Credits

Credits are a virtual currency on Synchronet BBSes. The sysop decides whether credits are enabled, how they're earned and spent, and what they're worth. Not every BBS uses credits — on some systems everything is free.

The most common way to earn credits is by uploading files. When you upload to a directory that has credit-on-upload enabled, you're awarded a percentage of the file's size in credits. If that directory also has credit-on-download enabled, you earn additional credits each time someone else downloads one of your files.

Other ways credits may be awarded:

• New-user bonus — the sysop can configure a starting credit balance given to every new account.
• Daily free credits — some security levels grant a certain number of free credits each day you log on. These don't roll over.
• Sysop adjustment — a sysop can add or remove credits from any account directly.

Credits are deducted when you:

• Download files — charged as a percentage of the file's size (sysop-configurable per directory; some directories are free).
• Play door games — doors can charge a per-session or per-action credit cost.
• Chat channels — some channels have a per-join credit cost.
• Send Internet e-mail or FidoNet NetMail — the sysop can set a per-message cost.

If the sysop has enabled credit conversions, you can convert credits to time (minutes in your time bank). This is done from the message-scan configuration menu:

In the Classic shell, press & from the Main prompt, then C (Convert Credits to Minutes).

This conversion is one-way — you cannot convert minutes back to credits.

• From the File Transfer Section: I → Y (Your file transfer statistics) shows your credit balance alongside upload/download counts.
• Your balance may also appear in BBS-specific status displays or during logon.

• User Documentation
• File Transfer Section — where credits are most commonly earned and spent
• Message Scan Configuration — C to convert credits to minutes
• Credits (access control reference)