echo "export IRCNICK=\"YourNick\"
export IRCSERVER=\"irc.yourserver.com\"
export IRCPORT=\"6697\"
export IRCNAME=\"Hello, I am testing things\"
" >> ~/.bashrc
nano ~/.bashrc

First lets setup our IRC environement variables. Copy this command and edit after or manually create the IRC environment variables in ~/.bashrc (if you use bash).

If you need a non-standard port change to, for example "export IRCSERVER="irc.yourserver.com:12345". You can also give a shot at using the IRCPORT environment variable.

git clone https://github.com/itskrystibitch/cp437

cd cp437
make
sudo cp cp437 /usr/local/bin
echo alias BitchX="cp437 BitchX -s" >> ~/.bashrc
alias BitchX="cp437 BitchX -s"
BitchX

We have a solution here for the display problem. If you're not using bash you'll have to adjust that 'echo' command to however your shell operates that similarly or just run the command directly with 'cp437 BitchX' and omit that step.

lynx http://www.epicsol.org/~brian/got.net-archive/bitchx/scripts/

Ok, now we have a good starting spot. Since BitchX's default look is well, not as good as you'd get from the scripts you can check out this small archive of some of the best ones. I personally recommend cypress (cyp), but crackrock (crk-161a), neonapple (na), azure and os were good too.

wget http://www.epicsol.org/~brian/got.net-archive/bitchx/scripts/cyp1.0k.tar.gz 

tar zxf cyp1.0k.tar.gz -C $HOME
echo "load ~/cyp/cyp.bx" >> ~/.bitchxrc

Since I recommended cypress, I'll get you in the door here. Now you should be able to run BitchX with cypress loaded right after. Use /chelp to learn specific cypress commands like changing the theme.

echo ... K-BitchX Window Managment Loaded ...
echo ... [k/s] K Script [k/s] ...
echo ...   /khelp for commands   ...

alias win window
alias double window double $0
alias hideall window hide_others
alias hide window hide
alias next window next
alias prev window previous
alias kwin window kill
alias lwin window list
alias goto window swap $0

alias khelp {
   echo Commands: 
   echo /newwin  - Creates full new window w/ optional name 
   echo /newsvr  - Connects to server in new window
   echo /win - Shortcut to /window command
   echo /double [on/off] - Enables double-sized statbar for current window
   echo /hide - Hide current window
   echo /hideall - Hides all visible windows except active
   echo /next - Goes to next window 
   echo /prev - Goes to previous window  
   echo /goto  - Goes to specified window/refnum in /lwin
   echo /kwin - Removes current window
   echo /kserv - Disconnects server in current window
   echo /lwin - Displays a list of all windows
}

alias newwin {
   window new
   if ([$0]!=[]) { window name $0 }
   window double on
   window hide_others
   window split on
}

alias newsvr {
	if ([$0]==[]||[$1]==[]) { 
		echo [k/s] Syntax: /newsvr irc.network.com networkname 
	}
	if ([$0]!=[]&&[$1]!=[]) {   
	   newwin $mid(0 15 $1)
	   server +$0
	}
}
alias kserv { 
   window noserv
   window kill
}

echo "load ~/kWin.irc" >> ~/.bitchxrc

This is a script to tidy up some of the QOL behind using BitchX I made some time ago. Drop this in your home directory (name it kWin.irc if you want or adjust instructions) and execute the above command to load the BX window manager after it loads the cypress script. Use /khelp to learn the commands.