MOOs and IRCs

Selected Links

Early in the history of the Internet, gamers created a number of online environments where they could meet and interact. These spaces were termed Multiple User Domains or MUDs. As these spaces evolved they became more sophisticated, focusing more and more on programmable objects. Thus, the most recent and powerful of these online environments are called MOOs, which stands for MUD, Object Oriented.

The terminology can be confusing, but essentially you can think of these spaces as text-based virtual realities. Users log in to the MOO and move through spaces that have been described with language. Once logged on to a MOO, you can interact with other uses. There are many more sophisticated aspects of these environments that you can gain experience with over time.

To get the most out of you experiences with MOOs, it is a good idea to allow yourself time to get used to the client software needed to log on and the kinds of activities that take place. Your best bet is to get help from an experienced MOO user. Be aware that many of the MOOs that you find on the Internet at large are geared toward social activity. If you are a novice MOOer or "newbie" you probably want to begin with your classmates on a MOO that is geared more toward scholarly interactions.

Many of the resources below welcome newcomers and can provide you or your classes with additional information and guidance. For more, try

Diversity University's Cybercomp Page: A great spot for information about MOOs.

Connections MOO: Information about this educational MOO.

LinguaMOO: The home page for this educational MOO provides information about the LinguaMOO and MOO server and client software.

IRC channels also allow a group to meet online and to share conversation. Again, you'll need to spend some getting used to the logistics of IRC software and interacting in the IRC environment. Know also that IRC environments are often some of the most freewheeling on the Net. You're likely to find conversations of every nature and should be prepared to interact with users of all sensibilities and persuasions. A good idea if you're new to IRC is to join a #newuser or #newbie channel to get some early guidance.

You can get more information at

Undernet's Internet Relay Chat Information
This page has well-presented explanations, tutorials, and resources.

EFNet's WWW Page
The EFNet is the largest IRC network in the world.
A Beginner's Guide to IRC

A short introduction that is useful for the basics, including links to other useful IRC sites.