# $EPIC: ping,v 1.3 2001/05/03 21:00:51 jnelson Exp $
Synopsis:
   ping <nickname>
   ping <channel>

Description:
   Lag is a way of life on irc.  "Lag" is determined by how much time it takes
   a message to get from the sender to the recipient.  The more lag, the longer
   it takes for someone to get your messages.  Sometimes you want to see just
   how long it will take for a message to get to someone else and back.  The
   PING command sends someone a specially crafted message asking them to
   send the message back.  When you recieve the message back, you can then 
   measure the amount of time it took to come back and that will tell you how
   much lag there is to that person.

   This command uses the CTCP PING command to do its work.

   This command actually sends a message to the other person who will then
   send another message back.  If the server (or network) is already overloaded
   with traffic, this will only add to the burden.  PINGing people frequently
   will make the lag worse, so be reasonable.

   Not every client will respond to a PING request.  You are not guaranteed
   to recieve a reply to a PING command.  Some clients will mangle the PING
   request rendering the results invalid.  You are not guaranteed to recieve
   an accurate reply to a PING command.

   The PING command uses the CTCP command and so will not work from within
   an /ON MSG, /ON PUBLIC, /ON PUBLIC_OTHER, /ON NOTICE, or the like.

Examples:
   To see how far away your friend booya is from you:
      /ping booya

   To see how far away everyone in channel #blah is:
      /ping #blah

See Also:
   ctcp(1) ping
