

   InfiNet - The International Freedom of Information Network.

   Network Rules, Regulations, and General Policy.

   Last Updated on November 26, 1994.


   INFINET'S CARDINAL RULE:  As long as you know this rule, and know it well,
   all other policies pale in comparison.  Post on-topic, and post with
   intelligence, and there will be NO problems.  That is all.


 ú Any system found to be routing any portion of InfiNet, be it one message,
   one echo, or the entire network, to another system not currently listed in
   the InfiNet nodelist, will be immediately and permanently removed from the
   network.  If any InfiNet node is found to be hubbing for another InfiNet
   node without permission from the network coordinator, both systems will be
   warned, and possibly removed from the network.  If a system wishes to
   receive the network, they MUST poll one of the authorized network hosts,
   or an otherwise approved hub system.  Unauthorized hosts/hubs will not
   exist in this network.


 ú You will be expected to poll your hub a MINIMUM of ONCE EVERY TWO DAYS.
   If you are going to be away for any extended period, notify your hub, so
   he can temporarily turn off your waiting mail.

   NOTE:  If you have not polled your hub for two weeks, and you have not
   notified either your hub OR Midnight Sorrow, you will be removed from the
   next InfiNet nodelist.  Sysops removed from the nodelist due to inactivity
   MAY reapply for InfiNet at some point in the future.


 ú All nodes within InfiNet must be willing to poll one of the designated
   network hosts.  (Network hosts are designated by the 69:x00/100 node
   numbers.)  If a sysop is unwilling or unable to poll one of the hosts,
   (the choice of WHICH host they poll is up to them), that sysop will, under
   most circumstances, be required to leave InfiNet.

   EXCEPTION:  If an area code or country code within InfiNet contains more
   than FIVE actively polling nodes, those systems may elect ONE hub to poll
   their designated host, while the remainder may simply poll their local
   hub.  Exceptions MAY be made for smaller area codes as well, depending
   upon certain extenuating circumstances.  Only Midnight Sorrow, InfiNet
   Network Coordinator, may grant permission and/or appoint a local hub.


 ú There is NO minimum post quota within InfiNet.  As long as a sysop is
   willing to continue contributing to the network, that sysop still has
   value.  However, if a sysop finds himself in a position where he truly no
   longer has any use in carrying the net, it is our hope that that sysop
   will step forward and voluntarily drop the net.  While we do not mind low-
   activity systems, ---> DEAD WEIGHT IS NOT TOLERATED <---.  Systems found
   to be continually inactive will generally be given one month to improve
   significantly.  Failure to improve contribution within the alloted amount
   of time will result in a permanent expulsion from InfiNet.


 ú There are very few things that could possibly get a system removed from
   InfiNet - inactivity is the most obvious reason.  However, one less
   obvious factor is QUALITY.  If users or other sysops notice poor quality
   messages coming from one particular system, they are NOT to take matters
   into their own hands.  This is what the moderator is for.  Notify Midnight
   Sorrow in either the Suggestions or the Sysops-Only base of the violating
   system, and that system's node number.  The moderator will crashmail a
   single message to the sysop of the violating system.  THREE OFFENSES in
   this vein will result in the systems' permanent removal from InfiNet.

   NOTE TO SYSOPS:  If you get a letter from Midnight Sorrow telling you to
   remove a users' access to InfiNet, do not ask questions - DO IT.  Quality
   will be maintained at all costs, and if this means removing a system from
   the network for questioning the orders of the moderator, so be it.

   ADDITIONAL NOTE:  Once a "strike" is marked against a system, that strike
   will remain indefinitely.  A system's outbound quality must always remain
   high.  It is generally recommended that sysops restrict access ONLY to
   users who will post intelligently, and on-topic.  Continual off-topic
   and/or one-line posters may also cause a strike to be marked against a
   system, depending upon frequency of offense.


 ú ABSOLUTE DEMOCRACY RULE:  ANY InfiNet node may be expelled from InfiNet by
   a majority vote of ALL sysops in the nodes' area code (or country code).
   Sysop abstentions from this voting process will count as a "NO" vote for
   this situation only.  Only Midnight Sorrow may veto a completed vote, and
   even then only under rare and extreme circumstances.


 ú Cursing and Profanity is permitted (within reason).  However, flaming
   or ragging posts are strictly prohibited (except within the Flame base, of
   course).  There are no rules as to actual message content, only that each
   message be posted in an appropriate topic area.  One-line messages,
   consisting only of a reply to another message (ie; "Yeah I know what you
   mean!"), or some meaningless comment, are HIGHLY frowned upon, and may
   result in a user's expulsion from the network if committed frequently.


 ú Upon notification of a new system's acceptance into InfiNet, that system
   should immediately begin setup of InfiNet.  New member sites are given TWO
   WEEKS (fourteen days) to completely setup InfiNet, and send out their
   first test message.  If a new member board has not setup within this
   period, that system may be removed from the next nodelist.


   ---------- REGARDING ECHOS AND THE ECHO LISTING FOR INFINET ----------

   NEW ECHOS:  New echos may be requested by ANYONE - sysop, cosysop, or
   individual.  Once an echo topic has been suggested (in the SUGGESTIONS
   base only, please), it will be added to the New Echo voting list,
   whereupon voting will commence.

   NEW ECHO VOTING POLICY:  Votes are accepted from ANY user, sysop, or co-
   sysop that is able to access InfiNet.   Each echo, unless noted otherwise,
   requires ten votes within two months in order to be accepted.  If an echo
   fails to accumulate the minimum of ten votes in the allotted time, it will
   be removed from the voting list for a period of no less than three months.

   ECHO REMOVAL POLICY:  Due to the time required to fully implement a new
   echo into the structure of InfiNet, echos are automatically given three
   months to "live", so to speak.  If, after this period of time, an echo is
   still receiving little or any activity, OR, if an older echo is seen to be
   receiving fewer than one post a week for a period of over three months,
   that echo will be placed on the Pending Deletion listing.  Once on the
   listing, echos are given one month to improve activity, or be removed from
   the network.  If an echo begins to show signs of activity before the
   deadline, it will NOT be removed.  If any SYSOP wishes to petition for a
   bases' immediate removal, five votes will consider the echo removed from
   the echolist.  Votes may also work recursively; if a sysop wishes to
   petition AGAINST an echos' removal, five votes NEGATIVELY applied will add
   another month to the tally.

   ECHO LIMITATIONS:  Regardless of how many bases are scheduled to be added
   or removed, there is now and will remain a maximum total of TWO HUNDRED
   echos to be contained in the InfiNet Echo List.  Less than that total is
   not a problem, but echos will cease being added once that total has been
   reached.

   ECHOLIST UPDATES:  If required, the network echo listing is updated once
   every two weeks.  Echos facing immediate removal from or incorporation
   into the network will wait until the next echolist update.

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   What you have just read comprises the sum and total of all rules and
   regulations to be followed under InfiNet.  Moderation is quite lenient,
   truth be told, so a system operator would have to be exceedingly lax in
   order to be removed from the network.  As long as messages remain of a
   relatively intelligent quality, life will remain good for all.

   Thank you.

   Midnight Sorrow / Mitchel Waas
   InfiNet Founder/Moderator/Coordinator/Head-Dick-in-Charge.
