FlipSide Muck Introductory Document

FlipSide Muck, flipsidemuck.org port 9999, is a multi-world Muck running
FuzzBall-derived server software. It's intent is to provide a
variety of experiences and to do things just a little differently than
everyone else. However, it would be naive not to learn from the
experience of others, and so this document has been put together to
try and explain what is, and is not, acceptable.

Borrowing from ATMs guidelines, and them borrowing from FidoNet,
the basic rules are:

1. Thou shalt not excessively annoy others.
2. Thou shalt not be too easily annoyed.

Below is a fairly concise, and somewhat Legalese document adapted
from FurryMucks' AUP and Copyright statement. I think it covers most
cases, but don't go looking for loopholes. The upshot of it all is 
that everyone is there to have fun. If you are making things not
fun for someone, you will be removed. FlipSide Muck is a private
service and access is a priviledge, not a right. Keep it clean
and keep it fun. Remember that the Wizards have final say, and the
head Wizard, Tursi, has ultimate say. But, except in extreme cases,
he's not going to reverse another wizard's decision, so don't
bother asking. Remember that the wizards are trying to make the
muck enjoyable for everyone, including themselves, and they'd rather
be roleplaying than babysitting. ;)

This document may be updated as necessary. Current date is 29 March 2003.
New sections are marked with ')'.

ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY 

FlipSide Muck is provided as a place where users may gather for the
purposes of Role Playing and exploring Virtual Reality. By using
your character login, you agree to the following Acceptable Use
Policy: Access to FlipSide Muck, and the computing resources
required to operate FlipSide Muck, is granted on a revokable basis,
and at no time is this access guaranteed.

FlipSide Muck is a multiple-zoned environment. The policy is one of
non-interference - ie: users are not permitted to hop between worlds
and disrupt the roleplay of others.

FlipSide Muck services may be used only for lawful purposes.
Transmission or solicitation for reception of material which
violates US Federal or California State Law, any Policy of the site
where the Muck operates, or state or local law of the area in which
you reside is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to,
material that is threatening, legally obscene, libelous, or violates
trade-secret, patent, or copyright protections. 

It is understood that users may have multiple characters in order
to participate in the various different worlds. This is fine as long
as it does not cause significant drain on resources, or the
user not is using multiple accounts to hide from Wizards.

Names are globally set and are issued on a first-come, first-serve
basis. Just because you have a character somewhere else does not
mean that you own the name. If your entire character has been taken,
and is being used in a derogatory manner, AND you are prepared to
provide some evidence that you had the character first, the Wizards
will assist you in correcting the issue. You MUST provide some proof,
even as simple as authorizing the Wizard at the muck your character
was created at to give us the creation date.

Your password is a private resource and by accepting it you agree
not to transfer the password or character to any other person
without prior permission from a Wizard.

TinySex, or TS, happens on all Mucks, and it is expected on
FlipSide Muck. TS is not permitted in public areas, and no worlds
expecting such behaviour will be permitted. The expected public level of
FlipSide Muck is PG13, tops. Sexual descriptions or statements with
or in the presence of minors, real or portrayed, whether consentual
or not, WHETHER YOU KNOW OR NOT, is illegal in many states, and such
behaviour is grounds for immediate removal from the system. Know
who you're playing with. For the purpose of FlipSide an adult is
defined as 19 years old. Remember that this includes real AND
portrayed age. If the legal age of consent is higher than 19 in the
state which any participant of the activity resides, then that
higher limit shall apply.

A public room is any room on the muck that a player may enter by
following open and unlocked links from other public rooms, with the
initial public room being the GATEWAY. Rooms which are global jump
destinations, such as the CROSSROADS, are also public rooms. A
private room is a room owned by a wiz or user which is not connected
by open links to any public room on the muck, and is set
_private:yes to prevent teleports. Adult situations will not be
policied in private rooms unless a minor or non-consenting indivual
is present, or other breach of law occurs.

Descriptions must remain PG - there must be no visible reference to
sexual organs. No sheaths, reproductive organs, covers, slits,
bulges or nipples shall be in any public description. Use some
common sense.

)Programming is not encouraged for the users on FlipSide muck, with
)roleplay being the preferred pursuit. However, with the approval of
)the wizard in character of a player's world, an M1 bit may be granted
)for personal use only. Not all worlds may permit programming. Likewise,
)MPI programs are discouraged by may be used for personal use only.
)No user-owned program may access props on anything the author or
)caller do not own.

In order to preserve database space, players who do not connect for
a minimum of 120 days are subject to deletion. A warning will be sent
out 30 days before the character is removed, by login bulletin, page-
mail, and, if configured, email to the player. (Note that the warning
may be sent out anytime after the character has been idle for 90 days.)

)Likewise, a new character who does not connect for 60 days will be
)deemed abandoned, and deleted, with the same 30 day notice provided.

'Zombies' are objects granted the ability to interact as if they were
players. Currently, anyone may create a zombie, although we prefer that
players request multiple characters. The following rules will apply
to Zombies:
-Each player may have a maximum of one (1) zombie characters
-Zombies may only be used for OOC purposes, unless approved by the
wizard of the world the player is in
-Zombies may only be used in the same world as the Player resides

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless FlipSide Muck, its
Administrators (aka. Wizards), the owners/operators of the computing
resources, and all other parties connected with the administration
of FlipSide Muck from all claims which are a result of your usage,
without limitation. You agree that any traffic which originates
from your character or connection is your legal responsibility. 

Notwithstanding the above, you agree that should we be found liable
in a court of law for any action or lack of action related to your
use of FlipSide Muck our liability is limited to $0.00US (Zero US
Dollars). 

We reserve the right to monitor and log any and all communications
through or with FlipSide Muck computing facilities. You agree that
FlipSide Muck facilities are NOT to be considered a secure
communications medium for the purposes, and that no expectation of
privacy is afforded. 

Access to FlipSide Muck may be denied for any reason deemed
appropriate by the Administrators (aka. Wizards), including but not
limited to: Using the system to transmit ANY threats of harm to
another player (whether to the player in question, or to a third
party); Harassment of another player or character; attempting to
crash or corrupt the database or computing resources of the Muck. 

Violation of any of the terms and conditions of service may result
in any or all of the following: 
* Suspension of access to the Muck and its computing resources for
a time to be determined by the administrators. 
* Removal of your character and termination of access to the Muck
and its computing resources without prior notice. 
* Notification of your site and/or system administrators 
* Notification of civil and/or law enforcement authorities. 
* Legal Action under California State law

Access to FlipSide muck may be banned on a site-wide basis if a
significant amount of trouble seems to stem from one site. For
example, some mucks have completely locked out AOL. We'll try it
open for now.

Complaints are likely. We don't really want to hear if you don't
like so-and-so, but we'll address legitimate complaints. To that
end, server logs are kept. These logs are purged automatically on
every second Sunday, which means if you have a complaint, you must
raise it within 7 days, or it's too late to do anything about it.
You can always leave page #mail for a wizard, or email the head
wizard if you can't sign on.

FlipSide Muck COPYRIGHT POLICY 

The collective work which is FlipSide Muck (the database, muf and
mpi programs, and any and all auxiliary files) is copyright by the
FlipSide Muck Wizards, and as such my not be copied in whole or in
part by anyone without the express written consent of the Wizards.
The following conditions apply: 

Individual characters (descriptions, associated text and work
solely added by a player) belong to the individual player and maybe
copyright by that player. FlipSide Muck does NOT claim copyright on
individual character descriptions. It is understood however that in
the act of a player uploading character descriptions to FlipSide
Muck, FlipSide Muck will store, serve, and archive such descriptions
of the character and its creations (rooms/belongings/programs) as
required to facilitate the operation of the game. 

Programming works (MUF/MPI programs, user provided extensions to
the game) will be permitted to be uploaded and used on FlipSide Muck
and the individual copyright will be retained by the author of
such programs. It is understood however that FlipSide Muck will
store, serve, and archive such programs as required to facilitate
the operation of the game. 

PLEASE NOTE: While FlipSide Muck does not claim ownership or
copyright of such uploaded programs, if you intend on making any of
your works publicly accessible (by setting them Link-ok, or
offering them for use) you grant FlipSide Muck and its Wizards the
right to store and copy and make available such programs and works
for the benefit of its players and operation of the game. Should
you wish to remove any programs or works from FlipSide Muck or
withdraw them from public access, you grant the Wizards a reasonable
time to seek and provide replacement of your programs and works
before their removal. Should the programs or works be removed
without reasonable notice or time to provide replacements, the
Wizards may provide archival copies of your programs or works for a
reasonable length of time to facilitate the operation of the game. 

Publicly accessible areas (areas that can be entered by any exit
not locked against use by a character, or teleported into, or
specifically set Link-ok or Abode) remain the property of the
creator/author and as such are not claimed copyright by FlipSide
Muck. It is understood however that such 
text/descriptions/programming of rooms and exits will be stored,
served, and archived by FlipSide Muck for the benefit of its players
and operation of the game. Should you seek to remove such a public
use area from FlipSide Muck you grant the Wizards a reasonable time
to seek and provide replacement of your area. Should the area be
removed without reasonable notice or time to provide replacement,
the Wizards may provide archival copies of your area for a
reasonable length of time to facilitate the operation of the game. 

You may donate to the public use of FlipSide Muck any
area/program/work you create and as such release your claim of
copyright. Such areas/programs/works will then become the property
of FlipSide Muck to be controlled by the Wizard core. Donations of
such material must be clearly communicated to a wizard and
arrangements will be made to transfer ownership. 

The Server code itself (Fuzzball) is NOT copyright by FlipSide
Muck, though may be copyright in whole or in part by others. See
copyright notices included in the Fuzzball distribution. 

Logs generated by players are owned by the Wizards of the Muck AND
the players involved, and may not be published or distributed
without the permissions of all involved.

This document may be viewed on the web at
http://flipsidemuck.org