I pronounce each letter, m-I-R-C. However, it's fine
to pronounce it as 'mirk'. Often during a conversation I'll switch
between both pronunciations, depending on how quickly I want to get
my point across!
Question: What does the 'm' in mIRC stand for? Answer: It quite possibly stands for 'moo', or perhaps even
MU.
Question: Who is Arnie? Answer: Arnie is the mIRC mascot. You can find a picture of him
here.
Other
Question: Why does mIRC not have its own IRC network? Answer: The plurality and diversity of IRC is what makes it so
valuable and interesting. As a popular IRC client, if mIRC had created its
own IRC network and set that as the default for all mIRC users, it may have
diminished that. The mIRC servers list includes hundreds of networks and when
a user first installs mIRC, a default network is chosen for them at random
from a small list of large networks, to make their initial experience more
interesting. After that, they can start exploring other IRC networks.
Question: What was the idea behind your charity fundraisers? Answer: Some time in 2001 I had the idea of tapping into the goodwill
of the IRC community to raise funds for various charities. The aim was to
donate all mIRC income earned in a particular month to a chosen charity.
I hoped that a good number of mIRC users would be willing to register
knowing that their money was going to a good cause. Many mIRC users were
kind enough to help out and I ended up running several more charity
fundraisers in the same way after that. You can see the results of the
fundraisers by scrolling down through the
Latest News page.
Question: How do you feel about the fact that some people use mIRC
to distribute copyright/illegal material? Or to harm others? Answer: There is a common misconception that I'm able to prevent
people from doing these things. That's not the case. I don't own or
host any IRC networks, servers, or channels. mIRC is only a client-side
software that allows you to connect to public IRC networks around the
world, in the same way that your web browser allows you to connect to
public websites around the world. I'm not happy with the fact that some
people use mIRC in a negative way, however mIRC is used by many people,
there will always be some people who use it in ways with which
I don't agree.
Question: Why does mIRC have file-sharing capabilities? Answer: IRC is about communication. Both chat and file-sharing are a
normal part of communication and always have been. IRC has been around
since 1988, long before the mass file-sharing systems that we see today came
into existence. Although mIRC has a file-server, it is simple and crude,
and was designed long ago for basic personal use, to allow individuals to
share files with friends, family, and colleagues, and is nothing like the
sophisticated and dedicated file-sharing systems in existence today, which
are specifically designed to facilitate the sharing of files on a mass scale.
Help
Question: Can you help me get started with mIRC? Answer: Due to the number of people that use mIRC, it's not
possible for me to help everyone individually. Before emailing me,
please see the first few sections of the mIRC help file and the
Help section
on the mIRC website. If you really get stuck you can email me but please
note that it often takes anything from a few days to a few weeks to reply.
Question: I'm trying to write a script for mIRC, can you help me? Answer: Sorry, I can't. Scripting is the same as programming and
takes much time and work.
If you're new to writing scripts and don't have programming experience,
the best way to get started is to try out some of the examples in the mIRC
help file or a tutorial on one of the scripting sites listed in the
Help section of the mIRC website.
Registration
Question: Why does mIRC need to be registered? Answer: mIRC is distributed in a way that allows you to try it out
first to see if you like it before you register. If you like it and continue
to use it, you are required to register, the same as with all commercial
software.
Question: Why don't you give away mIRC for free? Answer: Although mIRC started out as a hobby, it took up so much of
my time that it eventually became a full-time job, which it still is today.
Question: So working on mIRC is the way you make a living? Answer: Yes, it's the only way I make a living.
Question: How do I register my copy of mIRC? Answer: mIRC can be registered through the methods shown on the
Register mIRC page.
Question: I have lost my mIRC registration email, can you resend it? Answer: Sure, you can have your mIRC registration emailed to you again
through the Lost Registration page.
Question: I registered some time ago and haven't received my
registration yet. Help! Answer: Registration emails are normally sent within a few minutes of
completing your online payment. The most common reasons for not receiving a
registration email are either you entered an invalid email address on the
order page or your email provider thought the mIRC registration email was
spam. Please check your spam/junk folder. You can use the
Lost Registration page to request it again.
Email
Question: How can I reach you? Answer: I can be reached at
Read the next question though.
Question: Why haven't you replied to my email? Answer: If the answer to your question can be found somewhere
on this page, I will usually assume that a reply is not necessary.
I receive many emails and although I try to read them all, and like
hearing about how mIRC is being used, it just isn't possible for me to
reply to every email.
Question: I received a spam and/or trojan/virus email that appears
to be coming from your email address, please stop emailing me. Answer:
I do not send emails to people I do not know and my system has no
trojans or viruses of any kind.
If you have received an email that appears to be coming from my email address,
it is due to a spam/trojan/virus using a fake "from" email header in the
email.
I myself receive several thousand spams per day (and upwards of twenty
thousand per day during a virus outbreak) mainly due to my email address
being wide-spread on the internet. There is little I can do about it other
than to try to filter them out.
Interview
Question: I'd like to interview you and/or have a list of questions
I'd like you to answer for a project, website, magazine, interview, online
event, etc. Answer: Thanks for the interest, unfortunately it's hard for me to find
the time to take part in online events or to reply to lists of questions. If
you like, you can send me your questions and if I find some of them interesting,
I'll add them to this faq.
Distribution
Question: Can I distribute mIRC on my website? Answer: Yes, you're quite welcome to do so, however please ensure
that you are distributing the original mIRC install file as distributed on
the mIRC website. See the question below.
Question: Can I create a custom version of the mIRC distribution
files, or distribute mIRC as part of my script? Answer: Sorry, this is not permitted by the distribution license.
If you are creating a script, you must distribute your script as a
separate file. You can provide the original mIRC install file as a separate
download or ask users to visit the mIRC website to download mIRC if they
don't already have it installed.
Research
Question: I'm doing some research on IRC, do you know of any
studies, papers, etc. on the subject? Answer: The
irchelp.org website
has a list of references in the communication research section.
Question: I'm trying to write my own IRC client, can you help
me? Answer: I'm sorry, I can't. You can find links to technical
information in the Help section on the mIRC
website.
Question: I have a great idea that is IRC/non-IRC related and
need help working on/developing it, can you help me out/be a part of the
development team/join my company? Answer: Sorry, I cannot, I already have other commitments.
Technical
Question: In which language is mIRC written? Answer: mIRC is written in a mixture of C/C++ in pure Win32
code and compiled under Visual Studio. It was originally written in
Borland C++.
Question: How large is the source code for mIRC? Answer: The source code, as of the current version, is spread
across 276 files, is around 150,000 lines of code, and is 5.5Mb in
size.
Question: Are some of your controls custom coded? Answer: Yes, the Toolbar and tooltips, the Tabbed dialogs,
the Tree List in the Options dialog, the Switchbar, the Text Display
in windows, and one or two other controls, are all custom coded.
I am working on gradually replacing my own custom controls with
standard controls, where possible.
Question: How did you create the scripting language? Answer: I had no experience with writing compilers or parsers
when I first started working on mIRC. The scripting language grew
organically, it wasn't designed. Users provided much input and over
time the language became relatively organized and stable, though it
still has some quirks. I would say that the language resembles a
combination of C and perl.
Question: Can I have the source code to mIRC? I'd like to learn
from it/port it to another operating system. Answer: Sorry, the source code isn't available for public or
personal use at this time.
Servers
Question: I've been banned/klined/glined from an IRC server, can
you unban me? Answer: No, I'm afraid not, I don't have anything to do with IRC
networks or servers. You can find out more about this issue in the
IRC Faq.
Sometimes this can happen if someone who uses the same internet provider
as you has caused trouble on IRC in the past. Unfortunately, because of
the way the internet works, servers can't ban one specific person, they
can only ban their address, and this affects all the other users who use
the same internet provider as them. The ban is usually in place for a
short period of time.
You can try connecting to a different IRC server on the same IRC network
and you will be able to see the same people and the same channels, or try
emailing the administrators of the IRC network to ask for help.
Question: I'm having trouble connecting to a server, can you help
me? Answer: There are several situations where this can happen.
If you see the message 'Unable to resolve local host', you should enable
the 'Server lookup' method in the 'Local Info' section of the Connect
dialog in mIRC.
If you see the message 'Unable to resolve IRC server', it may be that
your internet provider's DNS isn't working (which happens to all ISPs
occasionally, and is temporary and is fixed by them after a while), or
it may be that the address you're trying to connect to isn't working,
or no longer exists.
If you see the message 'Can't assign requested address', this means
that the IRC server that you are trying to connect to is not working,
your only option is to try a different IRC server on the same network.
If an IRC server doesn't let you connect then this could be because
it's full and can't handle anymore connections, or because you're too
far away from it geographically, or if it has a specific policy regarding
connections from your internet provider. You should simply try a
different IRC server until you find one that allows you to connect.
Question: I have set up a new IRC network/server, can you add it
to the default mIRC servers list? Answer: To learn about the servers list and how you can send your
network/server details to us, please see the servers
list page.
Router/LAN/ICS/Proxy/Network
Question: I have a router/LAN/ICS/proxy/network configuration and
I'm having trouble getting mIRC to work through it, can you help me? Answer: I have no personal experience with these configurations,
however you can find answers/help in the connection issues section on the
Discussion Forums.
Identd
Question: When I try to connect to a server, it tells me that I
need to have identd enabled, what does that mean? Answer: Identd is a method of authentication that is required by
many IRC networks.
To make sure identd is enabled in mIRC, go to the Identd section in the
mIRC Connect dialog.
If identd is enabled, and you still can't connect, you are most likely
trying to connect through a network or firewall that isn't configured
to allow identd connections. You would need to configure your system to
allow identd connections.
Firewalls
Question: I need to configure mIRC to connect through a firewall,
can you help me? Answer: There are several types of firewall.
The first type is a personal firewall that you run on your own computer,
such as ZoneAlarm or Sygate Personal Firewall. You should make sure that
your firewall is configured to allow mIRC to connect to the internet.
The second type is a socks4/5 or http proxy firewall that requires a
username, password, etc. You would need to enter the correct information
in the firewall section in mIRC. If you don't know this information, or
if it still doesn't work after you enter the information, you would need
to contact the administrators of the firewall for help. It may be that
the firewall doesn't allow IRC connections, or that mIRC isn't compatible
with the firewall.
Channels
Question: I've been banned/kicked from a channel, can you help me
get back on? Answer: No, I'm afraid not, I have nothing to do with channels.
You can find out more about this issue in the
IRC Faq.
Sometimes this can happen if someone who uses the same internet provider
as you has caused trouble on IRC in the past. Unfortunately, because of
the way the internet works, channels can't ban one specific person, they
can only ban their address, and this affects all the other users who use
the same internet provider as them. The ban is usually in place for a
short period of time.
You would need to either ask the ops on that channel to let you back on,
or you would need to wait until the ban is removed after some time.
Question: When I try to join a channel, I see a message that
the channel needs a key, or that it's invite only, or that I need to
use a registered nickname, what does that mean? Answer: A Channel is owned and maintained by the person who
created it. Sometimes, the owner may choose to make their channel
avalaible only to certain people, such as family, or friends, or may
limit it in other ways.
If a channel needs a key or is invite only, that usually means that
it's a private channel, so you can't join it.
If a channel tells you that you need to use a registered nickname,
you will need to register your nickname on that IRC network before you
can join the channel. Each IRC network has it's own method for registering
nicknames, so you would need to ask for help on that network to find out
how. Try joining channel #mIRC or #irchelp.
Question: I've created a new channel on IRC, can you add it
to the list of default channels in the mIRC channels folder? Answer: Sorry, I only add channels that I personally select.
Viruses/Trojans
Question: I downloaded and installed mIRC from the official
mIRC website, however
my anti-virus software is telling me that the installed files have a
virus/trojan in them.
Answer: All mIRC install files on the official mIRC website
and mirrors are checked for viruses/trojans before being made
available to users for download, so it is not possible to get a
virus/trojan from them.
There are two possibilities:
The anti-virus software you are using has made a mistake, and
thinks that the files have a virus/trojan when they don't; this
is called a false-positive, and is quite common. It usually happens
after an anti-virus company updates it's virus definition files
without checking them properly. You should email the anti-virus
company to report the problem.
You already had a virus/trojan on your computer, which then
infected the mIRC files after you installed mIRC on your computer.
You should scan your entire computer to be safe.
Question: mIRC is running automatically when windows first
starts, and I don't want it to do this, and I can't seem to uninstall
it.
Answer: This is due to a known virus/trojan, and it can only
appear on your computer if you yourself manually accepted a strange
file while visiting a website, or via email, or from someone on IRC,
and then installed it on your computer.
The official mIRC from the mIRC website nevers runs on startup, and
can easily be uninstalled via the Windows Control Panel Add/Remove
section.
You should email an anti-virus company to ask for help. You can also
find more information on this issue here.
