SysOpNet Information Network Policy Document
Last updated 12 September 2026
Written by Dean Lodge, SysOpNet Zone Coordinator
23:1/1@Sysopnet -or- pwecksretreatbbs@gmail.com
=============================================================================
SysOpNet is meant to be a laid-back, friendly and comfortable mail network
where everyone can feel comfortable. Unfortunately, there have been incidents
that require us to define a broad network-wide policy concerning various
topics, including what is expected and not allowed in the network.
By carrying SysOpNet on your system, you agree to abide by the following, so
make sure you read and understand this before you submit your application!
=============================================================================
SysOpNet’s Sysop’s Code:
========================
A. Treat other people the way you’d want to be treated yourself.
B. A word said with kindness carries further than one said
in anger or haste.
C. Don’t be a nuisance — and definitely don’t make a habit of it.
D. This is a hobby. Everyone here has a life beyond it, and that
always comes first.
E. Don’t provoke or push your luck with the people who control your
access to this hobby.
F. Above all, enjoy your time on SysOpNet & build friendships along the way.
=============================================================================
The Other Rules:
================
The following actions are NOT allowed, and will NOT be tolerated.
1. Personal attacks
2. Any use of profanity
3. Excessive off-topic messages (including spam)
4. Excessive advertisements (Except in designated echos)
5. Excessive use of capital letters
6. Excessive use of non-English text (Except in designated echos)
7. Encoded, encrypted, or otherwise indecipherable messages
8. Fraudulent messages
9. Impersonating someone you are not
*10. NO Flaming, personal attacking, thread/conference/echo hijacking,
etc. to members just to be rude. This is the biggest problem with
message groups and threads, religious related or otherwise.
“Agree To Disagree” if you like, but keep it professional, courteous, and
nice. We will ban you without warning if the situation warrants it –
including the offending BBS and Sysop. So, this is your FIRST, and ONLY
warning!!
How do you know if an action constitutes “excessive” behavior or not?
Compare your actions to those of other long-time Sysops and users. If
your messages seem “out of place”, it’s probably because they are.
A violation of these rules may result in a warning, a reprimand, or in
the worst cases, temporary or permanent expulsion from SysOpNet. We do
not wish to see anyone banned or removed as a user or system from
SysOpNet, but we will not tolerate outright disregard for our rules. If
you join, you agree to moderate your users and system to ensure that
this does not occur.
You may use handles or aliases. However, if a user is flaming, bashing,
or other we will disable the BBS feed if the BBS does not resolve the
issue with the user.
We have found using real names limits flaming and bashing, plus makes
the message authors accountable for their postings.
Network Policies:
=================
1. All SysOpNet member systems MUST display somewhere in their opening
Logon Screen and/or their login bulletins their association
with SysOpNet.
2. All SysOpNet Hub and Host systems must carry or make available for
pass through all areas requested by systems they feed.
3. The Network administration reserves the right to delete any
messages that are deemed in violation of the Network policies.
4. Transmission of electronic files (ie. UUECODED files, etc.)
is not allowed in any of the network echos. The purpose of
this policy is to prevent the illegal transmission of adult
material (graphic files, etc.) and commercial software.
5. SysOpNet will not tolerate any personal, racial or sexual bigotry
of any kind, nor will it tolerate swearing, flaming, personal
abuse or attacks by one user against another. SysOpNet will also
not allow advertising or discussions of copyright violations
of any software (ie. pirate software).
Failure to observe SysOpNet’s policies or echo rules by a user or
member board in messages in network echos will draw a polite
reminder in the echo by the echo moderator and/or the Network
Administration for the first infraction. A second infraction
will draw a Netmail reminder as well as one in the echo. A
third infraction will result in loss of privileges to the
echo in question, and, depending on the infraction, loss to
privileges in SysOpNet itself. The duration of the loss of
privileges will be for a period of time suitable to the
infraction (to be decided upon by the echo moderator AND SysOpNet
administration) and will be enforced on all member boards.
Further infractions by the user will result in complete loss
of privileges in SysOpNet indefinitely (this includes ignoring
the loss of privileges by the user or member board).
The judgement of the moderators can only be over-ruled by the
SysOpNet administration staff.
6. All members must carry the “SYS_GEN” & “SYS_TST”
echos, plus at least 4 others of their choice. For Net
Directors (Hosts and administrative nodes), the “SYS_ADMN” echo
is also mandatory.
7. SysOpNet must be accessible and available to all registered
members/users of a system and must be found in the message
area. The only exception to this rule applies when the person
has been banned from SysOpNet or particular echos in SysOpNet.
8. Points are allowed within SysOpNet, but they should be encouraged to
become private nodes. Points do not have sysop privileges and
are not nodelisted, they also cannot be a functioning BBS. The
Point’s Boss Node is responsible to ensure that all their points
abide by the SysOpNet policies. A node that is going to add points
off their system must make SysOpNet Administration aware that they
are doing so.
9. SysOpNet Associates and its owner Dean Lodge reserve the right of
veto on any issue affecting the SysOpNet Network.
10. Echo message and file areas may not be bridged to other services
without our consent.
Violations of the above policy can result in disciplinary action which
will depend on the severity of the policy violation, up to and including
immediate feed cuts and removal from SysOpNet in extreme cases.
The ZC and AZC reserve the right to take any action necessary, with or
without notice or reason, to preserve the safety and functionality of
SysOpNet, at any time.
If you have any questions about any of the above policies, please
contact me via in SYS_ADMN, netmail, email, or leave a private message
for me on my BBS.
Thank you for your participation in SysOpNet!
Dean Lodge
SysOpNet Zone Coordinator
Sept, 14 2026