Alright. I downloaded a different IRC client because i was tired of annoyware. And now i can't get connected...but as i haven't been ircing since I updated to OS X, that might be the source of the problem.
I can't get any servers to recognize me. Somebody tell me what I'm doing wrong: the user name and host name come from your email address, correct? Alright, my email address is not in any way connected to my ISP, and is with my family's private domain name. Would this be a problem? Otherwise, there are a few servers i can *almost* get on to(irc.prison.net), but apparently I don't have identd. Could somebody point me in the right direction as to how to get that fixed? Is it really all that important, or am i just picking the wrong servers to try and connect to?
I'm using IRCStep, if it's important.
Thanks in advance --
infryq

um...your hostname has nothing to do with your email address, it has to do with what system at your isp you're connecting to and your ident settings -- that's basically how it's formed, i can't be bothered with any further explanation. if the efnet servers are complaining you don't have ident installed --- install it!! search on tucows or somewhere for an ident daemon for os x

I believe IRC servers these days are required to _ignore_ the hostname parameter. As sphinX said, the only issue is to make your you have the ident daemon running to "verify your identity," or do whatever those silly things are supposed to do. If a firewall prevents remote connections to your computer, then you are Up The Creek.