DALnet Updates

Just recently DALnet released a new version of their ircd. Think of the ircd as a configuration file for IRC servers. There were many changes in the dal4.4.17 release, many of which are "inviable" to the normal user.

Most noteable for a user of these changes are the new modes available. However as of writing (10/11/97) it is unadvisable to set these modes as services doesn't fully recognise them and could cause your channel problems.

equates to being recognised by NickServ as ACC 2. (ACC 2 = user has a host mask listing with NickServ ACCESS but isn't identified to NickServ)

equates to being recognised by NickServ as ACC 3. (ACC 3 = users has identified themselves to NickServ)

These modes may only be set by services. You may remove the flag ie. /mode {nickname} -r or -R. But only services may add that flag to you. This should be done when either you log on and services see you for the first time or when you /ns identify {password} yourself to NickServ.

Any channel that is registered with services is +r. Only services ccan set this mode.

Users may set their channel to +R, which means only nicknames that are registered with services may join the channel

The +R isn't fully supported by services currently, and users have been advised NOT to set this flag in their channel or use the MLOCK command to set this mode.

For a while many users having been using alias' to message services. Namely, /ns for /msg NickServ, /cs for /msg ChanServ, and /ms for /msg MemoServ. The new ircd has added these alias to make them a more secure command. If you have these alias' in your scripts it is advisable to remove them since the new ircd version does a check for you.

To message NickServ you may either use /ns {command} or /NickServ {command}. When you issue either of these commands the server you are on, checks to see if services is present, if not it return a notice informing you that they are absent, or passes the command onto NickServfor you. This makes the possibility of lossing your passwords while on another network even more remote. Assuming you remove your alias' for /ns etc, otherwise your script will ocnvert it to the normal /msg NickServ, which for this discussion the server ignores.

Similary send a message to ChanServ is now either /cs {command} or /ChanServ {command}. and for MemoServ, /ms {command} or /MemoServ {command}. If you are on another network other then DALnet you'll get an error back and know not to give you DALnet password out to services imposters.

Personally I wonder about the need for these command as they place a slightly larger overhead on the server, however there they are and there they are likely going to stay so here I go and tell you! :) I'm sure there is a good use for them I'm overlooking *grin*....

Three new commands for normal users have been added for increasing the security in dealing with services. They are

/services
/identify
/pass

Send a command to either ChanServ or NickServ
Identify to either ChanServ or NickServ
Change your password with either ChanServ or NickServ

I think they are pretty self explanatory, if they aren't then send me a mail for clarification or catch me online. The rest of the changes in dal4.4.17 are mainly for IRC Operator's only. There are some new numerics and stuff which is freely available but not worth mentioning here, so if you are curious about such feel free to mail me at aysmonte@dal.net Hope this page helps in any way :)