yet another irc bot, in Python!

alister.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import socket

irc_host = "chat.freenode.net"
irc_port = 6667
irc_nick = "alister"
irc_chan = "##bikes"

ircsock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)

def ping():
    ircsock.send("PONG :pingis\n")

def sendmsg(chan, msg):
    ircsock.send("PRIVMSG "+ irc_chan +" :"+ msg + "\n")

def joinchan(chan):
    ircsock.send("JOIN "+ irc_chan +"\n")

def hello(newnick):
    ircsock.send("PRIVMSG "+ irc_chan +" Hello!\n")

ircsock.connect((irc_host,irc_port))
ircsock.send("USER %s * * :%s \r\n" % ("alister", "alister"))
ircsock.send("NICK %s \r\n" % ("alister"))

joinchan(irc_chan)

while 1:
    ircmsg = ircsock.recv(2048)
    ircmsg = ircmsg.strip('\r\n')
    print(ircmsg)

    if ircmsg.find(":Hello "+ irc_nick) != -1:
        hello()
    if ircmsg.find("PING :"):
        ping()