this

if ($sockerr) msg %tchan $sockerr

will only return a number... if you want to send something more specifically

try $sock($sockname).wsmsg

.wsmsg returns the last winsock error message match the error number

from the help file

by the way, if you used regex on it, this is a tip
this

on *:SOCKREAD:turl:{
  if ($sockerr) msg %tchan $sockerr
  var %turl | sockread %turl
  var %a = copy('http://tinyurl.com/
  var %b = ');
  if (%a $+ * $+ %b iswm %turl) {
    var %link = $remove(%turl,$left(%turl,6),$right(%turl,3))
    if ($remove(%link,$left(%link,19)) != %alias) && (%alias) { msg %tchan This custom alias ( $+ %alias $+ ) is not available or is being used. You may try again by typing !tinyurl link alias. 
      msg %tchan Here is another link: %link
    }
    else { msg %tchan Here is the link: %link }
  }
}

as Jethro_ said you could use sockmark instead

i will give you some examples using ur vars

on *:SOCKREAD:turl:{
  if ($sockerr) msg %tchan $sockerr
  var %turl,%y = /<blockquote><b>(.+)<\/b>/ 
  sockread %turl
  if $regex(%turl,%y) {
    msg %tchan here is your link: $regml(1)
  }
  if (The custom alias isin %turl) { 
    msg %tchan The custom alias you've chosen is not available. We've created a random one for you 
  }
}

this will return, if the alias already exist, and then return another one