W O R L D P O L
                International FidoNet Policy Document

                             Version 3

0.        Preliminary Note

     [This section will automatically be removed upon adoption
     of this document.]

     This document has been released for vote by the members of
     FidoNet and is not yet in force.  The Network Coordinators
     are encouraged to circulate this document and cast their
     votes according to the wishes of the Nodes which comprise
     their Networks.

1.        Preamble, Purpose, and Scope of This Document

     FidoNet is an amateur electronic mail system.  As such, all
     of its participants and operators are unpaid volunteers
     and/or hobbyists.  From its early beginnings in 1984 as a
     few friends swapping messages back and forth mainly in
     North America, it consists now of an International
     community of more than 18,000 members worldwide.

     FidoNet is not a common carrier or a value-added service
     network.  FidoNet is a public network only as much as the
     independent member Nodes may individually provide public
     access to the network via their system.  FidoNet has no
     corporate legal existence.

     FidoNet exists to provide electronic mail services to its
     member Nodes.  To provide such services efficiently,
     various structure and control mechanisms have been
     established.  The structure and administration of FidoNet
     are detailed in this document.

     FidoNet is a living thing and changes with the technology
     upon which it is based, and with the wishes of its members.
     This document is intended to provide for those changes, and
     to set only the broadest possible limits upon them.

     Accordingly, this document should be interpreted in the
     most permissive and general way possible.  Only a few
     things are deemed so egregious as to be forbidden entirely:

     - Discrimination without technical justification

     - Tyranny

     - Profiteering

1.1.      Membership

     A member system of FidoNet is commonly known as a "node."
     The membership of FidoNet is defined by a list of systems
     called the NodeList.  The NodeList is published weekly on
     the behalf of the International Coordinator and distributed
     in whole or incrementally to the entire membership.  The
     NodeList is a publicly available document.

1.1.1.    Admission to Membership

     FidoNet membership is open to everyone fulfilling the
     technical standards described in a document released by the
     network's Technical Standards Committee (FTS-0001 or as
     superseded).  The only requirements are the ability to send
     and receive electronic mail according to the applicable
     technical standards, and a willingness to abide by the
     relevant policy documents.

1.1.2.    Nondiscrimination Policy

     Discrimination on other than technical grounds is not
     permitted in FidoNet.  This means that no restriction other
     than the ability to adhere to the applicable technical
     standards may be imposed upon those wishing to join.

     Members may, however, be suspended or expelled for cause as
     set forth in this document.

1.1.3.    Encouraging the Growth of FidoNet

     The strength and viability of FidoNet increase as its
     membership increases.  All members are urged to encourage
     the growth of the network by helping others to join.
     Technical assistance to newcomers should be considered a
     primary obligation of membership.

1.2.      Availability of This Document

     To facilitate the growth of network membership, this
     document shall be distributed as widely as possible to
     members and prospective members.  Anyone wishing a copy may
     obtain one.  Members are encouraged to make it available in
     electronic form to those who access their systems.

1.3.      Language

     For practical reasons, the international language of
     FidoNet shall be English.  Individual Zones, Regions, and
     Networks may adopt whatever language is most convenient for
     them.

     The translation of all official documents into as many
     languages as possible is encouraged.

1.4.      Privacy

     The store-and-forward nature of most FidoNet transmissions
     does not permit any assurance of privacy.  All data
     transmitted should be considered accessible to the owners
     of all the systems through which it passes.  Because in
     many jurisdictions the owners of those systems may be held
     responsible for the content of such data, encryption for
     the sake of secrecy is forbidden; the owner of any system
     through which encrypted or encoded data is transmitted is
     entitled to the mechanisms for interpreting that data upon
     demand.

1.5.      Commercial Use

     FidoNet is not a commercial enterprise.  Incidental use for
     commercial purposes, such as customer support or the buying
     and selling of merchandise via electronic mail postings, is
     allowed.  However, no member may be forced to incur any
     costs or obligations in order to permit or further such
     commercial use.  This would constitute profiteering.

1.6.      Dues, Fees, and Charges

     There are no dues, fees, or charges for membership in
     FidoNet.  This does not prohibit cost recovery schemes or
     other mechanisms for distributing the financial impact of
     providing various services; however, no one can be
     compelled to participate in such a scheme if they can find
     a more appealing alternative.

     For example, a group of Nodes may choose to split the cost
     of importing files or echomail.  They would be within their
     rights to refuse to supply files and EchoMail to anyone who
     doesn't wish to contribute, BUT they may not forbid or even
     discourage anyone from getting their files or EchoMail
     elsewhere.

1.6.1.  Charges for Required Distributions

     As a specific instance, no Coordinator may charge any fee
     or recover any costs associated with the distribution of
     the official documents and publications of FidoNet, nor for
     the routing of inbound Netmail.  They may choose, however,
     to hold these items for pickup at the recipient's expense.

2.        The Structure of FidoNet

     The collection of Nodes is ordered into Zones, Regions and
     Networks in a hierarchical fashion.  A Zone consists of one
     or more Regions; a Region consists of one or more Networks.
     Each level in the hierarchy may adopt its own policy
     document to suit its own needs; however, no policy may
     contradict the policy of the higher level.

     The organizational structure of FidoNet has been developed
     to distribute the administration and control of FidoNet to
     the lowest possible level, while still allowing for
     coordination of the whole.  Although FidoNet is a
     hierarchy, with a top down flow of administration, it must
     be as responsive as possible to the lowest level, the
     individual Node.
2.1.      Administrative Responsibility

     Each administrative level is responsible to the level
     above, and responsible for the level below.  If a person at
     any level (above the Node) is unable to properly perform
     their duties, the person at the next higher level may
     replace them by appointment.  For example, if a Region
     Coordinator is unable to perform his or her duties, then
     the Zone Coordinator may appoint an interim replacement.

2.1.1.    Duration of Appointed Term

     The appointed replacement may serve only until elections
     can be held for an elected replacement.

2.1.2.    Candidacy of Appointees

     The appointed person may run for the office to which they
     have been appointed.

2.1.3.    Democratic Elections

     Elections must be held in accordance with democratic
     principles as outlined later in this document.

2.1.4.    Creation of New Jurisdictions

     In the event of the creation of a new Zone, Region, or Net
     the administrative level immediately above shall appoint a
     Coordinator pro tempore to serve until an election can be
     held for an elected replacement.

2.2.      The Zone Coordinator Council

     The Zone Coordinator Council consists of the Zone
     Coordinators of the several Zones and the International
     Coordinator.

     Each Zone Coordinator has one vote at the ZCC.  The
     International Coordinator may only vote in the event of a
     ZCC vote tie, but does not regularly have voting power.

     The Zone Coordinator Council is the legislative body of
     FidoNet, it represents each of the Zones in FidoNet.  It is
     the highest authority of the Network's top down
     organization.

2.2.1.    The International Coordinator

     The International Coordinator (IC) is the Executive Officer
     of FidoNet and coordinates the joint production of the
     master NodeList by the Zone Coordinators.  The
     International Coordinator is responsible for creating new
     Zones in FidoNet, but can only do so with the approval of a
     simple majority of the members of the Zone Coordinator
     Council.

     The International Coordinator is selected by unanimous vote
     of the Zone Coordinators, and removed by a majority vote of
     the Zone Coordinators.  In the case of the absence of the
     International Coordinator, the Zone Coordinator Council
     replaces her/him by voting on all IC resolutions to be
     approved by a simple majority.

2.2.2.    Zones and the Zone Coordinators

     A Zone is a grouping of Regions generally consisting of
     several countries, whose borders are determined by the Zone
     Coordinator Council.

     The Zone Coordinator is the Executive Officer of the Zone,
     and the Zone's representative to the other Zones.

     The Zone Coordinator compiles the NodeLists from all of the
     Regions in the Zone, creates a master NodeList and a
     difference file, which latter is then distributed over
     FidoNet within the Zone and to the other Zone Coordinators.
     The Zone Coordinator must ensure the distribution of the
     official FidoNet publications to the Region Coordinators
     within the Zone.  A Zone Coordinator need not perform
     message-forwarding services for any Nodes in the Zone, but
     the Zone Coordinator is responsible for the formation
     and/or administration of one or more Zone-gates to provide
     inter-Zone mail facilities.

2.3.      Regions and the Region Coordinators

     A Region is a defined portion of a Zone containing Nodes
     which may or may not be members of Networks.  A typical
     Region will contain many Nodes in one or more Networks, and
     a few independent Nodes which are not part of the Region's
     other Networks.

     The Region Coordinator maintains the list of independent
     Nodes in the Region, and accepts NodeList segments from the
     Network Coordinators in the Region.  These are compiled to
     create a Regional NodeList, which is sent to the Zone
     Coordinator.  A Region Coordinator is required to ensure
     the distribution of the official FidoNet publications to
     the Network Coordinators in the Region.  A Region
     Coordinator is encouraged to perform message-forwarding
     services for Nodes within the Region, but is not forced to,
     unless the appropriate Zone or Region policy imposes such a
     requirement.

2.4.      Networks and the Network Coordinators

     A Network is a group of Nodes who coordinate their
     administrative and mail activity.

     The Network Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the
     list of Nodes for the Network, and for accepting NetMail
     sent to members of the Network from other FidoNet Nodes.
     The Network Coordinator may make arrangements to handle
     outgoing NetMail, but is not required to do so, unless the
     appropriate Zone, Region or Net policy imposes such a
     requirement.  The Network Coordinator must ensure the
     availability of the official FidoNet publications to all
     Nodes within the Network.

     The Network Coordinator is required to assign a valid Node
     number to each and every qualifying petitioner within 3
     weeks from the request.  A petitioner may only be deemed
     unqualified if she/he cannot meet current FidoNet Technical
     Standards.  The NC must inform the petitioner of the
     grounds for any rejection, and advise them of the procedure
     for appealing the decision.

2.4.1.    Network Routing Hubs

     The Network Coordinator may appoint one or more hubs to
     assist in the distribution of mail and documents; the hubs
     may also be required to maintain a portion of the NodeList.
     Hubs serve at the pleasure of the Network Coordinator, who
     remains responsible for their activities.

2.5.      Nodes (Individual Systems)

     The smallest subdivision of FidoNet is the individual
     system, corresponding to one or more entries in the
     NodeList.  The system operator (SysOp) may or may not
     maintain a Bulletin Board System which may or may not be
     publicly accessible.  The system must be continually
     available to send and receive mail in accordance with the
     terms of FidoNet membership, and must adhere to the
     relevant policies in force at all levels of FidoNet up to
     and including this overall Policy.

2.5.1.    Users of a System

     If a SysOp maintains a Bulletin Board System to which
     others have access, the SysOp is responsible for all
     activities of those users which impinge upon the rest of
     FidoNet.  Users have no rights or standing under this
     Policy.  It is the responsibility of the SysOp to ensure
     that all communications originating from the system,
     whether posted by the SysOp or a user, comply with FidoNet
     Policy.

2.5.2.    Points

     A Point is a computer system that is not in the NodeList,
     but communicates with the rest of FidoNet through a member
     Node known as its bossnode.  All mail set to a Point is
     addressed to the bossnode's address.  Points may
     communicate with other member Nodes if those Nodes permit
     it, but they are not required to do so.

     Points have the same status as users of a member system.

     Off-line readers are software packages which allow bulk
     transfers of mail between a BBS and another computer but do
     not offer the full functionality required for FidoNet
     membership.  Users of Off-line readers are considered to be
     users of the BBS from which they obtain their mail.

3.        The FidoNet Technical Standards Committee

     The FidoNet Technical Standards Committee (FTSC) exists for
     the purpose of establishing minimum requirements in
     software and hardware which the members of FidoNet must
     observe.  These minimum requirements must be obeyed at
     every level, and systems which cannot meet them are
     ineligible for membership in FidoNet.

3.1.      Composition of the FTSC

     The members of the FTSC are appointed by and serve at the
     pleasure of the Zone Coordinator Council.

3.2.      Duties of the FTSC

     In addition to establishing minimum technical requirements
     for membership in FidoNet, the FTSC is also responsible for
     promulgating optional standards and for promoting the
     advancement of FidoNet technology.

     The Zone Coordinator Council may assign other duties to the
     FTSC, and the FTSC may assume other responsibilities
     subject to the approval of the Zone Coordinator Council.

4.        General Procedures for Coordinators

4.1.      Distribution of Official Documents

     Each Coordinator is responsible for obtaining and making
     available for distribution the official documents and
     publications of FidoNet.  This availability must include
     file requests from any and all members of FidoNet.  This
     availability must extend directly or indirectly to
     non-members as well so as to encourage the growth of
     FidoNet.

4.1.1.    Maintaining a Bulletin Board System (BBS)

     Although no Coordinator is required to maintain a publicly
     accessible BBS, they are required to ensure that at least
     one publicly accessible BBS within their jurisdiction does
     make the official documents available upon request to
     non-members who are not be able to use file requests.

4.1.2.    Official Documents

     The list of official documents and publications of FidoNet
     may be amended by the Zone Coordinator Council.  FidoNet
     being an open society, its official documents are available
     freely to members and non-members alike; the only
     restriction is that no one may be forced to incur a cost
     for providing them to another.

4.1.2.1.  The Policy

     A Coordinator is responsible for making the current version
     of the International Policy available to the level below,
     and to encourage familiarity with it.

4.1.2.2.  The NodeList

     The NodeList is the official roster of the FidoNet
     membership.

4.1.2.3.  The NodeDiff

     Since the NodeList is large and will continue to grow, it
     is maintained through the distribution of weekly difference
     files (the NodeDiffs).

4.1.2.4.  FidoNews

     FidoNews is the Official Newsletter of FidoNet.  Each
     Coordinator is responsible for obtaining and making
     available for file request on a weekly basis, FidoNews
     Documents.

     If a Zone Coordinator is not able to get FidoNews into
     her/his Zone, he should immediately request help from the
     FidoNews Editor.  If the Editor can arrange a way to have
     it delivered to the Zone Coordinator, FidoNews must be
     necessarily available to the rest of the Zone.  Otherwise,
     the Zone Coordinator may unilaterally waive this
     requirement.

4.2.      Maintenance of the NodeList

     Each Coordinator is responsible for obtaining NodeList
     information from the level below, processing it, and
     passing the results to the level above.  The timing of this
     process is determined by the requirements imposed by the
     level above.

4.3.      Minimize the Number of Hats Worn

     Coordinators are encouraged to limit the number of
     FidoNet-related Coordinator functions they perform.  A
     Coordinator who holds two different positions compromises
     the appeal and arbitration process.  For example, if the
     Network Coordinator is also the Region Coordinator, SysOps
     in that Network are denied one level of appeal.

     Multiple hats are also discouraged due to the difficulty of
     replacing services when a coordinator leaves office.

4.4.      Be a Member of the Jurisdiction

     A Coordinator of whatever level must be a member of that
     Coordinator's own jurisdiction.  That is, a Network
     Coordinator must be a Node within that Network; a Region
     Coordinator must be either a Node in a Network within that
     Region or an independent Node within that Region; etc.

4.5.      Encourage New Members

     A Coordinator is expected to actively encourage the health
     and growth of FidoNet by ensuring the free availability of
     the official documents and publications to non-members, by
     offering technical assistance (directly or indirectly)
     where possible, and by promptly responding to applications
     for membership.

     Above all, a Coordinator is expected to be courteous,
     helpful, and evenhanded in dealing with both members and
     potential members.

4.6.      Tradition and Precedent

     A Coordinator is not bound by the practices of
     predecessors.  However, it must be clear that Coordinators
     are bound by all requirements of this document, both as
     FidoNet SysOps and as Coordinators.  The holding of a
     Coordinator title does not grant license to annoy others or
     to flaunt policy.

4.7.      Management of the Jurisdiction

     The primary responsibility of any Coordinator is technical
     management of Network operations.  Decisions should
     normally be made only on technical grounds.  A Coordinator
     has the responsibility to act as objectively as possible;
     objectivity must be considered an essential factor when
     making a decision.

     Decisions based upon other than technical grounds must be
     considered extreme measures, to be taken only when no
     alternative exists to deal with a situation which threatens
     the rights of the membership as outlined in this Policy.

5.        Zone Mail Hour

     Zone Mail Hour is the heart of FidoNet, as this is when
     Network mail is passed between systems.  Any system which
     wishes to be a part of FidoNet must be able to receive mail
     during this time using the protocol defined in the current
     FidoNet Technical Standards Committee publication (FTS-0001
     at this writing).  It is permissible to have greater
     capability (for example, to support additional protocols or
     extended mail hours), but the minimum requirement is
     FTS-0001 capability during this one hour of the day.
     This time is exclusively reserved for Netmail.  Many phone
     systems charge on a per call basis, regardless of whether a
     connect, no connect, or busy signal is encountered.  For
     this reason, any activity other than normal Network mail
     processing that ties up a system during ZMH is considered
     annoying behavior.  User (BBS) access to a system is
     prohibited during ZMH.

     Zone Mail Hour will be defined by each Zone Policy.  In the
     absence of a Zone Policy, it will be defined by the Zone
     Coordinator.

     Zone Mail Hours for all Zones should be published every
     week in FidoNews, as well as in the NodeList.

6.        Elections and Referenda

     Any election or referendum at any level within FidoNet must
     comply with the standards described in this section.

6.1.      Voter Eligibility

     All SysOps who are members of FidoNet have one vote each
     and must be allowed to participate in any election or
     referendum held within their jurisdiction.

     In the case where one SysOp operates more than one Node,
     that SysOp may cast only one vote in any election or
     referendum.

     In the case where more than one person functions as the
     SysOp of a Node, the one who is listed in the NodeList
     casts a single vote.  How they settle this among themselves
     is their business.

6.2.      Voting Mechanisms

6.2.1.    Establishment of Local Procedures

     Each jurisdiction may issue its own voting procedures
     covering jurisdiction-wide elections and referenda; these
     procedures may be embodied in a policy document for the
     jurisdiction, or may be ad hoc in the absence a policy
     document covering the situation.

6.2.2.    Direct or Indirect Voting

     Elections may be by direct vote, or by indirect vote with
     one or more representatives casting a vote or votes based
     upon a direct vote of their constituencies.  In the case of
     an indirect vote, representation may be proportional or
     not.

     In any case, all members of the jurisdiction must be
     allowed to vote except if it would violate the one-SysOp,
     one-vote principle.  (Such a case might arise in the case
     of a SysOp who maintains Nodes in two different Nets within
     the same Region; such a SysOp may cast only one vote in any
     Region-wide election or referendum.)

     In the case of an indirect election, the electors must be
     chosen by direct vote of the SysOps.

6.2.3.    Coordinators Acting As Electors

     Coordinators may not ex officio serve as electors
     representing their Network or Region in an indirect
     election unless they have been chosen by direct vote of the
     SysOps in the administered area.

6.2.4.    Worldwide Elections and Referenda

     In worldwide elections and referenda with the participation
     of all Zones, the Zone Coordinator Council will determine
     the election procedures and whether the vote will be direct
     or indirect.  This will be done in each particular case by
     a ZCC resolution.

6.3.      Eligibility for Office

     All SysOps in FidoNet are entitled to be candidates to any
     elective position, provided that the requirements for each
     position described in this and lower-level policy documents
     are satisfied.

6.4.      Term of Office

     By default, the term of office for any elected or appointed
     official shall be two years.

6.4.1     Absolute Term Limitations

     Zone, Region, or Net policies may extend or shorten this
     term of office, but it may not be longer than three years.

6.4.2.    Multiple Terms

     Unless further restricted by the applicable Zone, Region,
     or Net policies, there is no restriction on the number of
     consecutive or non-consecutive terms which an official may
     serve.

6.5.      Policy Referenda

6.5.1.    Adopting or Amending the International Policy

     A referendum on International Policy modification is
     invoked by the International Coordinator at the direction
     of a majority of the Zone Coordinators, or a majority of
     the Region Coordinators of all Zones, a majority of the
     Network Coordinators of all Zones, or by one third of all
     the SysOps in all Zones.

     All the members of FidoNet are entitled to vote on an
     International Policy referendum, which is to be held
     according to the procedures described by the Zone
     Coordinator Council before the election is called.

6.5.1.1.  Transition to a New International Policy

     Upon the adoption of a new International Policy, any
     previous International Policy is adjourned.  Any existing
     Zone, Region, or Network Policies must be brought into
     compliance with the new International Policy.

6.5.1.2.  Affect of Amendments to the International Policy

     Upon the adoption of an amendment to the International
     Policy, any existing Zone, Region, or Network Policies must
     be brought into compliance with the International Policy as
     amended.

6.5.2.    Adopting or Amending a Zone Policy

     A referendum on Zone Policy modification is invoked by the
     Zone Coordinator, by a majority vote of the Region
     Coordinators in the Zone, by a majority vote of the Network
     Coordinators in the Zone, or by one third of all the SysOps
     in the Zone.

     All the members of the Zone are entitled to vote on a Zone
     Policy referendum, which is to be held according to the
     procedures described in the Zone Policy.  If such document
     does not exist, the procedures will be determined by the
     Zone Coordinator with the approval of the Zone Coordinator
     Council.

6.5.3.    Adopting or Amending Region and Network Policies

     The formulation of Region and Network Policy documents is
     encouraged, and must be allowed by the Zone Policy
     documents in each Zone.

7.        Primacy of the International Policy

     The International Policy holds primacy over all Zone,
     Region, and Network Policies.

8.        Disputes among Members

     The FidoNet judicial philosophy can be summed up in two
     rules:

     - Thou shalt not excessively annoy others.

     - Thou shalt not become excessively annoyed.

     Tolerance and consideration of others are expected of all
     members.

8.1.      Resolution of Disputes

8.1.1.    Direct Resolution

     Wherever and whenever possible, the parties involved in any
     dispute must make a good-faith effort to resolve their
     problems directly, without the intervention of a
     Coordinator.

     Tolerance and consideration of others are expected of all
     members.

8.1.2.    Arbitration Requests

     Any of the parties involved may request the intervention of
     the appropriate Coordinator: Network Coordinator if a
     dispute between members of the same Network, Region
     Coordinator if a dispute between members of different
     Networks in the same Region; Zone Coordinator if a dispute
     between members of different Regions in the same Zone;
     International Coordinator if a dispute between members of
     different Zones.

     In the event that one of the parties to the dispute is a
     Coordinator, then arbitration of the dispute falls to the
     level above.

     The Coordinator requested to act as "arbitrator" will ask
     each party to provide all information relevant to the
     request within two weeks from the request being made and
     will make a decision within forty-five days after s/he
     received all the information from the involved parties.

     A Coordinator, unable to resolve a dispute, may name a
     third party to act as "arbitrator," provided the parties
     involved in the dispute agree.

     Tolerance and consideration of others are expected of all
     members.

8.1.3.    Appeals

     An arbitrator's decision may be appealed to the immediately
     superior level if considered unfair: Region Coordinators
     handle appeals from decisions made by Network Coordinators;
     Zone Coordinators handle appeals from decisions made by
     Region Coordinators; the International Coordinator handles
     appeals from decisions made by the Zone Coordinators; and
     the Zone Coordinator Council will handle appeals from
     decisions made by the International Coordinator.  Decisions
     of the Zone Coordinator Council are not subject to appeal.

     For appeals of a decision made by a third person named by a
     Coordinator to act as arbitrator, it will be as if the
     Coordinator made the decision and the previously enumerated
     sequence of appealing will be pertain.

     For appealing a decision made by a arbitrator, the same
     terms and procedures as for any Mediation Request apply.

     Tolerance and consideration of others are expected of all
     members.

8.1.4.    Statute of Limitations

     An arbitration request may not be filed more than 60 days
     after the date of discovery of the source of the
     infraction, either by admission or technical evidence.
     Mediation requests may not be filed more than 120 days
     after the incident, unless they involve suspected unlawful
     behavior, in which the legal statute of limitations of the
     country involved shall apply.

     Tolerance and consideration of others are expected of all
     members.  A short memory may help.

8.1.5.    Penalties

8.1.5.1.  Penalties Applicable to Members

     FidoNet is a voluntary association.  Accordingly, the only
     penalty which may be applied to its members by FidoNet is
     the withdrawal of that privilege of association, either
     temporarily or permanently.  In short, a member may be
     suspended or expelled.

8.1.5.2.  Penalties Applicable to Coordinators

     A Coordinator who abuses the office may be removed from
     that office instead of or in addition to suspension or
     expulsion from FidoNet.

8.1.5.    Legal Actions against Members

     Since FidoNet is a voluntary association with no corporate
     legal standing, it may neither act against nor on behalf of
     its members or administrators in legal actions.  Should one
     member take or precipitate legal action against another on
     a matter which is also subject of a FidoNet action or
     appeal, said action or appeal may be settled independently
     and without regard for the outcome of the legal action.

8.2.      Compliance with Local Laws

     Members of FidoNet are expected to be good citizens of
     their respective lands.  As such, they are expected to
     comply with all applicable laws.  While failure to comply
     with the laws does not constitute annoying behavior in and
     of itself, forcing or tricking another into illegal
     behavior may.  For example, sending unsolicited illegal
     matter to another Node and then notifying the police of its
     presence would be considered annoying behavior.

9.        Other Distribution Services

     Although the primary purpose of FidoNet is the distribution
     of person to person electronic mail, all jurisdictions are
     encouraged to provide for the distribution of other matter
     such as EchoMail, files, facsimiles, and anything else of
     interest or benefit to the membership.

9.1.      Required Distributions

     Notwithstanding the above, no SysOp may be required to
     carry an EchoMail conference or other distribution service
     as a condition of joining or remaining in FidoNet, with the
     exception of a single restricted traffic announcement echo
     used to pass important information to Nodes within a
     Network.

10.       Comments and Credits

     [This section, copyright included, will be automatically
     removed upon approval of this document.]

     This document is based on version 2c of the WorldPol
     proposal, with changes proposed by independent FidoNet
     SysOps.

     This document is not final.  No FidoNet policy is or will
     ever be.  If you are interested in making changes to
     FidoNet policy, please get involved!

     This document will be adopted according to the mechanisms
     provided in the present policy document.

     This document was jointly developed by AT LEAST the
     following:

     Raul Artaza, Don Benson, Bill Bolton, Steve Bonine, Randy
     Bush, Billy Coen, Phillip Dampier, Jack Decker, David
     Deitch, Daniel Docekal, Ron Dwight, Luis Garcia-Barrio,
     Hector Gomez, Tomas Gradin, Jackson Harding, Rob Hoare,
     Jesse David Hollington, Alejandro Hopkins, Tom Jennings,
     Glen Johnson, Daniel Kalchev, Raymond Lowe, Rick Moore, Bob
     Moravsik, George Peace, Vince Perriello, Bob Satti, Jan
     Stozek, Erik van Riper, Matt Whelan, and Gustavo Zacarias.

     If anyone's name was omitted, we apologize and will be
     happy to give them credit.


     (C) Copyright 1992 by Pablo Kleinman and Jerry Schwartz.