94/04/29
                 ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
                 ³      Free Form Networking       ³
                 ³ A Concept in Cyberspace Anarchy ³
                 ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ

I, Tommy, hereby establish the Free Form Network, the first FTN (to my
knowledge) based on truly anarchaic principles.

                    ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
                    ³ Free Form Network Policy ³
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(1) There shall no enforceable policy beyond that established between a
    feed and his/her/its downlink nodes.

(2) There shall be no NMH, ZMH or other mandatory downtime except that
    to which existing nodes are already committed in fascist networks.

(3) There shall be no network policy restricting echo content, but
    echo hubs have power of Gh0d by virtue of their technological
    capability of cutting anyone off.  Nodes in disagreement with a feed
    may seek another feed site.  Hubs and feeds may accept or reject any
    node on any grounds (but are cautioned that rejection on certain
    grounds may invite legal action).  All nodes are cautioned that
    local and federal laws may preclude the inclusion of certain subject
    matter in Free Form Network echoes; judgment of the propriety of
    such subject matter is left to affected nodes and feeds.

(4) There shall be no nodelist and no official backbone.  While Free
    Form Networking was intended originally to sit on existing FTN
    transport layers, particularly Fidonet, all echoes may be ported to
    other transport layer technologies such as UUCP, Internet, QWK, etc.
    (subject to local laws, other networks policy approvals, and
    intellectual property encumbrances).  Free Form network echoes may
    be carried on the backbones of other networks but nodes are
    cautioned that our echoes may not be universally welcome on the
    subsidized echomail backbones paid for by non-Free Form Networking
    nodes.  Because there is no nodelist, there is no authoritarian
    structure and therefore no central authority.

(5) Because there is no central authority, there is no avenue of
    arbitration nor appeal in case of dispute.  Nodes in dispute with a
    feed are encouraged to seek another feed elsewhere or attempt to
    pursue legal action.  Nodes in dispute with another node are not
    encumbered by this policy from pursuing legal action.  Other fascist
    networks place themselves above the law of the land and thus
    prohibit nodes from availing themselves of constitutional rights to
    litigation.  Such prohibition will never exist globally in Free Form
    Networking, but this policy will not prohibit individual nodes from
    coming to a binding agreement which does exclude litigation (however
    foolhardy that may be).

(6) Because Free Form Network echoes are "hitchhiking" other networks'
    transport layers, the stability of nationwide echoes in all areas is
    not guaranteed.

(7) There shall be no official routing structure.  Nodes are strongly
    encouraged to arrange routing so as not to cause "dupe loops" and
    other technical problems.  Participating nodes may use any node
    number in any zone they please but are cautioned that the use of
    duplicate node numbers causes dupe loops.  Hubs porting Free Form
    Network echoes to and from other technologies should ensure that
    incoming messages are properly FTN compatible and that outgoing
    messages are valid for the transport layer in question.  Nodes may
    establish an informal backbone if desired, but no routing structure
    may be deemed "official." "De-Facto" would be a better description
    of any routing structure that may spontaneously arise.

(8) New echoes may be created without ratification by anyone who thinks
    he/she/it can make it work.  Echo moderators may impose whatever
    rules they wish, but are reminded that there is no net-wide
    enforceable policy to back such rules up.  You're on your own, guys.

(9) There shall be no global policy preventing any participant from
    using Free Form Networking for profit.  Local sites, feeds and echo
    moderators who feel differently may act as they see fit.  To enact a
    local policy prohibiting profit motives (or anything else for that
    matter) would not be in accord with the intent of this document, but
    is not prohibited.
    
(10) The draftor of this policy shall not be held liable for it nor its
     consequences in any event.

(11) Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of policy.

              ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
              ³ Echo suggestions (not compulsory) ³
              ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ

Echo tags should begin with ffn to identify them as indigenous to Free
Form Networking.

Echo tags should be written in increasing order of specificity.  A local
chatter echo might be called: ffn.victoria.chatter

Duplicate echoes should be avoided as this tends to dilute the content
of both echoes.

            ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
            ³ Note for Nodes wishing a feed direct from THC ³
            ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ

All local public message areas on THC are offered as FFN echoes.  Call
THC at (604) 361-4549 to get a list or send netmail to 1:340/26,
69:3601/26 or 96:1500/126.

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                     ³ THC Local FFN policy ³
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Echoes on THC are fed on an on-hold basis only, and any pending echomail
which exceeds one megabyte will be automatically purged without warning.
THC will not provide a feed which will create an unlawful circumstance.

THC reserves the right to refuse a feed to anyone.

This local policy only applies to nodes THC feeds directly.  THC cannot
prevent redistribution, and in the spirit of global policy, will not try
to.

-=( T )=-