Night Owl 19/Night Owl (The Best of Shareware)(NOPV 19)(1996).ISO/018a/elrul512.zip/GAYLINK.RUL

Text File | 1995-06-04 | 9KB | 176 lines

                        GAYLINK POLICY
                   Rules as of July 24, 1994

Originally Written April 15, 1991
Revised September 15, 1991: Added Paragraph 5c.
Revised October 10, 1992: Amended Paragraph 3.
Revised March 24, 1993: Added Paragraph 7; amended paragraph 8.
Revised July 24, 1994: Added Paragraph 5h.

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 aliases, while others may not.
        When aliases are permitted, they should be of two parts, so as
to form a name which could pass as a possible real name. Aliases may
not bear sexual connotations or innuendoes; nor contain terms which
are offensive in polite society. Aliases 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.
        h)  Specifically OFF-TOPIC are messages about religion,
regardless of purpose or content. Messages about NAMBLA (National
Association of Men and Boys Loving Another) as well about changing
the Age Of Consent (AOC) are also off-topic. These are off-topic
because it has been demonstrated several times in the past that
they can not be discussed without flaming.

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.

7) MODERATION:
        a) Leave the moderation to the moderator. All moderation is
done behind the scenes via netmail.
        b) Messages within the echo that are addressed TO the
Moderator, either by name, or by position, are off-topic and will earn
the Sysop a 1-point warning. Messages within the echo about the
moderation of the echo are also off-topic.
        Messages to the Moderator should be sent by Netmail to
1:109/343. No other Fidonet address is valid. The Moderator will
respond ONLY by Netmail to Fidonet addresses, and ONLY to messages
that are sane, sensible, and non-flammatory.
        c) ALL Moderation will be done via Netmail to the Sysop of the
board listed in the current Nodelist. If the system can not be found
in the current Nodelist, the feed will be cut.

8) VIOLATION OF THE RULES:
        Each warning message will have a point value assigned to it.
        For example: A warning about the use of non-offensive handles
will be a 1-point warning. A warning about sexually explicit language
will be a 3-point warning.
        Any Sysop receiving a 4th point within a 3-month period will be
cut from the echo.
        Any Sysop receiving a 5th point within a 6-month period will be
cut from the echo.
        Any Sysop receiving a 6th point within a 12-month period will be
cut from the echo.
        (NOTE: Each Sysop bears the FULL responsibility of what does,
and what doesn't happen on their BBS. A user's behavior is the
responsibility of the Sysop. Fidonet expects each Sysop to insure that
their users meet the echo rules for each echo they carry.)

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