EFNET #gayspank Policy and FAQ
Introduction: This is the current Policy document for the EFNET #gayspank Channel. This sets out general guidlines and channel etiquette for the Channel.
The #gayspank Charter
#Gayspank is an IRC channel, where people can chat, cyber-play, ask questions, and just generally hang out with other people with similar interests. As a matter of policy we do ask that anyone joining the channel be over the age of consent, i.e. at least 16, depending on your location.
The term spanking is used in it's loosest term, in that it relates predominantly male-to-male corporal punishment, in it's many forms, from simple daddy/son type scenes, to the more severe forms of corporal punishment as a recreational and for some, sexual pastime. IT IS NOT HOWEVER intended to be an s/m or slave channel; If your interests lie in that area, then you may find channels more interesting, such as #gaysm or #gayslavemarket; NOR IS IT'S PRIMARY FOCUS A SEX CHANNEL. Yes spanking can be erotic, but the channel is not called #gay_get_your_rocks_off_beating_another_guys_ass! (By the way that channel name is possible to create, if that is what you are into, try it!) This is not to say that if your interests lie in that area you are not welcome, just be aware that most of the others will probably be discussing events, situations and scenarios that may seem rather tame to you. All we ask is that you respect the topic of the channel.
In the channel, we have a rather varied regular membership. We have, 'Daddies', 'uncles', 'sons' of all ages, 'schoolmasters', 'bears' and 'cubs', 'older brothers' and some of the more exotic variants on the theme. Many of the members are known to each other, and in some cases relationships exist and have been known to develop through meeting on channel. There are also some 'cyber-families' on the channel, where several members of the channel form relationships of a 'family' nature.
Who owns #gayspank?
No one owns a channel on IRC. There are protocols and standards govererning the IRC, called Requests for Comments, or RFC's. One of these states that a channel cannot be owned. Generally though, you will find that regular visitors to a channel of long standing will try to protect the channel. This can only be done by mutual consent.
The @ symbol by the side of a users nickname designates that they are a channel operator. This means that they have certain controls over the channel.
The main purpose of a channel operator is to control unnaceptable behavior in the channel, such as 'flooders'; people who join a channel and send lots of unwanted messages, 'bashers'; people who try to fill the channel with steams of abuse, 'advertisers'; people who come on to the channel advertising other channels, or services etc. They are also generally channel members of long standing and ideal people to talk to if you have any questions.
HeadMstr - The channel protector
HeadMstr is the protection system for #gayspank. He does not take an 'active' part in the chat proceedings, but rather controls things such as user privileges, messages, and other facilities. He is in fact a program, running on a server. If you are new to the channel, you may have received a message from HeadMstr suggesting that you register with him. It is recommended that you do this, AND ESSENTIAL IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE A REGULAR VISITOR TO THE CHANNEL. To do this, just type /msg headmstr paddleme.
One you have registered with the bot, it is recommended that you notify one of the channel masters whether you are a real/life player or not. They will then be able to set a flag for you, so that other uses will be able to identify you as a player.
Channel Policy
The Policy of #gayspank is set my the designated channel Masters (see "The Crew") in accordance with the general wishes of the users of the channel. Any user may make suggestions regarding policy to any channel Master or Operator, and these suggestions will be considered. It is not the intention of the channel to have hundreds of rules and regulations, just enough to make sure that the channel runs smoothly.
Channel Protocol
Users who wish to show thier status in the channel, as a receiver, submissive, or bottom type will use a lower case nickname. Those users who are a Top, Daddy, Uncle, Sir, or other dominant character will signify the fact by starting their nick with a capital letter, or have a fully capitalised nickname.
As to modes of behavior, it all depends on the personality. Bottoms can be Little Boys, Older Boys, or just plain guys who like to take it. Bottoms can brat out if they wish, but within limits. No foul language will be tolerated. Tops can be Master, Schoolteacher, Dad, Uncle, etc., and of course behave accordingly. Remember, there are all types on the channel, so you must be considerate of their needs and feelings. Try to bear in mind than not observing another persons position or role generally causes tension in the channel, and can result in a cyber 'slap in the face' as well as possible exclusion from the channel!
If you wish to discuss personal matters with another user, or subjects off channel that others may find intrusive, take the conversation into a private chat. This is especially true if you wish to discuss something with another user that would not be considered of interest to other channel users.
Personal disagreements of a non-topic nature MUST be taken outside of the channel. Slanging matches on channel will not be tolerated, and BOTH PARTIES will be excluded from the channel. If another user is being rude or insulting, put them on /ignore, if you are the only person being affected.
If you feel that the channel is being affected adversely, you could always refer the matter to one of the channel operators. They may be able to help settle the problem, or they may take further action.
Unnaceptable forms of behavior on the channel are:
These are a few of the things that tend to cause aggravation on the channel. People who persist in unacceptable behavior will find themselves being banned from the channel.
Anyone attempting to take over the channel will have their identity made known to the IRCop's, possibly resulting in that user being k-lined (banned) from accessing the IRC
Why are you taking this all so seriously?
It may seem that we are taking this seriously. What you need to remember is that we are a community. Yes we are here for fun, but if people start upsetting other users then the comunity will act to protect itself. We are by no means perfect, but we try to maintain a stable, happy environment for the channel users.
Responsibilities of a Bot-Master
A bot-master shares responsibility for all activities of the channel. They mediate in disputes, they manually assist in the protection of the channel, and also help to maintain the bot.
A bot-master has the ability to create and remove bot-operators, subject to the protocols set out below.
Responsibilities of a Bot-Operator
A bot-operator assists the bot-masters in their duties. A bot-operator does not have bot-control access, or the ability to create and remove bot-operators.
Qualifications for Bot-operator status
comments on this requested and open to modification
The purpose of the HeadMstr is to provide stability and security to the channel. Many of these functions are managed automatically by HeadMstr, but there are some tasks that can have a detrimental effect on the channel if automated. That is the reason for having channel operators. It is the role of a channel operator to monitor the channel, and make responsible judgement calls in certain situations. IT IS NOT to designate a user as a member of an "inner sanctum", or "privileged group".
Because of this, the user should meet certain criteria to be granted operator status.
The user should be a regular user of the channel. (It serves no purpose to grant someone operator status if they do not visit the channel on a regular basis.)
Channel Security
On the channel at any time, there could be a hacker just waiting to take over the channel. This may sound melodramatic, but it is also a fact of life. It is essential that the utmost care is taken when using a bot command that requires you to use your password. just forgetting the / in front of the command line message will display your password. There are hacking scripts available for most IRC clients that will respond to bot commands that are incorrectly typed, and automatically issue an IDENT command, so that the bot will recognise the hacker as you. It is recommended therefore that if you are going to issue a command to the bot that requires your password, that this be sent from the system window of your IRC client, rather than the channel window.
Some hackers "lurk" in the channel for a long period of time, watching the way in which bot ops and masters chat, so that they can mimic the individual's style. When they feel confident that they can bluff their way, they will "hack" a netmask and try to monitor the channel for any slip ups, or even just sit in the channel using the nick of a known bot operator or master, in the hope that another bot master will give them ops. Common excuses given are 'I am lagged to the bot' or 'The bot is not responding'. IT IS THEREFORE ESSENTIAL that the bot control ALL op'ing on the channel.
Most users with PPP/SLIP access from your site or sites that do not run identd can have hacked user@host. This means, the user can select the userid of their choice at any time they wish. If they have also changed their nick to that of a registered bot operator or master, they can appear to be that person. Some even go as far as setting up their IRC client to mimic the user information of the person they are 'cloning'.
If HeadMstr gets split from the channel?
If HeadMstr parts from the channel, it is essential that it regains ops to protect the channel. If an op is present at the time of it's return, then they should re-op the bot, but do check that it is the genuine bot first.
If HeadMstr parts for a considerable length of time, a bot-master should first of all try to ascertain if HeadMstr is actually online. If headMstr is linked to a split server, but can be contacted either via DCC or Telnet, a bot-master can issue a .jump command to try and get HeadMstr to connect to another server. This usually will bring HeadMstr back onto the channel again.
If there is only one bot-operator or bot-master on the channel with ops, and another Op joins the channel while HeadMstr is away, this requires a judgement call. If you are unable to reach the HeadMstr and bring it back online, but there is another person on the channel who you recognise as a registered Op with HeadMstr, try to find out if they are who they appear to be. If you are satisfied they are who they seem to be, you can of course grant them ops. Bear in mind however the security issues raised earlier. It is essential that wherever possible, a registered bot-op should be on channel while HeadMstr is away, so that it can be re-opped on return.
If there are no Ops on channel when HeadMstr returns, ALL USERS currently on the channel MUST leave, to allow the bot to regain ops. Failure to do so will result in the user(s) being excluded from the channel.
Procedure for placing a Ban on a user by a Bot-Operator or Bot-Master
If a bot-master or bot-operator needs to place a ban on a user, they should use the +ban command in HeadMstr. The format for this command is .+ban
It is essential that when you place a ban on someone, that you enter a detailed comment, not just banned. This will allow other Ops and Masters to see the reason for the ban. Failure to do so will result in the ban being lifted if no good cause is shown and could result in censure.
Procedure for adding or removing a Bot-Operator
This is a matter of policy. If there is a genuine need or proven benefit to grant a user operator status then a flagnote should be sent to the other masters and operators asking if they have any objection to the change of status. Another method of polling opinion would be to set up a vote on the bot, with a reasonable timeframe. This would give the other masters and operators the opportunity to vote yes or no, or abstain.
In the case of a positive vote, the users will have the status flag set in the bot, and they will be informed of the change of status, and the responsibilites that they have to the channel. A comment MUST be added by the master initiating the change of status, by typing .comment xyz 'name of master' gave xyz ops on 2/19/98.
Whilst it would be nice to think that all masters and operators could agree, it is obvious that sometimes this will not happen. Therefore it is not necessary to have 100% agreement on the granting of operator status. A simple majority will suffice.
If there is felt to be a need to censure an Operator, action will need to be taken to protect the channel.
In the first instance, an Operator seen to be deviating from channel policy or abusing privilege should have their att ention drawn to the fact, and be requested to cease. If this does not have any effect, then at the discretion of the Master concerned, and in consultation with any other masters or operators on channel at that time, the relevant rights will be revoked, pending the outcome of the vote. The vote will be posted in HeadMstr with a 7 day deadline, and a flagnote giving the reasons for the vote posted to ops and masters. Decision shall be by simple majority as of the closing of the vote. In the event that a majority decision cannot be reached, the final decision will be by straw-poll of the bot-masters.
A period of 7 days is allowed in which to appeal the decision.
Procedure for adding or removing a Bot-Master
In the case of adding a master to the bot, a flagnote message or vote should be set on the bot to the other masters putting the justification for the addition, for their views. Depending on the outcome of the poll, then the user can be accepted or rejected as a bot-master, whichever the case may be. The procedure is otherwise as per the granting of bot-operator status
It would be hoped that the masters would behave in a sensible manner, but should this not be the case, then obviously action will need to be taken to protect the channel. If there is felt to be a need to censure a Master, then a slightly different approach should be taken to that for action against an Operator.
Firstly, the Master should be warned by another Master that their actions are against Channel Policy. A flagnote should be posted to the other masters detailling the concerns. At this stage, the masters will need to make a decision on what action, if any, they feel should be taken.
Should it be felt that removal of Master status is necessary, a vote should be posted in HeadMstr, with a 7 day deadline, and a flagnote giving the reasons for the vote posted to masters. As for the vote regarding removal of an Operator, the decision shall be by simple majority as of the closing of the vote. In the event that a majority decision cannot be reached, the final decision will be by straw-poll of the bot-masters.
If the situation causing the vote is of a serious nature, then the Master in question will have his Master rights revoked pending the outcome of the vote. This is to prevent possible damage being caused to the bot.
A period of 7 days is allowed in which to appeal the decision.
Mechanics of a Vote
When an issue arises that requires a vote, any bot-master can be requested to place a vote. To do so, they need to be given full details of the boackground to the request, (including logs if necessary), and what the vote should be about.
The vote should be posted a.s.a.p., with an adequate time-period to allow people to respond to the vote.
After the votes have been collected and the vote has closed, the results of the vote will be posted on the channel web-page for a period of one week.
In the case of votes of no-confidence or censure, ALL eligible users MUST register a vote. If you do not have an opinion on the issue, you may abstain, bot you must register your vote. Failing to do so calls into question your commitment to the aims and objectives of the Policy and Charter and, by association, your commitment to your responsibilities as a bot-operator or master.