How do I use an IRC bot?

[Van Hellseek]

Can anyone tell me how to use an IRC bot?

I'm an IRC noob, but I've started a channel for my forum and want a bot in it, mainly just to lurk there to keep the channel open when nobody is in it.

I've googled IRC bots, but I can't find a 'beginners guide' so none of it makes much sense to me.

I just want to put something on my hosting space so it lurks in the channel.

 

[Van Hellseek]

its efnet.

Basically we had a channel on efnet, but obviously that doesnt have chanserv/botserv/nickserv. So since we're IRC noobs we decided to move the our channel to another server that has these things, as it will be easier for us to protect our channel.

Problem is a rival group wants to seize our old channel on efnet if we ditch it. So I figured the solution would be to stick a bot in the channel and leave it on +i, thus preventing anyone from using the channel.

So at the moment it's just me lurking in the chan, with it on +i, but that will only last until I next get disconnected, and then it's all over.