Now that you are talking to somebody you might like to find out a little more about them. The reply will be an automatic one and Kermit will never even know that you asked. Add a whois example here You will meet all types of people on IRC, some using their real names, some with very strange nicknames, and some who set out to deceive you. This command returns the same information as whois , but for a person who just left IRC, or just changed their nickname. Having struck up a conversation with Kermit, you want to continue talking privately to him, but also want to keep an eye on what everyone else is saying.
Query sets up a private conversation with a single person.
Once the command has been sent there is no need to use the msg command. Whatever you type will go ONLY to Kermit. A message will appear on your screen telling you that a conversation with Kermit has been started. As soon as you see that message you can type away and only Kermit will see what you typed. It is possible that you will want to change your nickname whilst you are online.