If you are using Windows, you can download GAIM here.

If you are using a Mac, you can download Colloquy here.

If you are using Ubuntu or another flavor of linux (or if you are running Windows or Mac and don't like the options above) you can try Silky, a graphical client, here

You can find other SILC clients for your computer here.

GAIM Installation and Configuration Procedures for Windows users

1. Download the .exe at http://gaim.sourceforge.net/downloads.php.
2. Open the .exe.
3. Install GAIM
4. Launch GAIM
5. Click Accounts

a. Select "SILC" as your Protocol.
b. Enter your "Screen Name".
c. you can leave password blank
d. Enter "silc.mayfirst.org" as your "Network".
e. Click "Show More Options".
i. Enter "silc.mayfirst.org" as your "Connect Server".

6. Click Save.
7. Log in by checking the "online" box
(you don't have to provide password or alias).
8. Obtain a Room List by going to the buddy list window, clicking the Tools menu,
then selecting Room List.
9. Click Get List.
10. Click on the channel/room you want to join (ussf) and click Join.

Unix Users

Unix users may be interested in the text-mode silc client, which is based on irssi. dkg has built some debianized packages of the most recent official upstream version, which are currently available here.

When connecting via SILC, please use the following settings:

Server: silc.mayfirst.org (type: /server silc.mayfirst.org)
Channel: ussf (type: /join ussf)

When connecting for the first time, you should be presented with the following finger print:

3A66 6312 136F F89E E842 4B4C 1D87 3E78 48AD E577

Our SILC server and channel are always up and available any time of the week, so feel free to practice connecting whenever you want.

You also might want to check out our Development Log to get a sense of what we're working on at the moment.