1. Introduction

This document describes the rules to be followed by everyone who joins the users' and/or developers' IRC channels of Frugalware Linux.

2. Welcome

You have joined us on IRC, to get help from or to give help to other Frugalware users. We’re sure you have made a good decision :) This document details a few basic rules that should be followed on IRC. The rules are documented here so that they’re available to everyone.

3. IRC channels

There are 5 Frugalware Linux channels for users

  • #frugalware (Main, English-language only)

  • #frugalware.es (Spanish-language only)

  • #frugalware.fr (French-language only)

  • #frugalware.hu (Hungarian-language only)

  • #frugalware.it (Italian-language only)

Please use only the language appropriate to the channel. If you don’t do so, you’ll be asked to change channels. If you know of other non-English channels, please tell us.

There is a Frugalware Linux channel for developers

  • #frugalware.dev (Frugalware development discussion. Only Frugalware developers can speak on this channel but everyone can see what’s being discussed).

4. Frugalware developers

If you’re a Frugalware developer, please also join one or more of the user channels. Since users don’t have the right to speak on the #frugalware.dev channel, your presence on a user channel is the only way they can chat with you. Keep in mind that today’s Frugalware users may be tomorrow’s Frugalware developers.

5. Off-topic discussion

5.1. Other Linux distributions' features

You may discuss other distributions' features but don’t expect everyone to be familiar with them. For example the following question is impossible to answer for someone who hasn’t used Gentoo:

How can i set up my network so that it works as it does under Gentoo?

Instead, describe what it is that you’re trying to achieve, for example:

Is it possible to use network profiles so that I can change all my settings with one command when I get home from my workplace?

5.2. Non-Frugalware discussion

Talking about non-Frugalware topics (or even non-Linux) is okay, as long as this doesn’t prevent others from talking about Frugalware. We are a community, so you’re welcome to share your ideas, but don’t make it impossible for others to get help.

6. Asking questions

6.1. I’m new to Frugalware

Welcome! You’ve either installed or are wanting to install Frugalware and so have some general questions. Before asking them in the IRC channel, please read the about page.

6.2. First read the Frugalware documentation

Before asking a question, first read the Frugalware documentation to be sure that the answer is not already there. Those who wrote the documentation have spent quite an amount of time and effort. If your question is answered in the documentation you’ll be told to read it and provided a link. So please - read the documentation and don’t be lazy.

6.3. Go ahead and ask

Don’t first ask if you can ask a question, just go ahead and ask. The worst that can happen is that you don’t get an answer.

7. Paste

If you have a few lines of an error message or something similar to show to others in the channel, don’t paste it into the channel. This is because (1) IRC is slow and (2) it breaks the flow of other peoples' conversations. Instead, please use our Pastebin, which is available here.

8. Is mxw_ a bot?

Yes, it is. It informs users about new binary packages, manages rights on the channel and so on. If you want a new feature to be implemented then feel free to request it at the Frugalware Bug Tracker System (BTS) which is available here.

9. Bouncers, leaving your client online when you’re away

That’s not a problem, but please keep in mind the following: if you are away then you should be able to read back the lines when you were highlighted. If this is not possible then it’s better to quit from the channels, since we think that we’re talking to you while we’re talking with /dev/null. Also if you’re online and you have been highlighted and asked, please try to answer. If you have no time, then a simple

Alex: I don’t have time ATM to answer, sorry.

is enough. So that he won’t wait for your answer.

10. Private messaging

Please do not /msg users unless you first asked for permission to do so. This is a support channel: you ask in the channel and whoever has the time/knowledge to answer, he/she will. That the fastest way, believe us.

You should also know that some of us (voroskoi, vmiklos, maybe others too) set up their clients to ignore msgs on freenode, so you talk to /dev/null when you /msg to us.

11. Logging

All Frugalware channels are logged and public. The logs are linked from the home page, and the main goal is to allow search engines to index them. If you don’t like this then your only choice is to not join ;-)

12. Verbose away messages, away nicks

Please avoid them, doing so makes the signal-to-noise ratio higher. See the Away messages suck article for further reasons.