if ( exists $seenusers{"$nick"} ) {  # I have seen the user
          my $epochnow = time();
          #check to see if enough time has gone by to say hello again...
          say_hello("$nick") if ($seenuser{"$nick"} - $epchnow >= $HiTimeDly );
          #  if that fails then we have said hello recently, don't do again...
}  else {  
#First time $nick has been seen...
say_hello("$nick");
}


sub say_hello {
my ($nick) = @_;
privmsg($nick, "hey there bud, welcome to $channel...\n");
$seenusers=time();
}