Hot Shareware 32/hot34.iso/ficheros/VUBBS/ELRUL804.ZIP/INTERUSE.RUL

Internet Message Format | 1997-11-06 | 17KB

Date:  09/21/97                                             Version : 4.71

                The INTERUSER Echomail Conference -- FidoNet

1.0  WELCOME

... to INTERUSER, the general conversation echo that opens your window to
the world!  Here you can share your ideas, views, opinions, experiences,
knowledge, and friendship with people who live all over the world.

1.1 HISTORY

INTERUSER was founded in 1987 by Joaquim H. Homrighausen as a link between
Florida and Sweden.  Since then, it's grown to reach around the world,
including Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, the
Commonwealth of Independant States (former Soviet Union), Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, the
Netherlands, the Philippines, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United
Kingdom, and many of the United States of America.

1.2 WISHES

It is our hope that by offering this platform, we can promote increased
understanding and appreciation between people from various backgrounds.  If
you like that idea and have an interest in the world around you, this echo
may be for you.

1.3 THIS DOCUMENT

The purpose of this document is not only to welcome you, but also to state
the rules that apply to your participation in INTERUSER.  With echomail in
general, there's no getting around some guidelines to assure that the area
can continue to function technically, financially, and with regard to
content.  This is especially true for an area as broad -- both in content
and in range of distribution -- as INTERUSER.  The needs of this echo are
more pressing than some local or regional echos simply by virtue of the
echo's size and distribution.  For that reason, we ask that you read the
following rules with extra care, and respect them when participating.  By
posting messages in INTERUSER, you agree to do so.


2.0 CONTENT OF MESSAGES IN INTERUSER

Contributions to the echo are expected to be relevant, sound, in good
taste, concise and non-repitious.  Most of all, they should be worthwhile
to a variety of participants.

2.1 GETTING GOING -- It's often difficult for a new participant to get
going when starting in an echo as large as INTERUSER.  In general, messages
to "All" asking for pen-pals, asking people to write to you, or simply to
say hello to everyone out there, are frowned upon.

Instead, try jumping into an existing conversation.  Interrupting an
existing thread is not impolite -- indeed, it's encouraged!  Or, write a
message to "All" and suggest a topic for conversation.  You might consider
presenting a thought-provoking argument about an important topic, be it
political, religious, social, or anything else.  Or you might think about
going into detail about life in whatever part of the world you're in.

2.2 TOPICS -- Any subject is welcome, with these exceptions:

   2.2.1  Computers -- We frown on conversations about the technical side
          of our hobby. INTERUSER is not the place to ask about software
          configurations, how to set up this or that kind of computer, or
          debates about which software or hardware is better for this or
          that application.

   2.2.2 INTERUSER -- We frown on conversations about the echo itself when
          such discussion focuses on the technical side of echomail.  Also,
          the moderators may point out other instances when discussion about
          INTERUSER is inappropriate for the echo.
          Specific exclusion to Section 2.2.2:  Discussion of the history of
          INTERUSER, for entertainment and enlightenment, is welcome, so long
          as such discussion doesn't veer into the technical side, or
          otherwise become unwelcome.  (Moderators may decide the issue.)

          Discussion of the moderators' decisions, rules, practices, and
          messages asking for moderatorial action are positively off topic and
          not welcome for any reason.  Do not debate a moderators' request in
          the echo.

   2.2.3 The InterNet -- INTERUSER is not the place to discuss the InterNet,
         UseNet, newsgroups, email, ftp, gopher, Archie, or any related
         activity. Nor is INTERUSER the place to try to send email to
         InterNet sites, CompuServe, Prodigy, America Online, GEnie, Bix,
         or other such things.  INTERUSER is not for learning about the
         InterNet.  If you're interested in the InterNet, try the INTERNET
         or UFGATE echos.

   2.2.4 The Holocaust -- Discussion of whether or not the Holocaust happend
         is POSITIVELY NOT WELCOME FOR ANY REASON.  The INTERUSER moderators
         have no official opinion on any side of this issue, and this rule
         should not be interpreted to mean that the moderators believe either
         idea. However, discussion of the issue is absolutely off topic.

   2.2.5 Advertising -- Advertising is not welcome.  This includes:

           2.2.5.1 Commercial advertising
              Don't plug a business in INTERUSER.  Don't try to sell
              something, either.
           2.2.5.2 Illegal Activities
              Don't do something that's against the law in any connected
              country.  Sysops in a foreign country could be held
              responsible for YOUR message, even if it's legal in your
              country.
           2.2.5.3 Chain letters
              Chain letters and pyramid schemes, even if they don't request
              money, are explicitly off topic and not welcome.  The letter
              from David Rhodes will see you removed from the echo on the
              very first try.  Messages including things like "Add your
              name to this list!" fall into this category; moderators deal
              swiftly with these wastes of bandwidth.
           2.2.5.4 Political Advertising
              Political advertising, no matter what the issue or whom the
              candidate for whatever office, no matter from what country,
              is not welcome.

   2.2.6 Other Topics -- The INTERUSER moderators reserve the right to declare
         other topics off-topic on a temporary or permanent basis (at their
         sole discretion).

   2.2.7 Other Problems -- No set of rules or guidelines can completely
         cover everything that might happen.  The INTERUSER moderators
         reserve the right to make a rule to fit the occasion.

Most welcome are messages that shed light on daily life in your part of the
world, or that bring about thought-provoking or insightful commentary.

   2.2.8 Message Content -- It should be noted that some messages may be
         unsuitable for reading by children.  Parents are expected to monitor
         their children's reading in INTERUSER.  Moderators can not and will
         not be held responsible for the content of messages in this echo.
         Teachers using this echo in their classrooms (a practice the
         moderators encourage!) are expected to censor messages as necessary.
         If you have questions, contact a moderator by netmail.  Moderators
         can not and will not police what participants view before the fact;
         moderators take no responsibility for any messages except their own.

2.3 CONDUCT

   2.3.1 The Golden Rule -- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
         Do not engage in insinuations or personal attacks.  INTERUSER
         participants come from many different backgrounds, and discussions
         can get heated. However, try to keep an open mind, and remember that
         people don't have to agree on everything to stay friends.  Reasonable
         people agree to disagree.  Expressing hostility or mistrust for other
         participants is very annoying.  Defamatory or discriminatory remarks
         may see you disciplined or removed from the echo altogether.  Don't
         engage in racial, ethnic, or religious slurs.

   2.3.2 Moderating -- Leave the moderating to the moderators.  Only they may
         comment on a participants' behavior in the echo.  Don't reply to
         provocative messages that clearly violate INTERUSER's rules or
         intentions. Messages that discuss moderators' policies or the
         behavior of other participants (i.e., asking for a moderator to
         discipline another particiant) are not welcome.  Remember that the
         presence of a particular message in INTERUSER doesn't mean that
         it conforms to the guidelines.


3.0 TECHNICALITIES

3.1 LANGUAGE -- INTERUSER is English-only.  Occasional short phrases in
other languages are acceptable if the major portion of your message is in
English. There are other echos for correspondence in other languages.  If
English isn't your mother tounge, do your best and we'll do our best to
understand.

3.2 NAMES -- Don't hide behind a fake name.  Handles are not welcome.  Put
your real name in the message header (ask your sysop to open a second
account for you if needed).  If putting your real name in a message header
is not possible, contact a moderator for assistance before writing messages
in the echo.

   Exceptions -- If you have an urgent reason to use a pseudonym, contact a
   moderator.  Exceptions can be granted on a case-by-case basis.  "It
   would be fun" is not an urgent reason.

3.3 SUBJECT LINES -- Please make sure that the subject line gives a good
indication of what your message is about.  A message with the subject
"Cooking" should be about cooking, not about gardening.  (The moderators
realize that this is a tough one for people already in the habit; however,
every bit helps.)

3.4 MESSAGE LIMIT -- Please do not post more than 10 messages per day.  If
you want to answer more messages, save some for the next day, or combine
several to one person into more one.  This saves considerable space.

3.5 SIZE LIMIT -- Messages must contain a minimum of three lines written by
you. This is because all messages, great or small, come with up to 15 lines
of hidden information that is necessary to route your message through the
network. Smaller messages are seldom worth the costs of all that overhead.

A message larger than 12,000 characters (including header, trailer, and
control information) may get you in trouble with the people who operate the
American backbone.  Messages longer than 16,000 characters will certainly
be dropped in the bit bucket (electronic equivelent of the trash can); the
major piece of mail processing software in use today can not handle
messages larger than 16k.  Messages longer than 100 lines may not be
quotable by QWK-type offline readers.

3.6 QUOTES -- Quotes are very handy reminders, especially in international
echos where it may take up to two weeks before you receive a response to
your message. However, it's a waste of money to transmit large pieces of
text a second time.  Your aim should be to give us a piece of your mind,
not repeat what's already been said.  Therefore, keep quotes to a minimum;
just quote what's needed to pick up a thread, not more, not less.

Please use ">" signs at the beginning of quoted lines (initials are
optional) and insert a blank line between the quotes and your own text.

      * The best rule of thumb, and the one that the moderators enforce, is
      * that your messages should contain as many or more lines of new
      * material (stuff that you've written) as the stuff you quote.  If
      * you write more that you quote, the moderators won't jump on you
      * about over-quoting.

3.7 COOKIES -- INTERUSER moderators tolorate single-line "taglines" as a
necessary evil in today's cyberworld.  However, do not use large macroed
autographs, fake tearlines, and other avoidable software advertisements.
Confine your signature to a single line or less, and the shorter, the
better.

3.8 CHARACTERS -- Because of the wide variety of computers and terminals
connected to INTERUSER, messages must be written in standard 7-bit ASCII,
from ASCII 32 to 126 (space to tilde).  Don't use hearts, pretty boxes,
ANSI escape sequences, or non-printable codes or control characters. Also,
don't use MCI commands for this or that BBS package.

3.9 ORIGIN LINE -- Messages must end with a tear line and an origin line,
per standard FidoNet definition (79 characters or less on the origin line).
If you have control over your origin line, please indicate your geographic
location.  If the sender is not in FidoNet, the sender's network name must
appear in the origin line.


4.0 RULES FOR SYSOPS

4.1 Keep these guidelines available to your users.  You might consider
    making it available for download, and/or protecting this message from
    autodeletion.
4.2 Advise new users about general echomail etiquitte and our guidelines
    before giving them write-access to INTERUSER.
4.3 Do not supply a mail feed to networks other than FidoNet without prior
    consent of the moderators.
4.4 You are expected to forward netmail from the moderators to users on
    your system, even if you do not allow them to reply by netmail. If you
    don't allow them to reply by netmail, you also agree to not allow them to
    reply to netmail messages in the echo.

Not required but strongly suggested:

4.5 Allow users to use netmail.
4.6 Put a geographic location in your origin line.
4.7 Keep a backlog of 500 messages (three to four days traffic) so that
    your users won't miss important messages.
4.8 Encourage the use of offline readers, or allow your users to become
    points.


5.0 ETCETERA

5.1 POLICIES -- The INTERUSER moderators refer to appropriate echomail
    standards and documentation, including the BOP where applicable.
    INTERUSER is carried by the Z1 Backbone, TipTop, and TAP, where
    available.

5.2 NEW MODERATORS -- INTERUSER moderators are selected by agreement of
    current moderators, with Aaron Goldblatt exercising final authority.
    Applications for moderator positions are positively not accepted.

5.3 RESPONSIBILTY -- INTERUSER moderators do not take any responsibility
    for any message posted in this conference, except for their own.

5.4 COPYRIGHT -- All messages in this conference are copyrighted by their
    respective authors, and their inclusion in this conference does not in any
    way diminish, reassign, or otherwise modify their rights.  Don't sell
    messages.

6.0 MODERATION

6.1 CURRENT MODERATORS -- INTERUSER has three moderators. Their names and
    FidoNet addresses are listed below.  You are expected to read messages
    from them in their capacity as moderator, and you are expected to
    comply with their requests. Your comments, questions, and criticism is
    welcome if sent by netmail, although continual whining will see you
    consigned to the InterResponse bot. Commentary about the moderation of
    INTERUSER in the echo is positively not welcome.

INTERUSER's moderators are:

  Aaron Goldblatt    "Moderator D'own South"  1:130/307     (BigBadUglyDog)
  Michael Ayres      "Moderator D'uffy"       1:3805/24     (Ringer)
  Michael Nellis     "Moderator D'reamWeaver" 1:240/99.58   (Mffctstcftfwotg)

Additionally, Aaron may be reached via InterNet at [e-mail].

If you have questions or problems of a technical nature (like, why is my
mail disappearing, or, why am I getting seventeen copies of messages),
please contact Aaron directly via netmail.

6.2 PAST MASTERS

                           Moderators Emeritii:

                           Joaquim Homrighausen
                               Tomas Bremin
                             Daan van Rooijen
                                Dave Rawson
                                Dan Bennett
                              Floyd Patterson
                              Michael Tauson
                             Janice Kirschman
                                Lori Byrd

The current moderatorial staff offers our sincerest thanks to our predecessors
and former co-inmates.  They did a great job ... those of us who remain hope
we do half as well.

7.0 SIGNOFF
Thanks for reading all this.  We hope you enjoy your stay in INTERUSER.
Please feel free to netmail us with any questions or comments you might have.

Yours,

       %joho%       Tomas       -Daan-       *~>DR<~*       Dan

            FloyD       Dragon       Dickens       D'Iggabod

                  D'Artagnon     D'uffy      D'reamWeaver