BitchX and Linux...

I used mIRC when I was running M$ Windoze... And I liked mIRC a lot. Well, a while ago I started using Linux... At first I was intrigued by the idea of just using the command line, so thats how I learned Linux, I bought a book, learned the commands and went nuts; fine. The idea of using a GUI with Linux was alien to me until very recently... I though it would be a good idea so I installed KDE from the RPM's and until now, I was using KDE's IRC client... I don't like that client at all. So I compiled BitchX...
BitchX 0c19 is cool, versatile, I dig it. BUT, for some reason, it will not allow me to run it in "dumb terminal mode" (# Bitchx -D) this is a problem, as I can't open BitchX without it trying to contact the irc server... And thusly, I cannot configure it the way I'd like to. As of now it uses the default username I have on my Linux box as the ircuser as well as other sensitive information... This simply cannot happen. I have no objection to re-compiling it. But I thought I'd ask if there was a better solution. When I use MAC BitchX here at work, I get an actual window with a menu... and I can configure it the way I need to each time... Is there another way i can open BitchX in Linux and set it up without it trying to connect me and without trying to open it in dumb terminal mode?
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and any advice would be appreciated.