March 7, 1995 ******** ******** ******** ** ********** ********** ** ** * ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ********** ** ** ** ********** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ********** ** ** ******** ******** ** ** International__Genealogy__Association -= Serving Genealogy Bulletin Boards and Users =- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PURPOSE ~~~~~~~ This document provides guidance for SYSOPS and individuals who are members of the International Genealogy Association (IGA) and who participate in the electronic network operated by the IGA: the IGA_Net. The IGA is a professional, nonprofit association of genealogists. MEMBERSHIP ~~~~~~~~~~ Participation in IGA_Net is gained by completing a membership application and submitting it, either directly or indirectly through a IGA_Net Host, to the Zone Coordinator, IGA_Net. There are two types of membership: SYSOP and PRIVATE. A SYSOP is the operator of a bulletin board (BBS) which carries genealogical conferences for the use of callers. The bulletin board operates and is accessible 24 hours per day except during Zone Mail Hour and during normal maintenance. There are no restrictions on the use of off-line readers (OLR's). Persons who are PRIVATE members do not operate a bulletin board but use the information in genealogical conferences furnished by the IGA_Net for personal research purposes. The PRIVATE member can receive traffic on all the echoes authorized a SYSOP member. There are no dues or fees associated with participating in IGA or IGA_Net(tm). PROCEDURE FOR JOINING IGA (IGA_Net ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A SYSOP (or PRIVATE node) should first (electronically) obtain a membership application from a Host in the IGA_Net or from the Zone Coordinator, IGA_Net. The application should be completed and returned to the Host from whence it came. The Host will assign the new member a node number and will (electronically) forward the completed membership application to the Zone Coordinator of IGA_Net, 440:1/1. The Zone Coordinator reserves the privilege of final approval for any applicant. Applicants who are known to be trouble-makers will *not* be approved for membership in IGA. RULES FOR THE VARIOUS IGA_Net CONFERENCES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current rules for all IGA_Net echomail conferences are contained in the RULES.ZIP file, which is contained in the IGA-INFO packet. AVAILABLE FACILITIES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The IGA_Net furnishes conferences as listed in the current IGA-ECHO.TXT file which is also contained in the IGA-INFO packet. PERIODS OF INOPERATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Downlinks are required to notify (by direct netmail or voice phone) their feeding BBS when their board is expected to be, or is actually, down for a period in excess of 24 hours. If the board is expected to be inoperative (or has been inoperative) for a period in excess of 48 hours, the Nodelist Coordinator (440:1/2) will be notified by direct netmail of the board's inoperability and the prognosis for recovery. Boards inoperable for periods in excess of 48 hours will be marked "down" in the next published nodelist. A board marked "down" will normally be removed from the nodelist after a period of four weeks. The person's membership will be inactivated in such case. A new membership application must be submitted by a person who has been removed from the nodelist under these conditions. The only way to have the designation "down" removed from a nodelist entry is by direct netmail notification to the IGA_Net Nodelist Coordinator (440:1/2). The person who is marked "down" is responsible for providing this notification. If an uplink notices that a downlink has not polled as per an agreed schedule, the uplink will attempt to contact the offending downlink and determine the reason. In the absence of a good reason it is possible to have the non-polling person's membership inactivated. The point is, you are required to poll your uplink at the times agreed upon. To not do so is viewed with a very jaundiced eye. IGA_Net is a TRADEMARK of IGA_Net North America, Fredericksburg, VA