lirch 4.0 is now available!
lirch 4.0 requires the latest version of Java - JRE 1.4

Click here: to launch/install lirch via Java Web Start.
(If you have installed JRE 1.4, Java Web Start should already be installed. When running lirch through Web Start, preferences will not be saved after the first use, so after installing/running for the first time, restart lirch and this should be resolved.)

--modified the color chooser interface
--now if a text box in a chat window doesn't have the focus,
  typed text will automatically go to the text box.
--new interface for ignore/auto-op,voice/protect
--fixed /ignore command problems
--renamed /auto command to /aop. Added /avoice command.
  Same parameters as /aop
--renamed 'isauto' operator to 'isaop'. Added 'isavoice'
  operator.
--added ability to customize the colors in a channel's
  nickname list under Options/IRC/Nick
--added option to show/hide the URL panel under Options/Misc
--added an address book
--added $abook() function to read the Address Book. See the
  functions help section.
--added /abook command. See the lirch Commands help section.
--added option to 'lock' certain functions under
  Options/Misc/Lock
--added Mozilla, WinXP, Kunststoff, and Whistler themes
--added Cut/Copy/Paste right-click popup to text fields
--now when you receive an outside chat/file send request,
  the dialog will disappear if it is not accepted/rejected
  after the number of seconds set in the Options/DCC/Options
  menu.
--added firewall support (socks4/5) under
  Options/Connect/Firewall
--added 'Show mode prefix' option under Options/IRC which
  shows @ or + in front of nicknames in channel messages
--added tooltip to the filename in the 'DCC Send Request'
  dialog in case the whole filename was not visible
--fixed DCC Send/Receive windows distorting when file path
  is long.
--fixed bug where a dcc chat would timeout after a connection
  was established
--fixed script bug in comparison conditions in if(), elseif(),
  for(), while(), along with other script bugs
--fixed some default scripts (popups)
--added option to disable Desktop Icons when internal windows
  are minimized (under Options/Misc)
--Java Web Start ready?
--added 'Quote external commands' option under Options/Misc.
  When external commands are run (like the Web Browser set
  under Options/IRC/Catcher) and the command contains spaces
  like: c:\My Files\my program.exe, the command is quoted
  before it is run, ie.: "c:\My Files\my program.exe". This
  is useful for Windows users. Non-Windows users should unselect
  this.
--changed DCC Folder options so that different file types may
  be downloaded to different folders and commands/programs may
  be used on them upon download. Wildcards may be used to
  specify file types.
--added $getdir() function. $getdir now returns the default
  DCC get folder location. See the functions help section.
--now when you are kicked, the channel window will not close
  if you have 'rejoin on kick' set
--now when disconnected and re-connecting, the channel
  windows will not be closed before attempting to rejoin
--added 'Save' button to DCC Whiteboard frame to save the
  whiteboard as an image
--merged alias/popup/events editors into one tab
--added support for connecting to SSL enabled servers. SSL
  options are located under Options/Connect/Options
  (click the advanced button). If you select 'Connect using SSL',
  any attempt to connect to a server will be done through SSL.
  If 'Accept invalid server certificates' is selected, you will
  be able to connect despite the server failing to identify
  itself with a certificate.
--added '-ssl' switch to /server command as an alternate way
  to connect to an SSL server.
  Usage:  /server -ssl  [port] [password]
--added Encrypted DCC Chat (Diffie-Hellman + DES). Since
  there is no standard, you can only use this feature with
  other lirch users. Encrypted DCC Chat is slower and takes
  longer to initialize than normal DCC Chat. It is located
  as a Menu Bar Item under DCC->Encrypted Chat
--added "/dcc crypt" flag to send an encryted dcc chat request.
  Usage: /dcc crypt 
--changed the Channel Central dialog (added topic history,
  Invite/excepts lists)
--now half ops are displayed in the channel list
--added commands /anick, /saveini, /strip, /writeini, /remini,
  /rename, /rmdir, /remove (See lirch help for more info)
--added $ini(), $readini(), $appstate, $base(), $lookandfeel,
  $alias(), $lirchini, $mnick, $anick, $aop(), $avoice(),
  $protect(), $aop, $avoice, $fullname
--modified $byteconvert() to accept additional parameters
--removed $?=,$?*=,$?!=,$file=,$dir= script input dialogs
  and replaced them all with the $input() function.
  Default popup scripts have been updated to reflect this.
  See the Function help section for syntax.
--in scripts, extra spaces should no longer be used in
  comparison statements/functions and before commas.
  Before: $chr( %myvar ) Now: $chr(%myvar)
  Before: $input( %myvar ,%myvar2 , %myvar3 )
  Now: $input(%myvar,%myvar2,%myvar3). If you use extra
  whitespace, it will not be trimmed out. Spaces are still
  required before and after comparison operators: "$1 == $me",
  "5 >= %val", etc...
--added .done property in $get/$send functions. Returns true
  if the transfer was completed, false otherwise.
--changed the look of the DCC Get/Send dialogs
--added 'Open' button to DCC Get dialog, which tries to open
  the downloaded file with the application specified in the
  'Open DCC Gets with:' field under Options/DCC/DCC Options.
  This is a platform dependant option, so it must be changed
  (if necessary) for it to work. By default, this is
  start.exe for Windows95/98/ME users. Windows NT/2000/XP
  users should change this to cmd.exe.
--added DCC Voice chat as a Menu Bar Item under DCC->Voice Chat.
  This requires a microphone and a full-duplex, 16-bit,
  stereo sound card. This feature is still experimental
  and is intended for users with high bandwidth. You
  may set the send/receive buffer under Options/DCC/DCC
  Options (slower connections need a higher buffer). This
  will only work with other lirch users.
--for event scripts, added 'Raw Check' option under the
  'Listen' menu in the events editor. This enables/disables
  checking every 'RAW' event.
--added /window command to create custom windows and
  picture windows. See the 'Custom Windows' and
  'Picture Windows' documentation for information
  on all the new /window related commands, functions,
  identifiers, and events.
--added tooltips to channel titles.
--made some changes to the /load command
--for scripts, added sockets. See the 'Sockets' help
  section for details.
--for scripts, added binary variables. Updated Hashtables
  to support binvars ($hget, /hadd, etc...) See the
  'Binary Variables' help section for details.
--for scripts, added Custom Dialogs. See the
  'Custom Dialogs' help section for details.
--for scripts, added custom Java code hooks. See the
  'Custom Java Code' help section for details.