mIRC
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| mIRC | |
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| Developed by | mIRC Co. Ltd. (Khaled Mardam-Bey) |
| Latest release | 6.32 / May 21, 2008 |
| OS | Microsoft Windows |
| Genre | IRC client |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | http://www.mirc.com |
mIRC is a shareware Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client for Microsoft Windows, created in 1995 and developed by Khaled Mardam-Bey. Although it is a fully functional chat utility, its integrated scripting language makes it extensible and versatile.
mIRC has been downloaded over fourteen million times from CNET's download.com service since it was added on November 4, 2007.[1] Nielsen Net Rankings also ranked mIRC among the top 10 most popular Internet applications in 2003.[2]
It is unknown if the "m" in mIRC stands for anything — Khaled's personal FAQ explains that "it quite possibly stands for 'moo', or perhaps even MU."[3]
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[edit] History
Khaled Mardam-Bey decided to create mIRC because he found the first IRC client for Windows, WinIRC, lacked some basic IRC features. Then he continued developing it due to the challenge and the fact that people appreciated his work. The subsequent popularity allowed him to make a living out of mIRC. It costs $20 to register it after the 30-day evaluation period, though no functions are disabled if mIRC is run for longer than 30 days unregistered; a nag screen merely delays the start of the program.
In 2008, mIRC started offering an option where users can register mIRC for free via TrialPay, a business solution that offers free registration of software if users make purchases at online retailers or sign up for trial periods of other services.
[edit] Main features
mIRC has a number of features that set it apart from other IRC clients. One of the more obvious differences is its own advanced scripting language (see below) which is further developed with each version. The scripting language can be used to make minor changes to the program like custom commands (aliases), but can also be used to completely alter the behaviour and appearance of mIRC. Another widely used feature is mIRC's file sharing abilities, via the DCC protocol. It also has a built in file server.
Over the years various other features that have often been suggested by users have been incorporated. This includes support for multiple server connections, SSL, UTF-8 display support and an option to view channels and notify lists in a treebar format rather than the default switchbar. mIRC is still in active development but it is very rarely announced what features will be introduced in the future.
[edit] mIRC scripting
With mIRC Scripting, sometimes referred to as mSL, one can cause a client to process certain tasks in response to specific events.
mIRC scripting is not limited to IRC related events and commands. There is also support for COM objects, calling DLLs, sockets and dialog boxes, amongst other things. This allows the client to be used in a variety of ways beyond chatting, for example as an IRC bot, a media player, a web HTML parser or for other entertainment purposes such as mIRC games. In practice however mIRC will not be used solely for such specific purposes, but rather they are addons for the client, which will otherwise be used for chatting.
Due to the level of access the language has with a user's computer, for example, being able to rename and delete files, a number of abusive scripts have been made. Perhaps one of the more prominent examples of abuse was that executed with the $decode identifier which decodes a given encoded string. Many users who did not understand this were misguided into decoding strings which executed commands on their systems, such messages were disguised as a fake promise of ops in an IRC channel. However, this led to changes being made in version 6.17 so $decode is now disabled by default and various other features which can be considered 'dangerous' are able to be locked.
[edit] Use by U.S. Military
It has been reported that the U.S. military uses mIRC (over SIPRnet) as a battlefield communications system:
"A glance at the mIRC window on my workstation was enough to tell me that the CFLC Air Defence Artillery cell was informing the Combined Air Operations Centre Time Sensitive Targeting cell of the location of the launch site. Within a matter of minutes a flight of two A-10 aircraft, loitering in the area for just this eventuality, were being vectored toward it. (mIRC is an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client for MS Windows that allows users to utilise IRC technology. IRC creates virtual meeting places where these users can meet, talk and participate either in group discussions - or privately - in near-real-time world-wide. IRC was used extensively by Coalition forces for both C2 of current operations and to create all-informed, theatre-wide secure networks to maintain or increase Force Situational Awareness.)" [4]
[edit] Criticism
Onno Tijdgat, author of IRCle, criticizes mIRC's color format, arguing that it uses a flawed design and follows no common standard.[5] Khaled Mardam-Bey responded to this criticism, observing that there was no common standard between IRC clients at the time so using any one existing format would "have annoyed those clients that didn't use that particular format". Ultimately this lead to him creating a new format designed for ease of use, however he acknowledged that "the design should have been more robust."[6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ mIRC. Download.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-14.
- ^ Traffic Patterns of September 2003
- ^ Khaled's Nutshell. Retrieved on 2007-04-16.
- ^ PATRIOT missile operations using mIRC. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
- ^ Color FAQ
- ^ Re: Khaled's personal article/mIRC criticism on Wikipedia. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Official website of mIRC's author
- mircscripts.us
- mircscripts.com
- mircscripts.org
- mIRC Online Manual — documentation in single-page HTML format
- website for mIRC help channel on DALnet IRC network — website for DALnet help channel for this IRC client software
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