Hi Jenette,
IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat, and is commonly known as a 'chat room'.
If you find out how to install xchat via your chosen distribution of
Linux (it's worth using Google to find a howto guide) you can then
connect to the
freenode.net IRC server, and join the #staffslug
channel (or 'room'). :)
Tom
Quoting JENETTE PALMER <jenette.palmer(a)btinternet.com>:
> I am quite new to Linux! What actually is the IRC channel and
what
> is freenode ?
Jenette