[irc.git] / software / ircd / www.irc.org / tech_docs / ircnet / !channels.html

<html><head><title>New Channels</title></head>
<body>

This document explains in detail how the new channels work.

<H1>Goal</H1>

As we all know, #channels are subject to collisions which
have very annoying side effects.  Channel Delay is intended
to prevent the collisions, but is far from being perfect.
<p>
These new channels will make collisions extremely unlikely.

<p><hr>
<H1>How does it work?</H1>

In order to make collisions impossible, the channel name
is assiocated to a unique ID.  The pair (name , ID) will
thus be unique as well.
<p>
The channel <em>real name</em> is built by concatenating the
ID and the <em>short name</em>, for example, channel
<em>"!foo"</em> might be <em>"!2B4dfoo"</em>.  The ID has a
constant length which makes it easy to separate it from the
actual "friendly" name.
<p>
The channel creation must be requested.  For example to create a the new channel foo, one must try to join <em>"!!foo"</em>.
<p>
In addition to a unique name, these channels obey to soe
new simple rules:
<ul>
<p><li> It is not possible to create a channel if one with the
same short name (but different ID)
	<ul>
	<li> already exists
	<li> has split recently (e.g. the channel delay was
	set and hasn't expired. see definition below).
	</ul>
<p><li> It is possible to join a channel which has split
recently (if the modes allow it).  In this case, the user does
not get oped.  (Note that this differs from #channels which
get locked in such a case, until the Channel Delay expires
then allowing a user to re-create it, gaining chanop
status).
<p><li> If only one channel "!foo" exists, it can be joined by
giving the short name only. <b>The JOIN command is the only one
accepting shortnames for the channels</b>
<p><li> If several channels have the same short name, but
different ID, a user can choose to join any of them by
specifying the ID.
<p><li> If a channel becomes opless, and remains opless long
enough for the Opless Delay to expire, <b>all</b> the
channel members will be <A HREF="#moder">optionnally</A> oped.
<p><li> The channel delay duration is longer (60m) than for
#channels (15m).  This is necessary to avoid several
channels having the same short name (but different ID) as
much as possible.
<p><li> The channel delay is set when any member splits.
<p><li> The opless delay is set whenever a chanop member leaves the channel.
</ul>

<p><hr>
<H1>New modes</H1>

As channel collisions are eliminated, it is possible to
enhance the mode system.

<ul>
<p><li> general mode:</p>
<ul>
<A NAME=moder>
<p><li>r</P> reop mode, if the channel becomes opless for
long enough, servers will re-op users in the channel.  Note
that not setting this mode can be used to create `modeless'
channels (such as +channels) but with specific
characteristics.  (anonymous, secret...)
<p>
Reoping is done randomly by a random server.  While it may
sound like loading a channel with many clones increases greatly
the chances of catching the reop, the randomization is done
in a way which does not favor clones at all.
</ul>
</A>
<p><li> user mode:</p>
<ul>
<p><li>O</p> This mode is given to the creator of the channel by
the server, it cannot be passed or gained after the channel
was created.  The creator is the only person able to
set/unset r modes, and set (but not unset) +a.
</ul>
</ul>

<p><hr><p>

<p>
<!-- <em>Christophe Kalt</em> &lt;<A HREF="MAILTO:kalt@stealth.net">kalt@stealth.net</A>&gt; -->

</body></html>
Commit	Line	Data
3bd189cb JR	1	<html><head><title>New Channels</title></head>
	2	<body>
	3
	4	This document explains in detail how the new channels work.
	5
	6	<H1>Goal</H1>
	7
	8	As we all know, #channels are subject to collisions which
	9	have very annoying side effects. Channel Delay is intended
	10	to prevent the collisions, but is far from being perfect.
	11	<p>
	12	These new channels will make collisions extremely unlikely.
	13
	14	<p><hr>
	15	<H1>How does it work?</H1>
	16
	17	In order to make collisions impossible, the channel name
	18	is assiocated to a unique ID. The pair (name , ID) will
	19	thus be unique as well.
	20	<p>
	21	The channel <em>real name</em> is built by concatenating the
	22	ID and the <em>short name</em>, for example, channel
	23	<em>"!foo"</em> might be <em>"!2B4dfoo"</em>. The ID has a
	24	constant length which makes it easy to separate it from the
	25	actual "friendly" name.
	26	<p>
	27	The channel creation must be requested. For example to create a the new channel foo, one must try to join <em>"!!foo"</em>.
	28	<p>
	29	In addition to a unique name, these channels obey to soe
	30	new simple rules:
	31	<ul>
	32	<p><li> It is not possible to create a channel if one with the
	33	same short name (but different ID)
	34	<ul>
	35	<li> already exists
	36	<li> has split recently (e.g. the channel delay was
	37	set and hasn't expired. see definition below).
	38	</ul>
	39	<p><li> It is possible to join a channel which has split
	40	recently (if the modes allow it). In this case, the user does
	41	not get oped. (Note that this differs from #channels which
	42	get locked in such a case, until the Channel Delay expires
	43	then allowing a user to re-create it, gaining chanop
	44	status).
	45	<p><li> If only one channel "!foo" exists, it can be joined by
	46	giving the short name only. <b>The JOIN command is the only one
	47	accepting shortnames for the channels</b>
	48	<p><li> If several channels have the same short name, but
	49	different ID, a user can choose to join any of them by
	50	specifying the ID.
	51	<p><li> If a channel becomes opless, and remains opless long
	52	enough for the Opless Delay to expire, <b>all</b> the
	53	channel members will be <A HREF="#moder">optionnally</A> oped.
	54	<p><li> The channel delay duration is longer (60m) than for
	55	#channels (15m). This is necessary to avoid several
	56	channels having the same short name (but different ID) as
	57	much as possible.
	58	<p><li> The channel delay is set when any member splits.
	59	<p><li> The opless delay is set whenever a chanop member leaves the channel.
	60	</ul>
	61
	62	<p><hr>
	63	<H1>New modes</H1>
	64
65	As channel collisions are eliminated, it is possible to
66	enhance the mode system.
67
68	<ul>
69	<p><li> general mode:</p>
70	<ul>
71	<A NAME=moder>
72	<p><li>r</P> reop mode, if the channel becomes opless for
73	long enough, servers will re-op users in the channel. Note
74	that not setting this mode can be used to create `modeless'
75	channels (such as +channels) but with specific
76	characteristics. (anonymous, secret...)
77	<p>
78	Reoping is done randomly by a random server. While it may
79	sound like loading a channel with many clones increases greatly
80	the chances of catching the reop, the randomization is done
81	in a way which does not favor clones at all.
82	</ul>
83	</A>
84	<p><li> user mode:</p>
85	<ul>
86	<p><li>O</p> This mode is given to the creator of the channel by
87	the server, it cannot be passed or gained after the channel
88	was created. The creator is the only person able to
89	set/unset r modes, and set (but not unset) +a.
90	</ul>
91	</ul>
92
93	<p><hr><p>
94
95	<p>
96	<!-- <em>Christophe Kalt</em> <<A HREF="MAILTO:kalt@stealth.net">kalt@stealth.net</A>> -->
97
98	</body></html>