IRC: /whois and other commands not working in channel

Question

I'm a IRC first-timer using irrsi on Ubuntu with the following commands:

/connect chat.freenode.net
/join #worldchat

The /whois username command doesn't work after I join a channel: it doesn't show any information after the command is entered. When I join the same channel via a web browser, on webchat.freenode.net, I have no problem using that command after I join a channel. Is there something I'm missing, or is the irssi client busted?

Answer 1

The /whois command is not actually associated with a channel – both the outgoing request and the incoming reply only reference the target person's nickname.

So different clients make different decisions about where to show non-channel-related responses:

• Some clients, such as qwebirc (freenode's webchat) show such responses in the currently active window (buffer). The replies just come in faster than you can switch windows after issuing the command.

• Other clients, including Irssi, show these responses in the server window (aka the status window). If you switch to window 1, you will find all your whois queries in there.

• If you have a /query (private message) window open with that person, Irssi will put the /whois response in there, because it can at least be associated with a nickname.