--this is just a basic split function we'll use to split the messages
    function split(data, pat)
    	local ret = {}
    	for i in string.gmatch(data,pat) do
    		table.insert(ret,i)
    	end
    	return ret
    end
    --config
    local nickname = "myircbot"
    local channel = "#mybotchannel"

    local net = require("internet")
    local con = net.open("irc.esper.net",6667) --define server / port here, this will connect to the server
    if(con) then
    	local line,png,linesplt,msgfrom = ""
    	while(true) do
    		line = con:read() --read a line from the socket
    		print(line)
    		linesplt = split(line,"[^:]+")
    		if #linesplt >= 2 and string.find(linesplt[2], "No Ident response") ~= nil then
    			print("JOIN")
    			con:write("USER " .. nickname .. " 0 * :" .. nickname .. "\r\n") --con:write(msg) is used to send messages, con:read() will read a line
    			con:write("NICK " .. nickname .. "\r\n") --for IRC, remember to append the \r\n on the end of all messages
    			con:write("JOIN :" .. channel .. "\r\n")
    		elseif linesplt[1] == "PING" or linesplt[1] == "PING " then
    			print("PING")
    			png = split(line,"[^:]+")
    			con:write("PONG :"..png[#png].."\r\n") --respond to pings so we don't get disconnected
    		elseif string.find(linesplt[1], "PRIVMSG #") ~= nil then
    			msgfrom = split(linesplt[1],"[^ ]+")
    			msgfrom = msgfrom[3]
    			con:write("PRIVMSG "..msgfrom.." :"..linesplt[2].."\r\n")
    		end
    	end
    else
    	print("Connection failed.")
    end