 from Hawaii's Island Server, September 2000
Have you ever strolled confidently into a party, made your way to the center of the room, looked around and realized that you were completely out of place?
That's how I felt this past weekend, when I decided to revisit the Hawaiian channels on Internet Relay Chat (IRC). IRC reminds me of an enormous resort, filled with an infinite number of rooms, with a party in each one.
Unlike clunky Web-based chat forums, IRC is like a party line; it enables fast, real-time communication between its users. IRC has a channel for every interest and fetish – over 23,000 on Dalnet alone. If you don't see one that tickles your fancy, create your own and wait for like-minded folks to stumble in.
Though I was once a regular on certain Undernet channels, I don't wander those labyrinthine corridors anymore. Recently, however, I found myself wondering if the Hawaiian channels were still active.
First I visited Undernet, to see if any of my old friends were around. I wandered into #hawaiichat and was astonished to find channel owner Maneo, whom I remembered from my last visit in 1997.
After an enthusiastic greeting, Maneo told me I'd find very few folks from the Islands in the Undernet channel called #hawaii. "That channel has changed hands about 4 times since you have been gone," he said. "Last people to take it over I do not think even have a connection with Hawaii. Only we have weathered the span of time."
Like many of the regulars, Maneo lived in Hawaii once, and plans to return one day. In the meantime, he comes to IRC to talk story with other expatriates, keeping his pidgin up-to-date, flirting with the ladies and enjoying the common thread that ties them all together.
Next, I went to Efnet. I asked for a listing of all the channels with "Hawaii" in their name, and found four: #hawaii, #hawaiichat, #hawaii2600, and that perennial favorite, #gayhawaii. The first two looked promising – till I entered and found that they were inhabited exclusively by "bots". The watchdogs of IRC, bots are programs that simply sit on a channel and help keep the channel from being taken over. Disheartened, I tried to enter the #gayhawaii channel – and was kickbanned even before I could type, "Aloha, sweeties!"
On Dalnet, I found an intriguing channel called #alohachat. It's frequented by an active, social group of young folks who get together in real life for movies, holiday dinners, and other events. As I entered, Maile, the channel's rather pushy bot, informed me that 192 profiles of channel members were available for my viewing pleasure; Maile then sweetly suggested that I add my own profile to the collection. In an automatic message, I was encouraged by dijitul, the channel owner, to add my e-mail address to his list for parties and get-togethers on O`ahu.
It sounded great. For a moment, I thought about returning in the evening hours, when there'd be plenty of real live people there. Then I remembered my first experience with IRC, and the countless hours I'd spent engaged in meaningless chatter with other imperfect strangers. I shuddered, closed the window, and decided to go to Wal-Mart.
SITES TO SEE
Undernet's #hawaiihale
Dalnet's #alohachat
Download PC-based chat clients mIRC, pIRCh, or IRCle for Mac
Caroline Wright, of
WRIGHT FOR YOU
Word Services, is a freelance writer. A former resident of Hawaii, she now
lives in rural South Carolina. Feel free to e-mail your comments to Caroline
at
kiihele@wrightforyou.com.
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