At skyNET we let you look around the bbs and sample everything before you hae to pay. Most users log on as Guest the first time, but after that it is recommended that you make yourself an account by logging on under you real name.
As a Guest you are entitled to use the Guest conference and have a look around to see what is on the bbs. You ma also read the files listings. To be able to post in the message areas you must logon under your own name. This is because every conference is networked somehow (the loal conferences are linked to other FC bbs's in Australia), and the name 'Guest' is on other bbs's and it would create confusion if many people used the Guest account to post.
When you logon under your real name (Your UserID in the Connect Screen doesn't have to be your real name, it can be an abbreviation), you will become an autoregistered user. This automatically gives you access to some of the local conferences, and some file areas.
Within 24 hours the information that you entered upon logging into skyNET and registering will be assessed. If the information is checked as genuine then your access will be upgraded and you will become a Validated User. As a validated user you have write access to a few of the FidoNet conferences and some InterNet conferences, and read-only access to some, and no access to others. You may also download from the Free Downloads areas, and Uplaod into the uplaod area. As a validated user you can assess what features of the bbs you wish to gain ful access to and what you don't want just yet. You only need pay for what you want.
To advance further than that level, you must notably contribute to the bbs by posting lots of messages and uploading NEW PUBLIC DOMAIN files from time to time. If we notice that you are contributing, then you will be upgraded to a Good User, which gives you access to more areas, and a longer time per day.
The only other way to get better access to the system is to become a member. You only need pay for what facilities you that that you will use. For the pricing scheme see the next chapter.
Finally, if in the future you decided that you would like access to all facilities (Fax not included) but you didn't pay for all of them in the first place, you may pay the difference between $35 and what you originally paid. So if you pay for everything in the beginning you will save $5 more.
