how do you use irc?

Hey, I'm new here and I can't quite get the IRC to work.  I've tried the mIRC program and can never find the dcloneirc server.  Then I found the in-forum irc here, but I can't even figure out how to register my nickname. Oh, and it seems I auto-join the trivia channel on the in-forum irc, which I'd rather not do.

So I'm quite a bit frustrated and lost as to how to get it all to work, so any help at all would be appreciated.

Well, it seems I got it to work now.  Maybe my computer just hates me.