A serving channel (sometimes called a depot channel) is a

slang Slang is vocabulary (words, phrases, and linguistic usages) of an informal register, common in spoken conversation but avoided in formal writing. It also sometimes refers to the language generally exclusive to the members of particular in-gro ...

term for a

file sharing File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digital media, such as computer programs, multimedia (audio, images and video), documents or electronic books. Common methods of storage, transmission and dispersion include r ...

channel found on an

IRC Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a text-based chat system for instant messaging. IRC is designed for group communication in discussion forums, called '' channels'', but also allows one-on-one communication via private messages as well as chat an ...

network. Here, users can share and download files including photos, videos, audio files, books, programs, etc. Users that are actively sharing their files are generally referred to as 'servers', whereas users that download without sharing their own files are generally referred to as '

leeches Leeches are segmented parasitic or predatory worms that comprise the subclass Hirudinea within the phylum Annelida. They are closely related to the oligochaetes, which include the earthworm, and like them have soft, muscular segmented bo ...

'. While serving normally implies pirated or questionable material, some channels are used for fully legitimate reasons. There are two styles of servers, Fserves, and serving scripts like OmenServe.

Fserve type channels

Using an Fserve script, a server is set up like an

FTP The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard communication protocol used for the transfer of computer files from a server to a client on a computer network. FTP is built on a client–server model architecture using separate control and data ...

. Using CTCP commands and server triggers, a user can initiate a connection with the server. Once connected, the user will be given realtime access to a server's file archive. *''ex.: "/CTCP <username> <trigger>"''

Searching and requesting with Fserves

Once a leech has gained access to a server's Fserve, they can navigate through folders using commands similar to

DOS DOS is shorthand for the MS-DOS and IBM PC DOS family of operating systems. DOS may also refer to: Computing * Data over signalling (DoS), multiplexing data onto a signalling channel * Denial-of-service attack (DoS), an attack on a communicat ...

. Once inside a folder, the user is able to retrieve a listing of what files are found there. *''ex.: "cd <foldername>" & "dir" (to display files)'' To request a file, the user enters a filename from the folder display listing, along with the "get" command. *''ex.: "get <filename.ext>"''

Serving script type channels

Using a serving script, servers have the ability to send files directly to another user using remote commands. The serving script compiles a listing of available files, and also listens for a leech to request a file. Serving scripts also allow for a user to search all of the servers in a channel at the same time with a single command.

Searching and requesting with serving scripts

A user initiates a search by typing a 'search command' followed by a 'search string' within the channel window. Various search commands exist, including '@find', '@search', and '@seek', depending on what serving script is being used.

Wildcard character In software, a wildcard character is a kind of placeholder represented by a single character, such as an asterisk (), which can be interpreted as a number of literal characters or an empty string. It is often used in file searches so the full na ...

s such as * can also be used in the search string to simplify a search. The search command will then return a list of files to the user's query window if any servers have a file that matches the search string. *''ex.: "@find <keyword>"'' If there are any matches for the user's search string, the next step is to request those files from the server. The user can copy and paste the returned match, along with a short trigger command, from the query window directly into the channel window. The request is then placed in a file

queue __NOTOC__ Queue () may refer to: * Queue area, or queue, a line or area where people wait for goods or services Arts, entertainment, and media *''ACM Queue'', a computer magazine * ''The Queue'' (Sorokin novel), a 1983 novel by Russian author ...

within the serving script, and downloaded on a

first-come, first-served Queueing theory is the mathematical study of waiting lines, or queues. A queueing model is constructed so that queue lengths and waiting time can be predicted. Queueing theory is generally considered a branch of operations research because the ...

basis. *''ex.: "!<username> <filename.ext>"'' Users also have the ability to download the complete archive of a server's available files, commonly called a "list" due to the

.txt A text file (sometimes spelled textfile; an old alternative name is flatfile) is a kind of computer file that is structured as a sequence of lines of electronic text. A text file exists stored as data within a computer file system. In operat ...

format that the script's output code creates. To request a server's list, there is a separate 'list trigger' used. *''ex.: "@<username>"''

External links

Omenscripts family of file sharing scripts

Sooplex IRC, mIRC file serving make easy
{{IRC footer Internet Relay Chat File sharing Warez Internet terminology

Fserve type channels

Searching and requesting with Fserves

Serving script type channels

Searching and requesting with serving scripts

See also

External links