RMiNiNet org International Message Exchange (RMINI) BBS Network By-Laws Version 1.0 (27 September 2007) Copyright 2007 RMININET BBS Network I. PREFACE. The RMiniNet International Message Exchange (RMINI) BBS Network (known hereafter as the "Net," "RMINI," or "RminiNet) is a multi-tier telecommunications network comprised of one "Network Hub," or "NetHub", multiple "Regional Hubs" or "RHs," and "nodes." II. RMINI is owned and operated as a private organization by a Board of Directors referred to as the "RMINI Administrative Council," or "SC," whose membership is listed in Appendix A. The RAC reserves the right to admit or refuse any BBS SYSOP as a participating node or hub; the RAC further reserves the right to remove or suspend network access of any individual or sysop, whether they are a node or a hub for grevious misconduct considered detrimental to the spirit and intent of RIME and these bylaws, or for failure to keep their Membership dues current. III. The RAC shall designate one of its members to act as Operations Officer to run the day-to-day operations of RMINI and to coordinate node and RH membership applications. IV. RMINI requires each participating node to provide to its end-users a common link which may be a conference, door, or other software device to ensure that all nodes have a common channel available throughout RMINI. The RAC will define and provide the framework and access mechanism for this common channel. A BBS is not considered part of RMINI until and unless it provides this common channel and notifies its users of the scope, intent, and any special rules of the common channel. However, "Administrative Nodes," i.e., nodes which are used soley for RMINI's administration purposes, are exempt from carrying this common channel. Examples of administrative nodes are (a) the NetHub for maintaining a central file library, (b) a node that may be transferring messages between multiple networks (RMINI Network and Metrolink Network), and (c) nodes whose sole purpose in RMINI serve to provide "product/service support conferences," such as the USRobotics Conference sponsored by USRobotics. It is understood that RMMINI's overall objectives and goals are dedicated to provide an information service to its most important participant, the BBS user community. In addition there is a second required conference, RimeNews, which is required to be carried by each node on Relaynet. We ask that you specifically name this conference RIMENEWS and that you clearly inform your users that this is an announcement only conference and no posting of any messages is permitted except by designated individuals. While MININEWS is a public conference open to all users and sysops of the network, for reading purposes only, no users or sysops may post any messages whatsoever in this conference. All posting to the conference will be done by the RAC or the conference coordinators. Any replies to announcements can be made as routed and/or r/o messages in USERS, ADMIN or COMMON. Any replies placed in the Rimenews conference will be immediately moderated. The purpose of the Announcement Only conference is to provide the users and sysops of Relaynet a single channel in which to obtain all important network information. Announcements only will be placed in this conference. If you, as a sysop/conference host/co-sysop/user, wish to have a message placed in this conference, send the message (using any appropriate conference such as common, admin, hosts, users) to Gert Andersen (KOFOBBS #30), and we will post it for you. The RMini Users conference is a third required conference, one important to all RMINI users in that all comments and such about a moderation are to be made in the Relay Users conference only. This is important in keeping disruption from occuring in the conference where the moderation first originated.. V. SCOPE AND PURPOSE A. Purpose. The purpose of RMINI is to provide participating hubs and nodes with a means to allow communication by RMINI users with each other through common conference areas which are "relayed" via the central NetHub. RMINI's primary purpose is considered social in nature. B. Terminology. 1. "RH" and "Node" refer to specific Postlink software setups as used by BBS Sysops to participate in RMINI. 2. "Relay" is used to describe the transfer of conference messages from one node (RMINI BBS) to another node by way of RMINI Hubs. 3. Network. a. A "Regional Hub", or "RH is comprised of one Hub and two or more nodes. A BBS Sysop "hosts" an RH and this host BBS is one of the RH's nodes. To be considered an RH, a hub has to have at least two nodes "relaying" through it. b. The RAC is composed of those members decided upon by the RAC with final approval being made by the chief administrator. C. Size. The physical size of RMINI may be no more than the number of nodes and RHs as prescribed by the RAC. Each RH may have non-RMINI-relayed nodes (that use Postlink software). However, such nodes may be authorized to carry RMINI's COMMON channel. D. Software 1. All member nodes and RHs in RMINI (including non-RMINI-relayed nodes) need to use legally purchased rmini software. 2. All member nodes and RHs in RMINI need to use legally purchased, obtained, and/or registered BBS software. E. RMINI maintains the capability and capacity to send and receive messages that are flagged as "Receiver-Only" or "Routed Mail." Messages so flagged are not to be considered by any user as actual "private" messages. The purpose of the "R/O" and "Routed Mail" flags are intended solely to provide a means to limit the possible number of nodes that may have access to the messages for display purposes. 1. Therefore, pursuant to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, 18 USC 2510 et. seq., all BBS SYSOPs participating within RIME must be aware that there are no facilities provided by RIME for sending or receiving confidential electronic communications. 2. All participating node and RH SYSOPS need to agree, as a condition of network membership and participation, that they will notify anyone reading or exchanging messages within all RMINI conferences on their BBSs of all applicable by-law and conference rules and that RMINI has no facilities for exchanging confidential electronic communications. A suitable bulletin and/or news display should be placed in a prominent place within the the individual RMINI BBS indicating that there are no confidential communications capabilities within RMINI. 3. All messages posted in relayed conferences are deemed to be public. All nodes and RHs shall deem all messages posted within RMINI's conferences to be readily accessible to the general public at all times. If any person posts a message within any RMINI conference, his/her acceptance of this policy is heretofore implied. 4. RMINi and all member nodes and RHs assume absolutely no accountability or liability whatsoever for any violations of this policy by any and all users of RMINI. VI. AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES A. The individual node SYSOP is responsible for enforcing the rules as set forth in our RIME(tm) Users Manual (contained in a file called RMINIMAN.TXT or our RMINI(tm) official conference rule file (contained in a file called *RMINMAN.ZIP) These files MUST be made available to every user on your system who access the RMINI(tm) network as either a download or a bulletin. While it is not the intent of RMINI or the RAC to interfere with any SYSOP's authority on his/her own BBS, all "relayed" conferences on nodes and RHs are considered subject to the jurisdiction of these rules. B. The Regional Hub (RH) SYSOPs have the freedom to solicit, but not grant RIME membership, to prospective nodes within their region. 1. RH SYSOPs who solicit prospective nodes need to advise applicants: (a) of RMINI's basic rules (b) That the RH SYSOP will provide to the RAC an admission application form which details the the applicant's particulars such as: applicant's name, voice and BBS telephone numbers, address, BBS name. 2. The RHs are responsible for enforcing these by-laws within their region. An RH must relay mail a minimum of five times a week unless it is technically not feasible to do so. The RAC will resolve any problems regarding the potential overlapping of regions. No RH should intentionally shut down for more than 24 consecutive hours without first making provisions for the continued relaying of it nodes. 3. RHs should make every feasible effort to accommodate all conference requests for their nodes as their equipment and configuration allow. 4. When an RH has been notified by the RAC to remove the access of a node, the RH should remove the node's access as quickly as possible. In the event that the RH does not comply with an SC-directed node access removal request, the RH's access may be removed at the NETHUB level. 5. The RH has the authority to remove the access of one or more of its nodes for one day if the situation warrants such action. Immediately following any access removal, the RH needs to notify a AC member by voice. C. Conference Administrator(s) (CC) and Conference Hosts (CH). 1. The Conference Administrator is the AC's designated representative. Duties include: (a) administrate conferences and designates Conference Hosts and Co-hosts, (b) maintain conference lists, (c) advise the RAC regarding conference problems. The RAC will appoint the Conference Administrator for any length of term. The Conference Administrator job may be split among several persons, such as a Coordinator in charge of Conference Moderations, a Coordinator in charge of Conference Setups. 2. Conference Hosts are designated by the Conference Administrator. Conference Hosts are responsible for their conferences and guide the discussion areas. Their duties include: (a) provide bulletins to nodes carrying their conference for the purpose of clarification and/or information; (b) define what should and should not be discussion areas within the conference; (c) provide guidance to all concerned with legal responsibilities and/or disclaimers; and (d) shall be responsible for monitoring the Conference Host Conference on a timely basis, scanning at a minimum messages addressed to 'YOURS and ALL'. The Host may be responsible for providing to the Conference Administrator a description of the conference, its aims, and the scope of the conference. D. NetHub Operations. 1. The trademarks "RminiNet" and "RMINI" are the property of the members of RMINI's RAC. 2. The RAC will make available a conference for the general administration affairs of RMINI. This conference is open to sysops, working co-sysops, Conference Coordinators and Conference Hosts. 3. The NETHUB Sysop coordinates the primary mail exchange for each RH, Hub, or Node connected to the NETHUB. E. Ammendments 1. Though the RAC is ultimately responsible for implementing changes to these by-laws, any RMINI node or RH Sysop, Co-Sysop, Conference Host, or Conference Coordinator may petition the RAC for by-laws changes at any time. However, such requests and petitions and any and all discussions thereof MUST be conducted in the designated general RMINI adminsitration conference, as specified in subparagraph 2, paragraph D, section VI above. VII. RULES AND REGULATIONS A. All node sysops must adhere to the general principle that NO illegal activities, which includes promotion of illegal acts and promotion of software copyright infringement, will be allowed on RMINI. Such activities constitute a grievous reason for the potential removal of the node from RMINI, and may necessitate compensatory action against the violator for any legal liabilities such activities may cause RMINI. B. All rules contained within the Conference Rule and RMINI Users manual are to be considered rules of the network and are to be enforced on a local level. Flagrant continual disregard for the conference rules of the network constitute a grievous reason for possible removal of that node. C. It is RMINI's understanding that each node SYSOP is responsible for the names used on his/her own BBS. If the SYSOP grants a user the right to use an alias, for what the SYSOP deems is a valid reason, such as security, and that alias is not apparently an alias (such as Dr. Midnight, which is) then there is no need to inform RMINI of that alias. Duplicate names within RMINI, such as three John Smiths, will be handled by the node SYSOPS of the involved boards in a manner which would not cause an alias to be relayed (example, John Smith, Johnny Smith, J. Smith or Johnnie Smith) D. Although Postlink software may allow the "file send" feature without RH control, unauthorized "sends" of files by a node -- especially global file-sends -- is prohibited. Every RH within the chain between nodes which either "sends" or "receives" a file should approve such actions. An exception list (with official items that are considered network files and as such must be permitted to be sent is provided in Appendix B.) E. There are some National Conference Names (such as COMMON) which needs to be used on all participating nodes to prevent possible confusion. The current list of conferences which must be called by their National Conference Name is contained in Appendix C. F. Messages contained in conferences relayed through the NETHUB are considered in the public domain. However, the RAC needs to authorize the "sharing" of conferences with non-RMINI-participating BBS systems. A "shared" conference is one that is relayed to or between other networks or BBS systems that have the capability of responding to such "shared" conference mail. G. It is understood that node and RH SYSOPS take vacations. RMINI requests that a vacationing SYSOP delegate to another responsible Sysop the ability to monitor the BBS in his/her absence. In the event that any node does not relay within 3 consecutive days, the RH may decline to hold mail until the node SYSOP has contacted the RH. It is also understood that users may commit violations of RMINI's rules in the absence of a full time SYSOP and that immediate action may not be able to be taken by the appointed SYSOP. This type of event does not constitute a grievous reason for removal of a node. H. Conference message bases may not be sent to non-RMINI-relaying nodes without the permission of the RAC. I. From time to time the RAC may authorize the sending of files, other than those listed in Appendix B, through RMINI from authors and/or vendors in support of their programs. This will be done with the advance consent of all RHs involved. VIII. MISCELLANEOUS A. No node may charge its users specifically for access to individual RMINI conferences beyond whatever subscription rate, if any, it generally charges for normal BBS access. Financial arrangements, (if any), between a node and its hub are between those two parties, without network restriction. Appendix A RIME Administrative Council Members as of 15-07-2007 Chief Administrator - Gert Andersen gert@rmininet.org gert@kofo.org Roving Administrator - Gert Koefoed Andersen gert@rmininet.org Conference Administrator - Gert Andersen conf-admin@rmininet.org FTP Administrator - Gert Andersen gert@rmininet.org Telnet Administrator - Gert Andersen gert@rmininet.org FTCS Administrator - Gert Andersen gert@rmininet.org PR Administrator - Gert Koefoed Andersen gert@kofo.og Planning Administrator - Gert Andersen admin@rmininet.org