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Text File | 1999-12-13 | 16KB | 307 lines

Telegard and the New User by Scott Adams This article will talk about the new user system in Telegard and tips on its setup and design process. I will cover the validation levels and users access. I will touch on system security and a good new user policy. Before you start to work on your bbs you should sit down and design a new user scheme for your bbs. By default Telegard has a new user at SL (security level) 10 and validated users at SL 25. This is a good system but design before hand which you will use. Take advantage of the validation levels given to you (all 26) and utilize them to their full degree. I personally use all 26 and my new users start at SL 10 and are validated (normal access) at SL 50. Using the validation levels you can have quick upgrade to users on the fly rather than editing their individual accounts. Here is a screen shot of my 26 validation levels. Validation Level Configuration Lev Description SL +FP +Cred +Bank ExpDay ToLev --- -------------------------------------- --- ----- ----- ----- ------ --- A NEW USER to the System (Unvalidated) 10 10 0 0 45 Del B Restricted User Level 1 20 25 250 0 Never N/A C Restricted User Level 2 30 50 500 0 Never N/A D Restricted User Level 3 40 75 750 0 Never N/A E Regular User (Validated) Level 1 50 30 1000 20 Never N/A F Regular User (Validated) Level 2 60 110 1100 30 Never N/A G Regular User (Validated) Level 3 70 120 1200 35 Never N/A H Special Guest Access Level 75 200 1300 40 Never N/A I Priviledged (Special) Level A 80 130 1400 45 Never N/A J Priviledged (Special) Level B 90 140 1500 50 Never N/A K Priviledged (Special) Level C 100 150 1600 55 Never N/A L Sub-Op (GameMaster or Message Base 110 160 1700 60 Never N/A M Visiting Sysop Access 115 170 1800 65 Never N/A N Elite Access Level A 120 180 1900 70 Never N/A O Elite Access Level B 130 190 2000 75 Never N/A P Elite Access Level C 140 200 2100 80 Never N/A Q Donator Special Access Level 1 150 210 2200 85 Never N/A R Donator Special Access Level 2 165 220 2300 90 Never N/A S Donator Special Access Level 3 195 230 2400 95 Never N/A T Donator Special Access Level 4 210 240 2500 100 Never N/A U Donator Special Access Level 5 240 250 2600 105 Never N/A Z Fringe BBS Management Level 255 300 3000 120 Never N/A I will briefly cover each level and explain their purpose. Validation level A is the lowest level on the system and is for users new who have yet to be validated. Here is the screen shot of that level: Validation Level Configuration - Editing Level A A. Security 10 B. Description NEW USER to the System (Unvalidated) C. Flags 1 -------------------------- D. Flags 2 ------------------------Y- E. Restrictions ---A*-N-K-G/--------- F. +Filepoints 10 G. +Netcredit 0 H. +Timebank 0 I. Expiry time 45 days J. To level Delete Notices K. *Upgrade "" L. *Downgrade "" Consult \docs\telegard.doc on each item and what they do. But briefly I give my new user flag Y so the system will force them to read the docs and use the call back door. After that is done it is removed. The restrictions are there in place so they do not post or use other areas of the bbs they shouldn't. Notice option I and J this means that if they do not use the call back door within 45 days the bbs will delete them all together. Notice that each new level and upgrade level each user gets better access from filepoints to time and special flags. Levels B through D are restricted levels. If a user is prone to hang up in doors improperly or is on probation for rule violations I lower them (or the system does automatically) to these levels. This reduces their online time and access accordingly. Those users which use the call back door are then validated. If they are Long distance they are upgraded to level D however (Sl40) which means they can do just about everything but need to be checked out for some access areas (ie I need to validate them myself). Validated user level E is shown below: Validation Level Configuration - Editing Level E A. Security 50 B. Description Regular User (Validated) Level 1 C. Flags 1 -------------------------- D. Flags 2 -------------------T------ E. Restrictions ---------M-/--------- F. +Filepoints 30 G. +Netcredit 1000 H. +Timebank 20 I. Expiry time Never J. To level N/A Notices Notice by default they are given flag T. The reason is game play is a privledge and not a right for my system. If they abuse other areas and rules the T flag is removed which denies them games. Also restriction M (mail forced delete) is given only for this level. I give them some extra timebank time beyond the default. Most of my users stay around level E normally. Validation levels F and G are used for those who post often and are quality users. They will be rewarded by this upgrade which will give more time and other things to their accounts. Validation level H is used only for my guest account. The guest account is used by anyone to login and look around the system to decide if they want to be a user or not. Validation Level Configuration - Editing Level H A. Security 75 B. Description Special Guest Access Level C. Flags 1 -------------------------- D. Flags 2 -------------------T------ E. Restrictions -----------/1234567-- F. +Filepoints 200 G. +Netcredit 1300 H. +Timebank 40 I. Expiry time Never Validation levels I through K are used for even more rewards to users who win door tournaments or are regular message posters. At this point they are given less restrictions on time and other things. Validation Level Configuration - Editing Level I A. Security 80 B. Description Priviledged (Special) Level A C. Flags 1 -------------------------- D. Flags 2 -------------------T------ E. Restrictions ---------M-/1--4----- F. +Filepoints 130 G. +Netcredit 1400 H. +Timebank 45 Validation Level Configuration - Editing Level K A. Security 100 B. Description Priviledged (Special) Level C C. Flags 1 -------------------------- D. Flags 2 -------------------T------ E. Restrictions ---------M-/1-34-6--- F. +Filepoints 150 G. +Netcredit 1600 H. +Timebank 55 You will notice extra file points and time are given in the slight change of user level with less restrictions as well. Validation level M is used for visiting sysops who are given their own special access and more time online. Validation levels N through P are elite access levels. Level P is the highest level a regular user can get on my system through long term posting and other contributions to the board. Validation level Q and U are used for those who donate either money or equipment to the bbs. You will notice it is a very high level of access on the bbs. Depending on the level of donation will determine the level they are given as a reward. Validation Level Configuration - Editing Level R A. Security 165 B. Description Donator Special Access Level 2 C. Flags 1 -------------------------- D. Flags 2 -------------------T------ E. Restrictions -----------/12345---- F. +Filepoints 220 G. +Netcredit 2300 H. +Timebank 90 Notice that at this low level they are already given very little limits on files and time. At level U you virtually have no ratios or limits almost as powerful as the sysop. The last level is only reserved for the sysop. The validation system works and is linked with other parts of Telegard to serve its full benefits. You should configure your time limits, call limits, post/call ratio, ul/dl ratios, daily DL settings, timebank storage/deposits/withdrawls, and post/time ratios to reflect the user levels you defined. All of these setups are found on the right side of the System Configuration from the waiting for caller screen. I will show an example of the time limits I use that work in conjunction with the above user levels: SL Level Daily time total 0-4 1 5-9 5 10-19 10 20-29 20 30-39 30 40-49 40 50-59 60 60-69 70 70-71 80 .... 90-99 100 100-109 105 110-119 110 120-129 112 .... 160-194 135 195-209 150 210-239 165 You might use a scheme that is close. You will notice that the levels in the validation levels are in the ranges of the above as well. For example level R (sl165) gets 135 minutes per day online compared to the 60 hours for a normal user (level E). When you setup Telegard you should consider the New user applicat policy as well for example: New User Applicant Configuration A. Open system Yes M. Date of birth Yes B. New User level A N. Random password Yes C. Application to LONGSHOT O. ANSI Ask D. IEMSI new users Yes P. Avatar Ask E. Language Ask R. Clear screen Ask F. Date format Ask S. Screen pauses Yes G. Mail address Yes T. Hotkeys Ask H. Geographic area Ask U. FSE usage Ask I. Gender Yes V. Full-line input Ask J. Data phone Yes W. Menu lightbars Ask K. Voice phone Yes X. Page length 24 lines L. Scan phone # Log Only Y. Line length 80 columns Will your system be open to new users or closed (private) (option A. Option B is the default level for new users and this equals A which as shown above is the new user level. Options D through Y are options you should consider and define. You should consider the style of system you want and the things new users should perform in the application process. Next you might want to consider the login procedure configuration. For example: Login Procedure Configuration A. Ansi Login Detect N. Hack warning area EMAIL B. Login attempts 3 attempts O. PW inquiry area EMAIL C. Login timelimit 10 mins P. Last callers kept 3 days D. Check data # No R. Password updates 180 days E. Check voice # No S. Alias/Handles Enabled F. Local security Disabled T. Login last callers Handles G. Display security Disabled U. Login menu FIRST H. Offhook for local Yes V. Local statistics Enabled I. Force voting No W. No timeleft bank? Enabled J. Check multi-logins Yes X. Language prompt Disabled K. IEMSI logins Yes L. Minimum bps rate 300 bps M. ANSI/RIP bps rate 2400 bps You should consider all of the above options to see which fit your setup. For help on each option you should consult the Telegard documentation in \docs\telegard.doc. Many sysops like myself prefer a CBV (callback verifier) which automates the validation process while others do not. Some prefer a automatic upgrade once the new user letter is sent to the sysop. Others also prefer that the new user level IS the validated user level. Any of these options are good but if you are a busy sysop I suggest a CBV like TCR (the call return door by Tim Strike (TG author). It will validate the user once it is done to any level you define and can handle Long distance users. You should consider your validation options before you continue your setup. The final thing to consider is your overall system setup from menus to doors. You should ask yourself should new users be able to play doors? Should they download files? Should they be able to post auto-messages. All these and many other questions should be asked before you define your menus. A good rule of thumb is to allow users only to use the CBV or validation steps FIRST and nothing else. Then once validated they can use doors, post and download files. But you should consider which they will have access to on the first call. Just remeber that anything yous eetup should have security concerns that does not make your system insecure or problematic. In conclusion a new sysop should follow the steps in your new bbs configuration: 1. Develop your system new user level scheme. 2. Develop your security level scheme. 3. Configure your validation levels based on 1 and 2. 4. Configure your new user application process. 5. Configure your login procedure screen. 6. Design and configure your validation level (CBV, auto, etc.). 7. Configure your time limits, ratios and other things on the right side of the System configuration screen. I hope the above will give you some pointers on your setup. ------------------------------------------------------------------ To contact me for feedback on the article or questions/comments: BBS: 904-733-1721 Fringe BBS-EWOG II (guest account avaliable) Email: longshot@darktech.org ICQ #: 24436933 website: http://users.cybermax.net/~longshot Netmail: FidoNet 1:112/91 Fido TG Echo: Tg_support I welcome any comments or questions ohe articles. If enough feedback is given I can do article follow-ups. I suggest you also send feedback to the the other article authors of this newsletter for without feedback the desire to continue is difficult. ------------------------------------------------------------------