Roger...

RN>Thanks for that, Daryl.  The problem with a lot of so-called users
  >is their lack of posting is the reason for the state Fidonet is in.
  >Looking for enemies to quarrel with is not a reason for being.

  One of the bulletins I have is entitled "You Want To Be A Sysop??".
It tells of a lot of the "grief" us Sysops have to put up with behind
the modem/telnet/web connection. One Sysop, 30 years ago, when he found
out that one of his Co-Sysops shared their logon with a friend, noted
"that's forbidden...but it hurts even more, because a trusted friend
went ahead and did it. That's the last straw"...and promptly shut down
his BBS, and got rid of his computer, modem, etc.

  I tell users that "What You Do OUTSIDE THE BBS is YOUR BUSINESS...but,
you're a GUEST IN MY HOME AT LOGON". I also note that "I may be
monitoring the BBS at any time, day or night"..."all data is recorded if
they logon"...and "if any of the above is unacceptable, please choose
the logoff option below"...and lately, it seems most are doing the
latter.

  I would rather have a small number of good quality users, than a bunch
of renegades who want to destroy the system. Lately, a lot of BBS's have
been hit by "port sniffers" or DDoS attacks. My system is just telnet
and web only (no dial-up), and the IP gets recorded whenever someone
connects. If they try simultaneous logons, or repeated connects and
immediate disconnects, it refuses the connection, and adds the IP to the
blacklist, where it stays forever.

  In the nearly 25 years I've been a Sysop, I've never had a subpeona
for user records from law enforcement...but I have turned over data of
users who violated the rules to Confirmed Visiting Sysops, so that they
may protect their systems.

  When I call another BBS, even though I'm a Visiting Sysop, I realize
that I am a guest in the home of that Sysop, so I prefer to act in a
manner where I'd be welcomed back. I even leave new user feedback
(required on many BBS's nowadays), and tell them "if you need to contact
me, here's how). I feel that if I get into the Sysop's Good Graces right
at the start, I'm likely to stay that way.

  Unfortunately, I had to BAN a "Visiting Sysop", because they wouldn't
share their information with me. The ONLY way user data is shared is via
a Law Enforcement Subpeona, or if a user violates BBS rules. Otherwise,
it's STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. When my late wife (and Co-Sysop) was still
alive, even she didn't have access to the data.

Daryl
---
 þ OLX 1.53 þ If flying's safe, why is the airport called the terminal?
                                                                           
                                               
--- Virtual Advanced Ver 2 for DOS