Target of `NOTICE` can be `*`

[jwodder]

The documentation for the NOTICE message currently states that its "<target> is interpreted the same way as it is for the PRIVMSG command," and the documentation for PRIVMSG states that the valid targets are channels (possibly prefixed with one or more channel membership prefix characters), nicknames, and something starting with a dollar character. (That last one probably deserves elaboration.) However, I have also seen some servers (specifically, on libera.chat) send NOTICE messages with a target of *; these messages only seem to be sent prior to logging in, and the text relates to ident & hostname lookup attempts. The fact that the target of a NOTICE (and also PRIVMSG?) can be * should probably be documented.

[progval]

these messages only seem to be sent prior to logging in, and the text relates to ident & hostname lookup attempts. The fact that the target of a NOTICE (and also PRIVMSG?) can be * should probably be documented.

I agree, that's pretty common

[skizzerz]

and something starting with a dollar character. (That last one probably deserves elaboration.)

The documentation around the dollar character looks a bit inaccurate as well, since it implies that such messages are broadcast to all clients on one or multiple servers. While that is indeed one possibility (e.g. with NOTICE $$* :This message is sent to everyone or on some other ircds such as inspircd NOTICE $* :This message is sent to everyone), it is not the only case in existence. Some ircds (solanum, unrealircd, ergo, hybrid) also support such broadcast (mass) messages to particular hostname patterns only. e.g. NOTICE $#*.irccloud.com :Hello would send the NOTICE "Hello" only to people connecting from irccloud, regardless of server those clients are connected to. But, it isn't "all clients" which is what the documentations states.