Media Share 9/MEDIASHARE_09.ISO/mailers/elrul303.zip/GAYLINK.RUL

Text File | 1992-10-10 | 7KB | 142 lines

                        GAYLINK POLICY
                 Rules as of April 15, 1991

Revised September 15, 1991: Added Paragraph 5c.
Revised October 10, 1992: Amended Paragraph 3.

1) PURPOSE:
        The purpose of GAYLINK is to provide a forum for the positive
aspects of the lifestyles of persons with a homosexual orientation.  It was
founded on March 1, 1990 by Sid Balcom as a replacement for the GAYNET echo
which was removed from the backbone for private distribution.


2) ACCESS:
        Gaylink is an International Fidonet Backbone Echo which is
available to any BBS which can receive echoes from the Fidonet Backbone. It
is preferred that Sysops allow ALL callers access to the echo (including
first-time callers) for reading purposes. If your software supports a
different security level for writing messages, it is preferred that writing
privileges be withheld until you are comfortable enough that the user will
not be violating these rules, since the Sysop is ultimately responsible for
all messages leaving his/her BBS.  Users should NOT be barred from the echo
because of age, sexuality, or any other criteria, as long as they abide by
these rules.

3) USER NAMES:
        The decision as to the name required for use in the conference is
left to the individual sysop of each participating BBS. This means that
some systems may allow handles, while others may not.
        When handles are permitted, they should be of two parts, so as to
form a name which could pass as a possible real name. Handles may not bear
sexual connotations or innuendoes; nor contain terms which are offensive in
polite society. Handles may not be a common name that would be easily
selectable by several other people - thus causing confusion in mail
delivery.

4) MESSAGE CONSTRUCTION:
        a)  High ASCII characters are discouraged in Fidonet because of
the problems they can cause to mailers, packers, and even non-IBM
machines. They are not tolerated in this echo.
        b)  ALL CAPITAL LETTERS HAVE THE EFFECT OF SHOUTING. It is also
an illiterate style. Please do not shout or be illiterate.
        c)  The official language of GAYLINK is English and messages
should only contain English language.
        d)  Private messages are not permitted since the Fidonet Backbone
does not support them.
        e)  The 'From:' line must either be a real name, or a
non-offensive pseudonym. The word SYSOP is not allowed in the 'From:"
line.

5) MESSAGE CONTENT:
        a) Messages will not contain profanity or words defined in
Webster's dictionary as obscene. If you wouldn't use the word in front
of your grandmother, then don't use it here.
        b)  Messages will not depict or describe sexual acts of any kind
or 'How to' messages designed to improve performance.
            EXCEPTION: Messages couched in formal medical terminology
whose primary purpose is to promote safe sex are allowed as long as they
do not appeal to a person's prurient interests.
        c)  Messages will not promote, advocate or otherwise encourage
the use of illegal substances, the conduct of illegal acts or the
abuse of various substances or things (i.e. alcohol, children, etc).
        d)  This echo is for civilized, reasonably mature discussions.
Messages will not be inflammatory or abusive toward, or about, anyone,
or anything.
        e)  No advertising of any kind is permitted. This particularly
includes messages telling the world what you are looking for, either as
a lover, or as a 'one-night stand'.
        f)  Phone numbers and addresses are permitted, but strongly
discouraged. You post them at your own risk. In doing so, you may be
risking your life.
        g)  Messages MUST be on-topic. To be on-topic, a message must be
discussing the positive aspects of gay lifestyles. The world, at large,
is continually bombarded by negative-ness about being gay. The main
purpose of this echo is to counteract those situations - to provide a
'safe haven' type of atmosphere, particularly for people who are curious
about what it is like to be gay; people who are just begining to come to
terms with their own sexuality.
            NOTE 1: Threads will frequently start out on-topic and
quickly drift to something else. It is the responsibility of each
participant to recognize this and either steer the thread back on-topic,
or to end the thread.
            NOTE 2: Threads will get started and involved on topics that
are already being handled expertly in other echoes. Alcoholism and its
recovery is an example of this. Topics already being expertly covered in
other echoes must be dropped in this echo and taken to the approriate
one. Many gay related issues are being fully addressed in ICGAL, another
backbone echo, and should not be duplicated in GAYLINK. ICGAL and
GAYLINK are not in competition.

6) MESSAGE QUOTING:
        The quoting of a SMALL portion of the message you are replying
to is encouraged to establish the context of your reply. However, the
quoting of large portions of the message is discouraged. Quoting of the
SEEN-BY lines and PATHS is prohibited, since this messes up some of the
Fidonet mailers and packers.

8) VIOLATION OF THE RULES:
        If another person has violated the rules, or made some
inappropriate comment, refrain from responding IN the echo. We don't
need several people responding to one violation, causing a lot of
unnecessary messages. It is the Moderator's job to deal with this, and
it will frequently be done behind the scenes.
        Violators will be dealt with in accordance with the then
currently active Fidonet Echo Policy.

9) ANNOYING BEHAVIOR:
        Fidonet policy details (and prohibits) annoying behavior.
Annoying behavior by anyone in the GAYLINK conference shall not be
allowed. According to the Webster's New World Dictionary of the American
Language:
annoy - to irritate, bother, etc as by a repeated action.

10) COMPLAINTS & CRITICISMS:
        Complaints and criticisms (both good and bad) are Off-Topic in
the conference and will not be tolerated. You can netmail them to the
Moderator. Netmail that is coherent and rational will be responded to;
otherwise I will use my delete key. Complaints and criticisms are also
expected to contain suggested ways to correct the situation. This also
applies to suggested amendments to these rules. Proposed amendments are
off-topic in the echo. Ask your local Sysop for more information about
sending Netmail to me.

11) PRECEDENCE:
        Should any item in this set of rules be in direct contradiction
with that of the current Fidonet Policy (presently Policy 4), Fidonet
Echo Policy, or any other upper Fidonet policy currently in existence or
to be released in the future, then the rules as stated in said upper
level document shall apply in lieu of that of this document.

12) AUTHORITY:
        The Moderator has the sole authority to determine who is, and
who is not violating these rules. The Moderator's interpretation of the
rules will be the final decision.
        Anyone who does not agree to these rules CAN NOT participate in
the GAYLINK Echo. The first posting of a message by a person in this
echo constitutes his/her total acceptance of the rules.

Sid Balcom,
Moderator  1:109/343