Hello Everybody,

Oden, we have a problem.

M > Rules for the Fidonews Echo
M > Revised: 2004-05-31
M >
M >Description:
M >
M >This is the Fidonews Echo. Area tag: FIDONEWS
M >
M >Moderator:
M >
M >The Fidonews editor, as listed in the nodelist and in the banner of
M >the most recent issue of the Fidonews weekly publication, is the
M >permanent moderator of this echo.

One of your sons, known as Bj”rn (not Bling), seems to have forgotten
to include a long-standing rule. The rule of real names. And you know
what that means.

M >Policy:
M >
M >The Echopol1 policy applies where applicable, with the exception that
M >characters above 0x7e hex, 126 decimal (sometimes known as HI ASCII)
M >*are* permitted (i.e. para V.18.a does not apply).

All characters get to play, in both the echo and the newsletter?
What about languages? If the devil can play his fiddle, then Cajuns
should be able to play theirs, oui?

M >Availability:
M >
M >Every sysop is encouraged to make this echo available to any user,
M >that's interested in reading and writing in it.

Well, give the devil his due!

M >Purpose:
M >
M >The purpose of this echo is the discussion of recent articles (within
M >the last two weeks) in the Fidonews publication.

Okay, okay. Got my shiny new pencil out the drawer. Haven't used
it since grade school, but there's still a bit of lead in it. Just
gotta find a sharpener so I can write with it.

M >General Rules:
M >
M > 1. The moderator's ruling is final.
M >
M > 2. No vulgar language. This includes, but is not limited to, flames
M > and profanities.
M >
M > 3. Discuss only articles printed in the Fidonews Publication. A certain M > amount of straying from this is however expected and encouraged.
M >
M > 4. In the event that some ingenious person figures out a way to bypass
M > these rules, the moderator reserves the right to make a rule to
M > end the situation.
M >
M > 5. Articles are not to be submitted nor will they be accepted in the
M > echo. If you can write a comment in the echo, you can just as easily M > make that a personal letter to the editor -- everyone in the echo
M > will still see it, only a few days later.

See there? No real names rule. None at all.

M >Fidonews Editor, 2:2/2, Moderator

We are free! Free at last! Free to use whatever real names we want!
Just like we always have!

Maybe that is why the rule was dropped, as the moderator realized it
was never needed in the first place. Or perhaps, just perhaps, he knew
it all along, just wanted to find out how long it would take everybody
else to figure it out. Talk about sneaky.

For those who still don't get it -

Anyone can do a name change. You don't even need to be married.
Just start writing your new name without any court action, and at
no cost. See how easy that is?

And the groovy thing is, using a new name expands your horizons,
as you can always use it again. And again. And again. As many times
as you like. And knowing it is always your real name, regardless of
which one it is. Or just keep collecting them, and put them all in
a drawer for you to use at your own discretion.

I have so many real names I have lost count. Now that everything
has gone digital, I am not limited by space. In fact, I have created
a program that automatically creates new real names. Just for me.

But that is another topic for another day ...

--Lee

--
I won't fan the flames of hate, ~Joe Biden

--- MesNews/1.08.05.00-gb
* Origin: news://eljaco.se (2:203/2)