(Part 3 of 6)

3.5  Be a Member of the Area Administered

A coordinator must be a member of the area administered. That is, a Network
Coordinator must be a member of that network by virtue of geography.  A
Regional Coordinator must be either a member of a network in the region, or
an independent in the region.


3.6  Encourage New Sysops to Enter FidoNet

A coordinator is encouraged to operate a public bulletin board system which
is freely available for the purpose of distributing Policy, FidoNews, and
Nodelists to potential new sysops.  Dissemination of this information to
persons who are potential FidoNet sysops is important to the growth of
FidoNet, and coordinators should encourage development of new systems.


3.7  Tradition and Precedent

A coordinator is not bound by the practices of predecessor or peers beyond
the scope of this document.

In addition, a new coordinator has the right to review any decision made by
predecessors for compliance with Policy, and take whatever actions may be
necessary to rectify any situations not in compliance.


3.8  Technical Management

The primary responsibility of any coordinator is technical management of
network operations.  Decisions must be made on technical grounds.



4  Network Coordinator Procedures

4.1  Responsibilities

A Network Coordinator has the following responsibilities:

   1) To receive incoming mail for nodes in the network, and arrange
   delivery to its recipients.

   2) To assign node numbers to nodes in the network.

   3) To maintain the nodelist for the network, and to send a copy of it to
   the Regional Coordinator whenever it changes.

   4) To make available to nodes in the network new nodelist difference
   files, new issues of FidoNews, and new revisions of Network Policy
   Documents as they are received, and to periodically check to insure that
   nodes use up to date nodelists.


4.2  Routing Inbound Mail

It is your responsibility as Network Coordinator to coordinate the receipt
and forwarding of host-routed inbound netmail for nodes in your network.  The
best way to accomplish this is left to your discretion.

If a node in your network is receiving large volumes of mail you can request
that the sysop contact the systems which are sending this mail and request
that they not host-route it.  If the problem persists, you can request your
Regional Coordinator to assign the node a number as an independent and drop
the system from your network.

Occasionally a node will make a "bombing run" (sending one
message to a great
many nodes).  If a node in another network is making bombing runs on your
nodes and routing them through your inbound host, then you can complain to
the network coordinator of the offending node.  (If the node is an indepen-
dent, complain to the regional coordinator.)  Bombing runs are considered to
be annoying.

Another source of routing overload is echomail.  Echomail cannot be allowed
to degrade the ability of FidoNet to handle normal message traffic.  If a
node in your network is routing large volumes of echomail, you can ask the
sysop to either limit the amount of echomail or to stop routing echomail.

You are not required to forward encrypted, commercial, or illegal mail.
However, you must follow the procedures described in section 2.1.7 if you do
not forward the mail.


4.3  Assigning Node Numbers

It is your responsibility to assign node numbers to new nodes in your net-
work.  You may also change the numbers of existing nodes in your network,
though you should check with your member nodes before doing so.  You may
assign any numbers you wish, so long as each node has a unique number within
your network.

You must not assign a node number to any system until you have received a
formal request from that system by FidoNet mail.  This will ensure that the
system is minimally operational.  The strict maintenance of this policy has
been one of the great strengths of FidoNet.

It is also recommended, though not required, that you call a board which is
applying for a node number before assigning it a node number.

You may not assign a node number to a node in an area covered by an existing
network.  Further, if you have nodes in an area covered by a network in
formation, those nodes must be transferred to the new network.

You should use network mail to inform a new sysop of the node number, as this
helps to insure that the system is capable of receiving network mail.

If a node in your network is acting in a sufficiently annoying manner, then
you can take whatever action you deem fit, according to the circumstances of
the case.


4.4  Maintaining the Nodelist


You should implement name changes, phone number changes, and so forth in your
segment of the nodelist as soon as possible after the information is received
from the affected node.  You should also on occasion send a message to every
node in your network to ensure that they are operational.  If a node turns
out to be "off the air" with no prior warning, you can either mark the node
down or remove it from the nodelist.  (Nodes are to be marked DOWN for a
maximum of two weeks, after which the line should be removed from the node-
list.)

At your discretion, you may distribute a portion of this workload to routing
hubs.  In this case, you should receive the nodelists from the Hub Coordina-
tors within your network.  You will need to maintain a set of nodelists for
each hub within your network, since you cannot count on getting an update
from each Hub Coordinator every week.  You should assemble a master nodelist
for your network every week and send it to your Regional Coordinator by the
day and time designated.  It is suggested that you do this as late as is
practical, so as to accommodate any late changes, balanced with the risk of
missing the connection with your Regional Coordinator and thus losing a week.

4.5  Making Available Policies, Nodelists and FidoNews

As a Network Coordinator you should obtain a new issue of FidoNews and a new
nodelist difference file every week from your Regional Coordinator.  The
nodelist difference file is currently made available each Saturday, and
FidoNews is published each Monday.  You must make these files available to
all nodes in the network, and you are encouraged to make them available to
the general public for download.

You should also obtain the most recent versions of the Policy documents that
bind the members of your network, and make those available to the nodes in
your network.  Policies are released at sporadic intervals, so you should
also inform the nodes in your network when such events occur, and ensure the
nodes are generally familiar with the changes.

Policy, FidoNews, and the nodelist are the glue that holds us together.
Without them, we would cease to be a community, and become just another
random collection of bulletin boards.



5  Regional Coordinator Procedures

5.1  Responsibilities

A Regional Coordinator has the following responsibilities:

   1) To assign node numbers to independent nodes in the region.

   2) To encourage independent nodes in the region to join existing net-
   works, or to form new networks.

   3) To assign network numbers to networks in the region and define their
   boundaries.

   4) To compile a nodelist of all of the networks and independents in the
   region, and to send a copy of it to the Zone Coordinator whenever it
   changes.

   5) To ensure the smooth operation of networks within the region.

   6) To make new nodelist difference files, Policies, and issues of
   FidoNews available to the Network Coordinators in the region as soon as
   is practical.


5.2  Assigning Node Numbers

It is your responsibility to assign node numbers to independent nodes in your
region. You may also change the numbers of existing nodes in your region,
though you should check with the respective nodes before doing so.  You may
assign any numbers you wish, so long as each node has a unique number within
your region.

You should not assign a node number to any system until you have received a
formal request from that system by FidoNet mail.  This will ensure that the
system is minimally operational.  The strict maintenance of this policy has
been one of the great strengths of FidoNet.

It is also recommended, though not required, that you call a board which is
applying for a node number before assigning it a node number.

You should use network mail to inform a new sysop of the node number, as this
helps to insure that the system is capable of receiving network mail.

If a node in your region is acting in a sufficiently annoying manner, then
you can take whatever action you deem fit, according to the circumstances of
the case.

If you receive a node number request from outside your region, you must
forward it to the most local coordinator for the requestor as you can deter-
mine.  If you receive a node number request from a new node that is in an
area covered by an existing network, then you must forward the request to the
Coordinator of that network instead of assigning a number yourself.

If a network forms in an area for which you have independent nodes, those
nodes will be transferred to the local network as soon as is practical.


5.3  Encouraging the Formation and Growth of Networks

One of your main duties as a Regional Coordinator is to promote the growth of
networks in your region.

You should avoid having independent nodes in your region which are within the
coverage area of a network.  There are, however, certain cases where a node
should not be a member of a network, such as a system with a large amount of
inbound netmail; see section 4.2.

If several independent nodes in your region are in a local area you should
encourage them to form a network, and if necessary you may require them to
form a network.  Refer to section 2.4.  Note that this is not intended to
encourage the formation of trivial networks.  Obviously, one node does not
make a network.  The exact number of nodes required for an effective network
must be judged according to the circumstances of the situation, and is left
to your discretion.


5.4  Assigning Network Numbers

It is your responsibility to assign network numbers to new networks forming
within your region.  You are assigned a pool of network numbers to use for
this purpose by your Zone Coordinator.  As a part of this function, it is the
responsibility of the Regional Coordinator to define the boundaries of the
networks in the region.


5.5  Maintaining the Nodelist

As a Regional Coordinator, you have a dual role in maintaining the nodelist
for your region.

First, you must maintain the list of independent nodes in your region.  You
should attempt to implement name changes, phone number changes, and so forth
in this nodelist as soon as possible.  You should also on occasion send a
message to every independent node in your region to ensure that they are
operational.  If a node turns out to be "off the air" with no
prior warning,
you can either mark the node down or remove it from the nodelist.  (Nodes are
to marked DOWN for a maximum of two weeks, after which the line should be
removed from the nodelist.)

Second, you must receive the nodelists from the Network Coordinators within
your region.  You will need to maintain a set of nodelists for each network
within your region, since you cannot count on getting an update from each
Network Coordinator every week.  You should assemble a master nodelist for
your region every week and send it to your Zone Coordinator by the day and
time designated.  It is suggested that you do this as late as practical, so
as to accommodate late changes, balanced with the risk of missing the connec-
tion with your Zone Coordinator and thus losing a week.


5.6  Geographic Exemptions

There are cases where local calling geography does not follow FidoNet re-
gions.  In exceptional cases, exemptions to normal geographic guidelines are
agreed upon by the Regional Coordinators and Zone Coordinator involved.  Such
an exemption is not a right, and is not permanent.  When a network is formed
in the proper region that would provide local calling access to the exempted
node, it is no longer exempt.  An exemption may be reviewed and revoked at
any time by any of the coordinators involved.


5.7  Overseeing Network Operations

You are responsible for appointing network coordinators for the nets in your
region.  If the outgoing Network Coordinator suggests a successor, you are
not obligated to accept that individual, although you normally will.  Simi-
larly, you are not obligated to accept the individual selected by the members
of the network in an election, although you normally will.

It is your responsibility as Regional Coordinator to ensure that the networks
within your region are operating in an acceptable manner.  This does not mean
that you are required to operate those networks; that is the responsibility
of the Network Coordinators.  It means that you are responsible for assuring
that the Network Coordinators within your region are acting responsibly.

If you find that a Network Coordinator within your region is not properly
performing the duties outlined in Section 4, you should take whatever action
you deem necessary to correct the situation.

If a network grows so large that it cannot reasonably accommodate traffic
flow during the Zone Mail Hour, the Regional Coordinator can direct the
creation of one or more new networks from that network.  These new networks,
although they may be within a single local-calling area, must still conform
to a geographical basis for determining membership.

It is your obligation as Regional Coordinator to maintain direct and reason-
ably frequent contact with the networks in your region. The exact method of
accomplishing this is left to your discretion.


5.8  Making Available Nodelists, Policies, and FidoNews

As a Regional Coordinator, it is your responsibility to obtain the latest
nodelist difference file, network policies, and the latest issues of FidoNews
as they are published, and to make them available to the Network Coordinators
within your region.  The nodelist is posted weekly on Saturday by the Zone
Coordinator, and FidoNews is published weekly on Monday by node 1/1.  Contact
them for more details on how to obtain the latest copies each week.

It is your responsibility to make these available to all Network  Coordina-
tors in your region as soon as is practical after you receive them.  The
method of distribution is left to your discretion.  You are not required to
distribute them to any independent nodes in your region, though you may if
you wish.  You are encouraged to make all these documents available for
downloading by the general public.



6  Zone Coordinator Procedures

6.1  General

A Zone Coordinator for FidoNet has the primary task of maintaining the
nodelist for the Zone, sharing it with the other Zone Coordinators, and
ensuring the distribution of the master nodelist (or difference file) to the
Regions in the Zone.  The Zone Coordinator is also responsible for coordinat-
ing the distribution of Network Policy documents and FidoNews to the Regional
Coordinators in the zone.

The Zone Coordinator is responsible for the maintenance of the nodelist for
the administrative region.  The Administrative Region has the same number as
the zone, and consists of nodes assigned for administrative purposes not
related to the sending and receiving of normal network mail.

A Zone Coordinator is charged with the task of ensuring the smooth operation
of the Zone, which is done by appointing and supervising the Regional Coordi-
nators.

If a Zone Coordinator determines that a Regional Coordinator is not properly
performing the duties outlined in section 5, a replacement should be found.

The Zone Coordinator defines the geographic boundaries of the regions within
the zone and sets the time for the Zone Mail Hour.

The Zone Coordinator is responsible for reviewing and approving any geograph-
ic exemptions as described in section 5.6.

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