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- 1. PARTICIPATE in the board you are on. Many people have the tendency to call
- in and look around, anb leave. Most boards welcome feedback on just about
- any subject. Sometimes, you can get a healthy discussion going just by
- leaving one simple statement! No one that I know "knows it all" about
- computers. Each of us has certain information that others may not know, and
- you can share your knowledge with everyone on a BBS. Plus, then, if you
- share information, and you have a question, people are more likely to
- respond to you.
-
- 2. If you are on a system that you like, give your friends and other boards
- you are on the phone number, so that they can try it. All Sysops I know
- like their boards to be busy, and YOU are in a better position to get out a
- board's phone number than the Sysop.
-
- 3. Don't habitually hang up on the system. Every Sysop is aware that
- accidental disconnections happen once in a while, but we do tend to get
- annoyed with people who hang up every single time they call because they are
- either too lazy to terminate properly, or they labor under the mistaken
- assumption that the 10 or so seconds they save will alter their phone bills.
-
- 4. When you are offered a place to leave comments when existing a system,
- don't try to use this area to ask the Sysop questions. It's very rude to
- the other callers to expect the Sysop to carry on a half visible
- conversation with someone. If you have a question or statement to make and
- expect the Sysop to reply to it, it should always be made in the section
- where all other messages are kept. This allows the Sysop to help many
- people with the same
- problem.
-
- 5. Before you log on with your favorite pseudonym, make sure that handles are
- allowed. Most Sysops don't want people using handles on the system.
- There is not enough room for them, and they get games of one-upmanship
- started. It is much nicer to deal with a person on a personal basis; plus
- everyone should be willing to take responsibility for his actions or
- comments instead of slinging mud from behind a phony name.
-
- 6. Don't go out of your way to make rude observations like "Gee, this system
- is slow". Every BBS is a tradeoff of features. You can generally assume
- that the Sysop is fully aware of the good points AND the bad points about
- his system; and he is running the system that he likes the best (otherwise
- he'd be looking for a new system to run). It doesn't do anybody any good to
- make comments about something that you perceive to be a flaw, when it is
- running the way the Sysop wants it to!! Constructive Criticism is somewhat
- more welcome. If you have an alternative method that seems to make good
- sense, then run it up the flagpole.
-
- 7. Have the common courtesy to pay attention to what passes in front of your
- face. Most BBS's provide AMPLE instructions to callers that are complete
- and accurate. If you don't understand something, that is the time to leave
- the Sysop a note.
-
- 8. If, by some chance, you should encounter an error while online (Heaven
- forbid!!) ALWAYS take the time to leave the Sysop a message describing the
- circumstances. Don't just say "There was an error". That is not helpful at
- all. Chances are the Sysop knows that there is an error, but he needs to
- know what you were doing prior to the error oscuring. Then he has some
- chance of finding and correcting it.
-
- 9. If you logon a system, and really don't feel that you'll be calling back,
- do the Sysop a favor and tell him. Many systems have room for only so
- many users, and there is no sense in keeping your name in a system that
- you'll never call again.
-
- 10. Keep firmly in mind that you are a GUEST on any BBS you happen to call.
- Don't think of logging on as one of your basic human rights. Every Sysop
- I have ever talked to has spent considerable time and money getting his
- system up and running. Most Sysops do this out of the goodness of their
- hearts. While he doesn't expect nonstop pats on the back, it is reasonable
- for him to expect fair treatment and consideration on his system. This
- includes following HIS rules, without grumbling about it! EVERY Sysop has
- his idea of how his system should be run. It really is not any of your
- business why he wants to run it a certain way. Your business is to either
- abide by what ever rules there are, or call some other BBS where you feel
- that you can obey the rules.
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- Author : Unknown
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