What is dAmn?

dAmn stands for the deviantART Message Network and refers to the forums and live chat network (these series will focus on the chatrooms specifically). dAmn gives you the opportunity to have live conversations with other deviants at any time!

Are there any rules? Who enforces them?

The rules for dAmn are listed in FAQ #287: What rules apply to the Chat Network?
and the sitewide Etiquette Policy also applies. The rules are enforced by the Message Network Administrators (MN@). These are volunteer members of staff denoted by an @ symbol next to their usernames. The MN@ are managed by $Tachy-on (a paid member of staff).

How do I get to the chatrooms?

You can reach the chatrooms by either bookmarking [link] or by clicking on the 'Chat' tab at the top of any page on dA. Once you've reached there, you'll see a list of all the channels with people in them. The top selection of channels are also known as the 'Featured Channels'. These are the officially run rooms as well as some specially featured channels MN@ feel deserve to be known about. Click a channel name to join it.

How do I send messages? Can I send a message to a specific person(s)? Is there a private messaging system (PM)?

To send a general message e.g. 'hello room' simply type into the white text box and press enter.

To send a message to a specific person(s): type the first few letters of their username followed by the TAB key. The TAB key can be found above the caps lock key and usually has two arrows on it. This highlights the message so that the recipiant knows you are sending them that specific message.

Private messaging is not available on dAmn. If you wish to conduct a private channel, we suggest creating an invite-only channel of your own or using the notes system

Can I use the same emoticons on dAmn as I can on the rest of deviantART? Are thumbs allowed?

Yes, all the emoticons and smilies you use on dA can be used on dAmn. For a full list of all the emoticons available on dA click here. Thumbs can also be posted, but only if your group has the privilege to.

Can I join more than one room at a time?

You can join as many rooms as you wish while using dAmn. In order to join another room, simply type /join roomname in the text box e.g. /join devart . This will open up a new tab, allowing you to flick between rooms at your leisure. Click on the swanky new +More tab to get a popup box of all the channels. (NB: multiple connections to dAmn are not allowed. That means if you have 6 windows open in 6 different channels, you are breaking the rules. You must use the /join command.

My tabs seem to be flashing different colours, what do the colours mean?

Black = someone writing a message, joining or leaving a room
Red = someone has sent you a message.

Is it possible to see whether my friends / another user is on dAmn?

Yes, to see whether someone is on dAmn, type /whois username e.g. /whois tachy-on. If you receive an error message saying 'bad namespace' it means that user is not currently on dAmn. Otherwise, a box will appear listing all the channels that user is in, as well as how long it was since their last message.

I need help, where can I go?

For help with using the deviantART interface itself, you can visit #help, the only official live help chatroom (NB: we do not help with subscription, software, prints, bot or devwear issues).

If you would like a forum thread locked or require dAmn assistance, you can contact an MN@ in #mnadmin.

For help with software / technical issues, you can ask in #h3lp or in the Software Forum (NB: #h3lp is unofficially run).

Are there any scripts or extensions I can add to customise dAmn?

dAmnXPCOM is the official script for dAmn. It gives you flashing alerts (it flashes orange like MSN when you receive a message) and can enable you to connect faster.

There are also a number of different user scripts and extensions, some of which can be found here (NB: these are unofficial. If, due to upgrades to dAmn these do not work, please discuss it with the script owner).

How do I leave dAmn?

You'd be crazy to want to, but if you have to tear yourself away, there are three ways to go about it:

type /part to leave close a specific tab and leave one channel.

Close the dAmn window (File > Close / File > Exit / Ctrl + W for a nifty keyboard shortcut)

Type a new address into the URL bar

_{I hope this article has been helpful, stay tuned for the next article where we'll focus on customising your own channel!}