Being chosen as an operator in the camp is quite an honor. It is my privilege to welcome you to an elevated position of respect and status within the Gorean community on Austnet and GoreanNet. There is much responsibility attendant to this status, however.

Being an operator is a powerful position. This power affects people in different ways. Power is one of the things which Priest-Kings told us were important. It can be very intoxicating. In the hands of someone who is not mature enough, power can be misused. I would thus caution you to be respectful of the power which you now hold and to use it sparingly and wisely.

Channel operators share a brotherhood and must maintain a united front...consistant in their support of each other. Never argue with a fellow op in channel....arguments ∓mp; disagreements must be handled out of channel or in notice/query. Kicking/banning/ or killing a fellow op will result in loss of the @ to the offender.

Your primary responsibility as a channel operator is the security and control of the channel...if you must be AFK, or BRB, or leave, make certain another op is available, and aware, if at all possible, or delay your departure until one is available. Please make it your business to focus on the channel....leaving play until later, when more ops are in channel to share that responsibility. A sole op in channel, must never -tent- (or alcove).

This is what it's really about! :)

You should create an ON JOIN event that provides you with an automatic /whois on each person who joins the channel. This will often give you a clue as to the interests of the people who wander in. If you see a user who is logged into several obvious sex channels , you can probably assume he/she is a HNG. In this case, I will usually confront the user, trying to keep a neutral tone at first, to determine what he/she expects from the channel. Often this questioning is enough to convince him/her to move on.

I caution you against being overzealous about persecuting HNGs. While it is certainly great sport, I would remind you what happened to the buffalo. Let's keep the herd thinned out but do not hammer them into extinction. If we manage them carefully enough, we will all be able to enjoy HNG slaying forever.

On a number of occasions, I was just beginning to work a HNG up to one of my classic and masterful kicks when another Op leapt in and killed him without ceremony. Once, a HNG insulted me directly and another Op killed him before I could say a word. Do not do this. For one thing, it is rude. More importantly, however, it is a matter of honor. The one who has been insulted is allowed retribution. Denying him of his opportunity to avenge himself is disrespectful and deprives him of a chance to restore honor. If, for example, I was too busy to deal with it, I would offer the HNG up to someone else. Other HNGs, who do not insult us directly, but who still rate a kick, should be "called." Use the /wallop command (if you don't have that alias, let me know) to decide which Op will get the kill. The other Ops must back off and make some killing room.

Other reasons for kicking, and or banning include being in any channel with "teen" in it's name. This is because #Tahari-Oasis and Gor are very adult subjects, and one who is in teen channels IS a teen, or is a predators on or of teens, neither of which is allowed or wanted here.

What constitutes sufficient reason for a kick? Anyone who doesn't conform to the accepted norms of behavior in the channel (which can be found described elsewhere in rules and of which you, as a respected member of our community, have already displayed a thorough knowledge) after a reasonable warning, should get kicked. With the automatic rejoin feature in mIRC, most users will normally rejoin the channel immediately. Even so, the kick should serve as a tool to gain the user's attention. They may become repentant, or they may become confrontational.

Should the user fail to understand the subtle hints such as warnings and kicks, it will probably be necessary to ban him/her. Please, folks, use some style! A simple kick and ban has no panache and no entertainment value. Let's see some physical prowess, some blood and gore, some creativity. This is Gor!

You may not be able to permanently ban a user from the channel. That action, placing a user on the autokick list, is the prerogative of the founder. But you can certainly present to us a case where you think a user rates being placed on the autokick list. For this purpose, among others, I suggest you set mIRC to automatically log conversations for you. This will require that you spend some time once in awhile going through the logs and cleaning out unneeded garbage. Of course, if you don't want to, you don't have to. It's your hard disk :)

For your ordinary, run-of-the-mill jerk it isn't necessary to explain why you kick/banned him. But in some circumstances you should drop a note to me and detail the circumstances. Users who attempt to actively disrupt the channel with things such as floodbots, clonebots,warbots, use of colours, or wavs for example, should be brought to our attention. Use your judgement.

Grant entrances, exits, afk's, brb's of slaves.

Greet entering residents, visitors, and slaves.

Check every entrant with a /whois as above..warning for Masters, Mistresses in sex channels; slaves in any other channel, and taking appropriate action. (The reason that being in a sex channel, while ..to anyone, on a /whois that sex channel becomes associated with us, and is not the image we wish to send to anyone.)

Arbitrate and resolve disputes between visitors.

Make every effort to keep the channel GOREAN, and be a role model for the actions of others.....keeping your own language and actions clean and dignified.

Make sure all visitors are served. Try to keep at least one slave available for service at all times.

Behave yourself with another Free Person's property and make sure visitors do the same.! Never allow ABUSE of any slave...PERIOD!

Kick/ban offenders of any rule...make logs available...shortened to include all pertinent parts of the event, but NOT days, or worse... weeks that need to be sifted to see the event. Cut and paste to a log of that event, to present, for review for a possible permanent ban.

Be a resource of knowledge to those seriously interested in learning, or knowing about the Gorean Community.

If during busy or down times, a slave asks three times, to leave the channel, and gets no response, from an op, they may state their r/l reason for having to leave channel, and may do so, without reprisal.

Do not remove a channel ban set by another, the removal, is to be at owners discretion, or the original ban-er.

The fondling, or caressing of "approved" slaves is allowed.... however, please ensure the visitor removes it from channel to a tent when leaves the realm of sensual, and begins sexual in nature....and that both parties mark themselves nick-tnt.

In general, Judgement, and HONOR must be considered, and in general is a good idea to BAN first, then kick, if both are to be done, so one does not slide back in on you, with auto-rejoin, if have time.

Messaging or pc'ing slaves without their permission

Being abusive to a Free person

Slaves being in multiple channels

There is to be NO forced collaring...that is without submission, there is NO collar...will be no slave stealing, collared or not; and will be no forced rape, or unwanted sexual behavior. It would appear that this is not in need of being stated, as is irc-gor, and there IS an off switch on the means with which one is here....but for the record...is stated....NO forced collars.

We do not recognize irc-gor killings...while not stated as a NKZ, we simply do not recognize such..as it does not happen in this manner in the Chronicles.

We do not recognize same-sex Free Companionships, ie: F-F, M-M. This is not a sexual orientation issue, but again, it simply didn't happen in the Chronicles. We do not allow the flaunting of it either, and a kick/ban is in order for one who attempts to argue the point.

Disgusting, stupid, or offensive nicks

Being a switch...a slave imposting a free person, or a free person wearing a slave nick..or one who switches, without the benefit of a public ceremony, or recognition.

Channel flooding, advertising, cloning, mass-inviting, mass-messaging, or the attempt thereof.

Assassinations

Being under the age of 21 (or legal consent)

Open or overt sex or perversion in channel

Arguing, or fighting, or disturbance in channel

Continued interruption of discussion, or classes, or meetings in channel.

Displaying ascii art, or coloured text, or wav's not used in or for a gorean dance, or event; after warning to eliminate it's use.

Being an asshole, in general.

Slave pasting of talk, to another outside of channel, for harassment, or any negative purpose.

Subbie-like behavior by a Free person

In general, if not specifically covered here, your judgement will have to prevail...and with the thought, of ...IF THIS WERE GOR, how would I act...see 'support' below).

Collared slaves are property. We respect other people's property in the camp. If a Master does not wish for his slave to sit on patron's laps or go to tents, then we will respect his wishes. This applies to punishment as well. At no time, however, will we permit the slaves to speak to the Free Persons with anything less than proper respect. You may have to intercede in such matters. Use tact, use judgement, but do not compromise our Gorean principles.

Un collared slaves have a more tenuous position in the camp. In a sense, they belong to the entire community and we, as the operators, represent their owners. Thus, you should treat them as if they belonged to the camp. Un collared slaves do not *have* to go to tents, sit on laps, etc. Again use the same judgement in any intercessions.

Do not allow the slaves to use the protection of the camp as a tool for manipulation. Slaves are slaves. They must be subservient, cooperative, and pleasing. Should a slave appear to be "gaming" the camp, you should perhaps take some time to speak to her. Try to determine her reasons for being there and what she hopes to achieve. You may decide to educate her if you sense she is receptive. Otherwise, she may turn out to be sleen feed. Judgement is again called for.

I should not need to remind you that the affairs of slaves are not that important. If a situation with a slave begins to occupy too much of your attention, perhaps it is better to be rid of her. They simply do not rate that much consideration. They are slaves.

From time to time, you may be called upon to arbitrate a dispute between patrons. I would caution you against taking sides, and would encourage you to make an attempt at impartiality. Get both sides of the story if you can. When *I* am called upon to arbitrate, I demand logs. I will not entertain unsubstantiated accusations particularly in matters in which honor is at stake. Remember, a perfectly equitable Gorean solution is to kick/ban both litigants. If the situation is beyond you, turn it over to me.

We selected you as an operator because we felt you were Gorean, you were mature enough to handle the power responsibly, and because you have honor. Do not be afraid to make a decision or to take action. We stand behind you 100%. If you mess up really bad, we'll let you know privately. It has happened on occasion that there was a dispute between a patron and an Op. At times, I felt the Op was in the wrong. I did not, however, let the user know that. I will never display to the users that I am less than 100% happy with the Ops. You enjoy our support.

Remember that you must be Gorean in all things you do on the channel. If a situation puzzles you, consider how you would act if you were really on Gor. Be responsible, be mature, and be honorable!

Please also see "camp rules" and "slave rules"