By Daniel D Dwase

The term IRC refers to Internet Relay Chat software, which employs a protocol to enable you to exchange text and voice messages with others in a real time environment.

The feature is often employed in dating and gaming websites where users connect to each other to discuss their views and experiences.

Based on their interest and theme, a chat room is assigned to each user, where they can discuss their views on "sports", "movies, dating, and relationships".

If you own a web-based business of this sort, you must consider using a dedicated IRC server to provide a reliable and efficient experience to your users.

Why do people use chatting forums? Well, there are plenty of reasons and understanding some of them will help you evaluate the importance of using a dedicated IRC server:

To Build and Manage a Community

Many users make optimum use of chatting facility offered by a website.

It can be effectively used to conduct distance learning and training sessions, and thus help the trainer and students communicate with each other even when they are geographically separated.

You can even schedule a chat session for a particular time to conduct follow up discussions.

To Interact with a Celebrity

Many celebrities use popular discussion boards and chat forums to interact with their fans.

If you have been trying to pull up more traffic to your website, engaging a celebrity to regularly interact with your users can be a good idea.

However, you must have a reliable and efficient dedicated IRC server to manage the huge traffic swarming to interact with a celebrity on your website.

To Archive Chat

Many online users opt for archiving feature to maintain a record of their conversations to either create a knowledgebase or emotional bonding, but as a website owner, you can also use archiving feature for promoting your business.

Moreover, it helps your users to save time and effort by giving them an opportunity to save their conversations for future use.

Listed below are some tips to help you choose a dedicated IRC server:

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is one of the most important aspects while selecting a chat server. You can determine the bandwidth based on the number of users per chat room and frequency of messages.

Consider this... if you have more uses connected to a specific chat room, who are sending at least one message every 10 seconds, you must opt for a server with a greater bandwidth.

Customization

You must ask your server provider if it is possible to customize the chat applet as per your preferences.

For example, you must be able to change the look and feel of the applet, change its colors, background, font types, font size, ad images and graphics, and reveal or display some components.

Just inquire if you can change the look and feel of the applet without using programming skills.

However, some more advanced servers allow you to not only modify the look and feel but also the behavior of the chat applet using Java programming.

Easy Installation

Many web hosts offer easy to install IRC dedicated servers after paying one-time license fee. You can easily install this software on your own server machine and run it forever.

Some of them even provide you the guided tours to demonstrate the basic installation steps.

If you lack the technical expertise to handle it on your own, you can even opt for paid hosting services.

Operating System

The operating system of your server is another important aspect to consider while selecting a dedicated IRC server.

Though you should choose the operating system as per your requirements, but selecting either Windows NT or UNIX operating systems makes more sense.

Server Monitoring and Technical Support

Go for a dedicated IRC service provider, which offers you 24 hours real-time customer support.

You must ensure that the company has experienced technical support experts, who can handle your queries and offer you quick resolution.

Also inquire whether the service provider is willing to provide you system updates and quick replacements.

Cost

Though increased cost of owning a dedicated IRC server can be a concern for you, but it is really helpful in the long run.

If your users get more services and better chatting experience, they are bound to come back.

However, you must ensure that you get expected quality services at this cost.

Other features

A dedicated IRC server must be fully secure, and allow you to restrict a particular IP address.

Moreover, it should have unlimited rooms for your users and must not contain any spyware, adware or other unwanted extra programs.

So, go ahead and add chatting facility to your website. This will surely help you make it more popular provided you use a dependable IRC server.

Opt for a web host that provides you a server which is quick to install, easy to maintain and customize, and gives you full control with minimum efforts.

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