Connecting

What you can use to connect to chat with us

For those people who are new to IRC, here is a list of applications you can use to join the fun. If you are a developer of suitable software, feel free to contact the webmaster and suggest the addition of your application to this list.

Web-Based Access

If you don't want to download an IRC client, or are unable download and/or install one, we have a web-based applet you may use to connect to ChatSpike.

Windows

As you might expect, Win32 (32bit versions of Windows, Windows 95 onwards and Windows NT based) has the largest array of quality IRC applications. To list a few:

  • mIRC - The most popular IRC client, good for beginners
  • X-Chat - Highly recommended by the ChatSpike staff (Goose won't shut up about it)
  • HydraIRC - Small but powerful GUI client that uses little resources
  • DMDirc - Cross compatible, open-source java based client
  • WinBot - Primarily a bot, but can be used as a client at a push

Linux/Unix

As IRC originates from UNIX, there are a good few UNIX IRC clients out there.

  • X-Chat - In our (humble) opinion the best UNIX GUI IRC client
  • IRSSI - A powerful scriptable console-based IRC client
  • EPIC - Very powerful console-based client - based on ircII
  • WeeChat - open-source, console-based, powerful scripting backend
  • IrcII - A simple early console-based client

MacOS

None of us use MacOS, however there are MacOS IRC clients. This means that our own perspective of what is available is a little limited. If you know of any other IRC clients, please let us know what you know! cool Those of you using MaxOS X may have some luck with the Linux/Unix software due to the BSD groundings of your OS.

  • X-Chat Aqua - An X-Chat port to Mac.
  • Colloquy - Currently the powerhouse OS-X IRC Client, supports most modern features.
  • LimeChat - very strong GUI client, open-source modern client.
  • IRCle - Probably the most popular IRC client for MacOS
  • Linkinus - Modern shareware client which is powerful yet simple