The PC-Net Policy and Guidelines as of 10-01-94 (Last Update: 03-04-95) The Introduction: 1. PC-Net is a QWK based mail message network, which is dedicated to the use and users of IBM compatible personal computers. The PC-Net offers message conferences, whose topics are restricted to the use of personal computers, and their users. 2. PC-Net originates from North Central BBS, which is located in Marion, Indiana. The daily operations of PC-Net are fairly administered by William Nall Jr., hereinafter referred to as the PC-Net administrator. 3. The North Central BBS operates 24 hours/day, utilizing the TriBBS bulletin board software. The North Central BBS uses the TriMail QWK mail message door programs for the relay of PC-Net. Note: If you want to relay PC-Net with The North Central BBS, your user account will be the name of your BBS. 4. Bulletin Boards, which have been approved for membership to PC-Net and relay with The North Central BBS, may do so at any time. There are no specified times for relaying PC-Net with North Central BBS. The North Central BBS has a 14.4 modem. 5. You are required to call at least 3 times a week. Who Can Be a Member of PC-Net? 1. All bulletin board systems are welcome to apply for membership to the PC-Net. (See the PC-NET.APP file for the application.) After you have completed the PC-Net application, you may uploaded it to The North Central BBS, or post the application in a message in the PC-Net Administration message conference. Address it to the PC-Net administrator, William Nall Jr. You may also mail your application. You will be notified as soon as possible whether or not your BBS has been accepted. The notification will be in the form of a message to you, and posted in the PC-Net Administration message conference. 2. The PC-Net administrator reserves the right to approve, or to not approve an application. 3. The SysOp of a PC-Net, administrator approved, PC-Net hub reserves the right to reject a BBS to relay PC-Net with his/her BBS. Conduct of PC-Net Hubs, Nodes, and Users: 1. The PC-Net is message network for persons who treat others in a fair and respectable manner. Below, are a few rules all users of PC-Net are expected to follow. A. Aliases are NOT allowed. No conference of PC-Net is to allow the use of aliases. Real names only! B. Extreme profanity is NOT allowed on PC-Net. Some words such as "hell", "damn", etc. are not considered extreme profanity, but are NOT be used in a manner that they could be considered to be offensive by some users. C. NO flaming, etc. Opinions are to be just that, and are NOT to develope into an argument between individuals about themselves, others, services, or products, etc. D. References, (directly or indirectly), to "adult" material and sexually oriented material are NOT allowed. E. NO illegal activity, or the promotion of any illegal activity is allowed. F. Message Privacy and Security 1. PC-Net maintains the capability & capacity to send & receive messages that are "Receiver-Only" or "Private". Messages so flagged are not to be considered by any user to be as actually "private" messages. The purpose of the "Receiver- Only" and the "Private" flags are intended only to provide a means to limit the possible number of users that may have access to the messages for display purposes. 2. Therefore, pursuant to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, 18 USC 2510 et. seq., all BBS SysOps who are participating within PC-Net must be aware that there are no facilities provided by PC-Net for sending or receiving confidential electronic communications. 3. All participating PC-Net hubs & nodes agree, as a condition of network membership & participation, that they will notify anyone reading or exchanging messages within all PC-Net message conferences on their BBSs of all applicable policy and guidelines and, that PC-Net has no facilities for the exchanging of confidential electronic communications. A suitable bulletin and/or news display should be placed in a prominent place within the the individual PC-Net BBS indica- ting that there are no confidential communications capabili- ties within the PC-Net. 4. All messages posted in relayed conferences are deemed to be public. All hubs and nodes shall deem all messages posted within PC-Net's conferences to be readily accessible to the general public at all times. If any person posts a message within any PC-Net conference, his/her acceptance of this policy is heretofore implied. 5. PC-Net and all member hubs and nodes assume absolutely no accountability or liability whatsoever for any violations of this policy by any and all users of PC-Net. 2. Any PC-Net hub or node, who in the opinion of the administrator is acting in a manner that is deemed detrimental to PC-Net will be issued a warning by the administrator to cease such actions. If the node/hub does not abide by the warning, the node/hub will be suspended from all network operations for 30 days. If the node/hub does not comply with the 30 day suspension, then the node/hub will be permanently banned from operating on the PC-Net in the future. The decision of the PC-Net administrator is final. 3. Any user, who in the opinion of a conference moderator, and/or the PC-Net administrator that is acting in such a manner that is deemed detrimental to the moderator's conference will be issued a warning by the conference moderator, and/or the administrator to cease such actions. If the user does not abide by the warning, the user will be suspended from posting on PC-Net for 30 days. If the user does not comply with the 30 day suspension, then the user will be permanently banned from posting on the PC-Net in the future. If a user believes he is being treated unfairly by the conference's moderator, he may appeal any actions taken by the moderator to the PC-Net administrator in the PC-Net Administration the message conference. The decision of the PC-Net administrator is final. Who Can Be a PC-Net Conference Moderator? 1. Any sysop or user of PC-Net is eligible to become a conference moderator. If a conference does not have a moderator, and you wish to be a moderator, simply post a message in PC-Net Administration message conference concerning your desire to moderate any of the unmoderated conferences. Moderators of a conference(s) should be knowledgable of the conference topic. Moderators should also be fair and reasonable individuals, who can work with people in a fair an orderly manner. PC-Net message conference moderators will remain in their position(s) until either the moderator or PC-Net administrator request that he/she step down as moderator. How Message Confereces Are Added to PC-Net: 1. If you would like to see a conference added to PC-Net, please do post a message in the PC-Net Administration message conference. New message conferences should be related to the "dedication" of PC-Net as stated in #1 above. 2. The PC-NET administrator welcomes feedback from SysOps and users of the PC-Net, and will take comments and suggestions, etc. into consideration before deciding to add a message conference or not. 3. The decision of the PC-Net administrator is final. 4. A message will be posted by the PC-Net administrator in the PC-Net Administration message conference, announcing the addition of any new message conference(s) and the effective date. How Message Confereces Are Removed from PC-Net: 1. If you would like to see a conference removed from PC-Net, please post a message in the PC-Net Administration message conference. 2. The PC-NET administrator welcomes feedback from SysOps and users of the PC-Net, and will take comments and suggestions, etc. into consideration before deciding whether or not to remove a message conference. 3. The decision of the PC-Net administrator is final. 4. A message will be posted by the PC-Net administrator in the PC-Net Administration message conference, announcing the addition of any new message conference(s) and the effective date. What PC-Net Conferences Are Required? All PC-Net hubs must carry the following conferences: PC-Net Administration - (Open to all PC-Net users.) PC-Net General Chat Note: All PC-Net message conferences are opened to all users. Some Final Notes: PC-Net information packet archived files will be in the following format, and will be updated as needed. PCN-XXXX.ZIP - where XXXX represents the month and year of the information packet. (Example: PCN-1094.ZIP) Acknowledments: TriBBS is a registered trademark of TriSoft. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.