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/*
@doc: kvircintro
@title:
Introduction to KVIrc
@short:
Introduction to KVIrc
@keyterms:
KVIrc
@body:
[big]Introduction[/big]
In really simple words KVIrc is a Chat client: you use it to talk to other
people over the internet. More specifically KVIrc is an IRC client
and if you haven't readed it yet please take a look at the [doc:ircintro]IRC introduction[/doc]
then come back here. Now that you know what IRC is then you already know
that an IRC client acts as a relay for the informations that you
exchange with your IRC server. KVIrc also acts as a filter and provides
an user-friendly interface for the communication protocol that is a bit complex
and rude when seen in its original form (by using telnet for example).
KVIrc also contains a sophisticated scripting language that allows you to
implement automated reactions to the network events. This is something similar
to creating a robot that acts spontaneously after you have told him what to do.
The scripting language allows you to enchance the KVIrc's interface and
to handle special IRC network features that KVIrc itself isn't aware of.
[big]History[/big]
The original meaning of the name "KVIrc" was, more or less, "K Visual IRC Client".
The initial K is a common prefix for the applications written for the KDE
desktop environment: this was the case of the initial versions of KVIrc.
Starting from version 2.0.0 the absolute KDE dependancy has been dropped (for several
valid reasons) and the support became optional.[br]
"Visual" was (and is) one of the client goals: having an user-friendly interface to the IRC world.
Many extreme-unix users have misinterpreted the "user-friendly" interface and have tagged
KVIrc as a client for "newbies". Well... that is partially true: KVIrc is ALSO a client for newbies:
A total IRC novice should be able to "chat" in few minutes after installing the program,
preferably without bothering to read any manual. Yes ,I know that it is not in "unix"-style.
On the other side, KVIrc contains a whole bunch of compex features that can be discovered
only by reading the documentation and experimenting. I bet that you can also
find a lot of undocumented tricks :)
[big]A bit of "philosophy"[/big]
At the time of writing (Feb 2005) KVIrc approaches release 3.2.0. The small
[b]one-man-project[/b] has grown to the level of a small [b]community[/b].
People from around the world have joined our development efforts and are
constantly donating their time, eyes and bandwidth in order to make KVIrc
a really good IRC client. Besides of simply giving you a free (as in freedom!) and nice
program for chatting, they are giving you the great opportunity to see what's behind
the scenes: you have the source code for the whole application.
In practical terms this means more or less 300.000 lines of tested, debugged and
commented C++ code, several perl scripts, dozens of makefiles and all the means
that you need to produce a working KVIrc executable on all the supported platforms.
There is a lot of knowledge (some people call it "technology" because it sells better)
inside, ready to be acquired by an attentive reader. Don't forget that the freedom of
building your own executable from the sources gives you the opportunity
of verifying the source itself: for example you might be interested in verifying
that KVIrc will not run any malware code on your machine nor will collect
your private data and sell it to someone while you're happily chatting with a friend.
[b]We call it freedom, please respect it.[/b]
[big]Well...[/big]
Have fun :)[br]
[br]
Szymon Stefanek and The KVIrc Development Team
*/
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