#$EPIC: stats.txt,v 1.2 2006/08/20 16:57:01 sthalik Exp $
======Synopsis:======
__stats__ <type> [<server>]

======Description:======
**IMPORTANT**: Review the restrictions and privacy sections below
before trying to use this command.

This asks the server for general purpose information.  Some of the
data you can request is statistical in nature, but not most of it.
The most common data to request is information about the server's
configuration.

A "O" operator (big O) is a "global" operator; he appears as an operator
on every server on the network.  A "o" operator (little o) is a "local"
operator; he appears as an operator only on his own server.

On ircnet servers, an "I" line permits unrestricted access to incoming
client connections.  An "i" line permits access to incoming clients but
automatically bestows upon them user mode +r, which restricts what they
can do.  See the [[MODE]] help page for more information.

======Options:======
__STATS__ options are not preceded by a hyphen!

|c   |C/N lines: A list of peer servers who may **C**onnect here.                     |
|h   |H/L lines: For each peer, whether they are a **H**ub or Leaf server.            |
|k   |K lines: A list of client userhosts who are auto-**k**illed (banned).           |
|i   |I lines: A list of permitted **I**ncoming client connections.                   |
|l   |Statistic: Number of bytes transfered between this server's peers.              |
|m   |Statistic: Usage counts for each protocol command.                              |
|o   |O lines: A list of clients permitted to become **O**perators.                   |
|u   |Statistic: Server "uptime" (continual service time)                             |
|y   |Y lines: Special parameters governing each client and server connection.       |
|p   |Display active IRC operators with idle times. \\ (EFNet/Dalnet only) Users without server operator status \\ should use this to find server operators, as \\ neither __STATS__ O or [[TRACE]] will \\ normally work on EFNet or Dalnet.       |
       
======Privacy:======
__STATS__ usage is reported to opers on many servers. On servers which
report STATS queries, you may be questioned about the purposed of
these queries, or, in some cases, immediately banned (K-lined) from
the server. Reporting of __STATS__ queries originated at a time where
__STATS__ was regularly used to flood servers. Most servers now
ratelimit or otherwise restrict such queries, however many still report
them to opers.

======Restrictions:======
For many reasons, the use of this command is now restricted in some
way on most servers. Information about how a server is configured
can (and often is) used to abuse the server. __STATS__ queries often
generate a lot of output, so they were used in many cases to make
a server flood itself.

Restrictions you may encounter include:
    - Some or all queries restricted to server operators.
    - Some output restricted to server operators.
    - Rate limiting.
    - Restrictions on "remote" queries - queries against servers other than the one you are on.
    - Notification to server operators. (see Privacy section above).

======Other Notes:======
Many networks and server now support __STATS__ queries beyond those listed
here, however they are typically limited to server operators.