DOVE-Net

DOVE-Net is a message network connecting numerous BBSes and the users on those BBSes together via QWK and Fido networking technologies¹⁾. DOVE-Net consists of primarily Synchronet BBSes. This is due to the fact that the co-founder of DOVE-Net is also the primary developer of Synchronet BBS software. DOVE-Net is not limited to one specific BBS package and welcomes any BBS to join as long as their software of choice does not interfere with the operation of the network in any way.

Two BBSes began DOVE-Net back in 1989. These BBSes were Vertrauen (Home of Synchronet BBS Software) and The Beast's Domain (Home of Domain Entertainment BBS Add-ons). The word DOVE came from DOmain VErtrauen, much like the word MODEM came from MOdulator DEModulator. It has nothing to do with that species of bird or the symbolism of peace, but we have nothing against those things either. It was a small network that needed a small name.

Connecting BBS sysops and users without a lot of politics and red tape. DOVE-Net requires no “application processing time” or “node numbers” to be assigned. While the capabilities of DOVE-Net rival those of more technically complex networks, it has none of the setup complexities as reflected by the fact that many of the systems on DOVE-Net are managed by first-time sysops. DOVE-Net allows (or rather encourages) the use of color codes in messages (preferably using the Synchronet Ctrl-A standard, but Wildcat, PCBoard, Celerity, Renegade, and WWIV color codes are also supported in Synchronet BBS software and may also be used). DOVE-Net allows the use of aliases, ANSI encoded messages (when necessary for animation) and use of high-ASCII characters. There are no strict “hubbing” rules; pretty much anyone that's willing to feed anyone else is encouraged to do so. DOVE-Net is moderated only by the founders of the network so there aren't different rules for different message areas that users need to remember. Private messages are allowed, but when possible, routed NetMail is preferred. DOVE-Net has very few rules, and the few that do exist are often bent.

DOVE-Net has mostly been a self-moderated network. This means that the sysops of DOVE-Net have decided when a specific message, user, or thread is deemed inappropriate. However, today, most of the users of DOVE-Net are also the sysops of DOVE-Net. And when there are too many “kings”, you can have chaos. The ultimate “king” of DOVE-Net is me, Digital Man (Rob Swindell). I don't claim this title because I want to, but rather because I have to: someone has to be “king” or NC (Network Coordinator), or whatever-you-want-to-call-it.

If a sysop has a complaint or suggestion about DOVE-Net, they usually e-mail me or post on the “DOVE-Net Sysops Only” conference. The “DOVE-Net Sysops Only” conference is the preferred venue for internal DOVE-Net discussion (and test messages). However, this conference is not guaranteed to be limited to “DOVE-Net Sysops Only” (some sysops do slip up and allow access to normal users). So for the most sensitive matters, it is recommended that sysops send me e-mail.

DOVE-Net has survived and even at times thrived for over a twenty years without a specific set of “rules”, but recent user activities have convinced me that I need to “lay down the law”. So here we go:

The following actions are not allowed:

1. Excessive personal attacks
2. Excessive use of profanity
3. Excessive off-topic messages
4. Excessive advertisements
5. Excessive use of capital letters
6. Excessive use of non-English text
7. Encoded, encrypted, or otherwise indecipherable messages
8. Fraudulent messages
9. Impersonating someone you are not

How do you know if an action constitutes “excessive” behavior or not? Compare your actions to those of other long-time DOVE-Net 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 DOVE-Net. Or there may be no consequences at all. There may be no warning at all. I give no guarantee of consistent, fair, or impartial enforcement of these rules. But generally speaking, if you use common sense and don't abuse the network or the sysops or users in the network, you'll do just fine. I certainly gain no pleasure from enforcing rules and would rather everyone “just get along” and the net continue to self-rule as it has since King Drafus and I created it so many years ago.

DOVE-Net is not a democracy. You are not guaranteed “free speech” or “equal opportunity”. DOVE-Net access is a privilege, not a right.

The sysops of DOVE-Net Node BBSes are expected to enforce the “Access Requirements” of DOVE-Net, as specified later in this document.

If you're using Synchronet BBS Software, your BBS's QWK-ID is configured in SCFG->Message Options->BBS ID for QWK Packets. SCFG is the Synchronet Configuration Utility accessible by running exec/scfg or using the BBS->Configure menu option in the Synchronet Control Panel (Win32 only).

Your QWK-ID should be an abbreviation of your BBS name or have some other personal significance, and must be unique among others on DOVE-Net (see NODES.DAT included in DOVE-NET.ZIP to verify the uniqueness of your QWK-ID). [ftp://vert.synchro.net/main/bbs/dove-net.zip]

QWK-IDs are limited to a maximum of eight characters in length, may only contain valid DOS filename characters, and MUST begin with an alphabetic character. QWK-IDs are not case sensitive.

At this point you probably should also set your QWKnet tagline to something that represents (or advertises) your BBS. In Synchronet this is done in SCFG->Networks->QWK->Default Tagline.

Assuming you will be using Vertrauen BBS as your hub, you will need to logon as “New” at telnet://vert.synchro.net and create your QWKnet account using your BBS's QWK-ID as the user name (even if you already have a regular user account there).

* IMPORTANT * You must answer (Y)es to the following new user question:
“Is this account to be used for QWK Networking (DOVE-Net)?”

Remember the password you used to create this account, you'll need it later.

When you get to the QWK: prompt, you need to (C)hange Packet Configuration to match the following (if you're running Synchronet):

[A] Ctrl-A Color Codes            : Leave in
[T] Archive Type                  : ZIP
[E] Include E-mail Messages       : Un-read Only
[I] Include File Attachments      : Yes
[D] Delete E-mail Automatically   : Yes
[F] Include New Files List        : No
[N] Include Index Files           : No
[C] Include Control Files         : No
[H] Include HEADERS.DAT File      : Yes
[Y] Include Messages from You     : No
[Z] Include Time Zone (TZ)        : Yes
[V] Include Message Path (VIA)    : Yes
[M] Include Message/Reply IDs     : Yes
[X] Extended (QWKE) Packet Format : No

You may also want to take this opportunity to (S)elect Areas to Scan from the QWK: prompt and set all the DOVE-Net sub-boards to “On”.

It is important that you do NOT use a regular user account for QWK packet transfers.

If you're using Synchronet BBS Software, then you most likely already have the DOVE-Net message areas pre-configured in SCFG->Message Areas->DOVE-Net. If not, then you'll need to create some or all of the message areas listed below in SCFG->Message Areas->DOVE-Net:

The “Synchronet Announcements” conference is a publicly accessible *read-only* conference for announcements from authorized Synchronet developers (currently only myself). No-one on your BBS may be allowed to post messages in this message area. This can be accomplished in Synchronet by setting the “Posting Requirements” to “USER NOT 0”.

The messages posted in this conference are also distributed as an Internet mailing-list. You can subscribe to this mailing-list by sending an Internet e-mail to listserv@synchro.net with “subscribe announce” in the message body.

The “Synchronet Sysops Only” conference should not be publicly accessible, except for users that claim to be Synchronet Sysops.

The “Synchronet Data” conference contains messages not intended for human consumption (the messages are used to synchronize the global BBS List and Match Maker databases), so this message area should not be publicly accessible.

The “DOVE-Net Sysops Only” conference MUST NOT be publicly accessible. This message area is for discussion among DOVE-Net Sysops ONLY. This is the correct message area to use for “test messages”.

If you have a Guest/Anonymous user account on your BBS, it MUST NOT have posting privileges to *any* of the DOVE-Net conferences. This can most easily be achieved in Synchronet by giving the “Guest” account the 'P' (posting) or 'N' (networked sub-board) restrictions. When the “Guest” account is created using the stock Synchronet 'makeguest.js' script, it will already have the 'P' restriction applied.

If a DOVE-Net QWKnet node (BBS) does not follow these Access Requirements, it can, without warning or notice, lose some or all of its DOVE-Net access.

You *must not* gate DOVE-Net conferences to any other network without explicit, prior permission.

The following DOVE-Net conferences are already gated to other networks:

Synchronet Discussion ⇔ alt.bbs.synchronet USENET newsgroup Synchronet Discussion ⇔ SYNCHRONET echo on the FidoNet Zone 1 Backbone Synchronet Sysops Only ⇔ SYNC_SYSOPS echo on the FidoNet Zone 1 Backbone Synchronet Programming ⇔ SYNC_PROGRAMMING echo on the FidoNet Zone 1 Backbone Synchronet Data ⇔ SYNCDATA echo on the FidoNet Zone 1 Backbone

Synchronet SCFG->Networks->QWK->Hubs->VERT:

Replace YOURPASS with the password you used when creating your QWKnet account.

Ctrl-A codes should be set to “Leave in” for all.

If you haven't already done so, either:

1. Logon to your Hub (e.g. Vertrauen) via Telnet and (S)elect Areas to Scan from the QWK: prompt and set all DOVE-Net sub-boards to “On”.

or:

2. Logon to your BBS and post a message in each of the DOVE-Net message areas to: “SBBS” with a subject of “ADD” (these are called “QWK control msgs”).

If using the Synchronet-Win32 Control Panel, use the BBS->Force Network Call-out menu option and select “VERT”.

If using Unix/Linux, use the following command-line (with correct path):

# touch /sbbs/data/qnet/vert.now

Watch your event log/window for QNET-FTP log messages.

NOTE: Vertrauen limits the size of QWK packets, currently to 10,000 messages per packet, so it might take several call-outs to get all the messages stored in the DOVE-Net conferences on Vertrauen.