Request a channel
Channels can’t be created freely. You get one by asking for it, and your request is read by an operator — not by a machine.
Why this process. A network where anyone opens whatever they like fills up with empty, abandoned or hijacked channels, and no one knows who is answerable for what anymore. By asking, you get the opposite: a channel with a known purpose and an identified person in charge — you.
Channels open to everyone remain accessible without asking: #!Overtchat!, the network’s arrival channel — the one the site chat places you in when you connect — and #Help for help.
What gets a request accepted
A clear purpose, a channel that doesn’t duplicate an existing one, and someone to look after it. A rejected request always comes with a reason: it isn’t final, and nothing stops you from submitting a better-supported one.
The channel rules apply from the moment the channel opens — especially the parts about the owner’s duties and abandoned channels.
Your nickname must be registered on the network: the owner rank is granted to it when the channel opens, and an unregistered nickname could be taken by anyone. If it isn’t registered yet: /msg OverNick REGISTER <password>.
Restricted access
Already have a channel? Come in here to configure it, see who has rights on it, and grant some to someone.
Stay connected to IRC during this step. The site doesn’t check your password itself: it asks the network to do it, and the network checks at the same time that you are actually using this nickname. Knowing a password doesn’t prove you’re the person; using the nickname does.