The FidoNet Sysop's Echo EchoTag: FN_SYSOP Last Echolist Rules update : Feb 02, 2002 This version 7.0.0 edited : Jan 26, 2002 Your Host and Moderator Roy Witt 1:10/22 sypnet@pacbell.net FN_SYSOP Conference Rules You may notice a lot of space being dedicated to restricting the distribution of this conference. These restrictions exist in order to keep the echo specialized. This echo, FN_SYSOP, is for FidoNet SysOps only. Basically, if you're a FidoNet SysOp, you may participate in the echo and discuss anything you want and say anything you want as long as you don't cross the "excessively annoying" line and the moderator has not ruled the thread to be off topic. 1.0 This Conference is specifically for communication between SysOps on systems which are part of FidoNet. As such, it may be made available to any person who is the SysOp of a system which is listed in the FidoNet nodelist. A SysOp who may be a new listing in any Net, Region or Zone segment pending inclusion to the Fidonet nodelist, may post here at the discretion of the Moderator. Note: the definition of SysOp for the purposes of this echo is simply that the person in question's name shall appear in the FidoNet nodelist as SysOp for one or more FidoNet nodes. A Point may not participate in this Conference unless operated by a FidoNet nodelisted SysOp. 1.1 This Conference may not be gated outside of FidoNet without specific permission from the Conference moderator. No such arrangement shall be made if it could result in distribution of this Conference to persons who are not SysOps of systems listed in the FidoNet nodelist. 1.2 This is an ECHOMAIL Conference. It may not be gated into any alternate technology which makes it impossible or impractical to enforce the above restrictions. 1.3 There is a "real name only" restriction in place for this conference. Unless prior arrangements are made in advance with the moderator of the conference, users shall post using their FidoNet nodelisted name or a commonly accepted derivative. ie: Daniel may post as Dan, Peter as Pete, Caroline as Carol. 2.0 Once a year, as close to mid-October as practical, an election is held for the Moderator of FN_SYSOP. Upon completion of this election, if there's a former moderator, he turns the password for the elist robot over to the new moderator and yields the position. If there is a new moderator elected, that person will update the echo within a reasonable amount of time. The update will be made to the Zone 1 Echolist Keeper in accordance with the guidelines the EK has published. If a moderator is unable to complete his or her term, he or she may name a replacement to finish the term, revealing the elist password to the replacement moderator. Should a moderator disappear from the conference without leaving a successor, a replacement moderator may be chosen by the sysop participants to serve until the next regular election. Though the Elist Keeper may not be bound by echo conference rules, he is specifically requested to facilitate access to the FN_SYSOP conference listing for such a replacement moderator in the event that the elist password is not available. 3.0 The Conference shall be governed by the rules of FidoNet, and any such rules that the moderator shall find necessary to implement to maintain order in the conference. Given the changing nature of FidoNet and the demographics of this conference, changes to the rules shall be at the discretion of the moderator. The Moderator may remove systems from the Conference who are not willing to observe those rules within the Conference. The definition of the term "excessively annoying" is left to the discretion of the Moderator in adjudicating Conference related complaints. 3.1 Personal attacks, flames, and name calling are not welcome in this conference. If you cannot discuss an issue without resorting to name calling or personal attacks, find another echo to discuss your issues. If the moderator feels an attack or flame was excessively out of line, or the SysOp involved continues to resort to attacks after repeated warnings, a feed cut to the SysOp involved can be issued with no further warnings to the offending system. 3.2 If a Conference participant is found to be "excessively annoying" by the Moderator, that participant may be removed from the Conference. 3.3 Deliberate retransmittal of the Conference to another system which is not run by a FidoNet SysOp or providing access to a SysOp who has been "cut" from the Conference is grounds for immediate removal from the Conference, with no right of appeal. This rule shall be defined to include the retransmittal of this Conference to users posting from a point under an "unregistered" alias, or to points operated by SysOps who are not FidoNet nodelisted SysOps. 3.4 Under no circumstances should the failure of the Moderator to remove a system from the Conference be interpreted as prima facie evidence that no FidoNet Policy violation has occurred. By the same token, removal of a node from the Conference should not be interpreted as evidence that a violation has occurred. 3.5 If the moderator feels that a thread has become counter-productive or is otherwise disrupting the conference, the moderator reserves the right to declare the thread off topic. If Conference participants feel the thread should be left open, requests may be made to the moderator via netmail or email. 4.0 This Conference is the collective property of all FidoNet Sysops and not that of the Moderator. Should the Moderator feel it necessary to make significant changes in distribution of the Conference, such changes should be done in cooperation with the FidoNet Sysops participating. Under no circumstances is the Conference restriction to FidoNet Sysops to be removed. This is a specialized Conference and it is to stay that way. 5.0 Just a few technical issues: no funny characters or so-called "rotated text" are allowed in the Conference. Also, messages entered by you must have either a valid Origin line which includes your FidoNet address, or your address should be part of the "From" field in the message (ex: Joe A. Sysop @ 1:101/101.1). It's hard to avoid public conflict when we don't know how to reach you by direct netmail. 5.1 The above is specifically varied in favor of those European languages using culturally specific characters in so far as those characters form a necessary part of a person's name. Such names are permitted, in To, From, and in the body of text, where they are used to refer to the person in question. This is technically desirable to actually deliver the mail to the correct person - and it's at least reasonably polite to do so when writing about or to them. This does not authorize any language other than English for use in the echo - but it specifically permits the import of proper names, recognizable to their owners, as and when needed. Regretfully, this ruling does not cover 16 bit character sets at this time, but covers only the extended IBM characters currently in use by various European cultures. 6.0 Commercial posts are prohibited in the Conference without the specific and documented consent of the moderator. If granted, such post may not be made more than once every 14 calendar days. It is the prerogative of each elected moderator to continue or decline such posts in FN_SYSOP. Roy Witt, 1:10/22 sypnet@pacbell.net