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 Digital Man's Vertrauen²⁾ and King Drafus's The Beast's Domain³⁾. The word DOVE came from DOmain VErtrauen, much like the word MODEM came from MOdulator DEModulator⁴⁾. 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.

• Conferences are also sometimes referred to as sub-boards, message areas, echoes, SIGs, etc.
• QWK conference numbers shown are from Vertrauen, not (necessarily) your BBS.

The Access and Posting Security Requirements shown above are expressed in Synchronet ARS syntax.

These security requirements are explained in more detail here:

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.

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

Please see the detailed instructions.