User:Kitsune
From Voice of the Proletariat
Get off my LAWN!
Contents |
[edit] Who?
I am a #bN chat op, we have the @ snail in front of our nicks. (When using the Java chat app, we might have the cool sunglasses) You can come to me with most any issue with regard to #bN chat. I was invited to be a chat op by the owner of #bN, I neither asked for or demanded this invitation. If you are curious, ask sueb.
[edit] Are you a spy?
um, no. Just because I am also a #fark chat op, doesn't mean I am a spy for TOS. Just as #bN is not run by Grahams, #fark is not run by Drew. Different places, different people (sometimes), different rules.
[edit] Are you sure you are not a spy?
What? oh I see. Just because I am also a network admin doesn't mean I spy at all. While it is true that I own the iBusy chat server, I in no way try to impose any moderation on the conversation out of the realm and spirit of the rules set forth by the owner of #bN.
except
As a network admin, I freely let you and almost anyone use my server and services. However to make this a pleasant place to chat for everyone (even you), we impose rules and methods to combat abusive users, spambots, maintain the server links (fix netsplits), and help users with our network services. You can come to me with most any issue with regard to the network.
Our terms of service are generally noted when you first log on to the network, you can recall them by typing /motd (Message of the Day) at the command line where you would normally type a chat comment.
Regardless of the exact context of each /motd, they are to be interpreted as self evident and additive, even if one server's /motd is missing the exact wording of another. As a network admin, there is no higher authority.
[edit] Spam
Our network is on the hitlist for many different forms of spambots. We do our best to keep them from entering channels and disrupting the chat. But it does happen from time to time, as it might take us a while to adjust our filters and methods of identification.
To wit; The majority of spambots we see are more than just spam, they are usually exploit-laden virus delivering machines, and you should never open a link if you are unsure of the source. Conversly, you should not duplicate the spam message in the channel or private, as it could very well trigger an automatic filter that will cut your connection.
When the bots are going hot and heavy, we may not notice that you were just automatically banned in the middle of 300 other automatic bans. Yes, there are sometimes that many. A day.
With few exceptions, the admins saw the same spam you saw, even if it was a private message. See note about privacy below. Even then, if the spambot is smart enough not to spam an admin (many are), they foolishly spammed a honeypot. If you still want to report a spam, please do ask me, or someone in #help and see if it was reported.
Conversely, we also have RealLife© and may not get to it as fast as you think we could.
Is the bN minicity spam? No/Maybe/Sometimes/Yes. minicity spam is the latest scourge of admins on most every network. The minicity method is to get as many clicks on your minicity website as possible. How else are you going to grow your city if you don't send the link to all of your friends? The upshot is, that there are thousands of kids trying to grow their cities by spamming their links. I have tried to whitelist the bN minicity, but all it takes is a typo on your part, and you might get caught by a spamtrap.
[edit] I got banned!
Well, maybe you did. (or not).
If you were banned from the channel, #bannination, you would know that because you can't get in, it clearly says you are banned, and you most likely can get into other channels (or create a channel). Don't panic. Think, what did you do this time? You can see the channel ban list by typing /mode #bannination b find the entry that matches your connect information, read who banned you, and take it up with them or the owner of #bN. No one else can help you, and no one representing the network WILL help you. Channel bans are channel matters. This seperation is a GoodThing©.
If you were banned from the network, FDFnet, you would now this because you can't get anywhere, it clearly says you are banned with a "line" (g-line, k-line, x-line, etc). Think, who did you piss off this time? You can only take this up with the network person that banned you. No one representing #bN CAN help you, it is out of their hands. If you truly don't know why, you could ask someone using other means, but if you conceal knowledge when clearly you know why, trying to ask Daddy because Mommy said no, this might not work out too well for you.
At times, for example, during a netsplit, or when a server is down unexpectedly, you may either be connecting to a server that is locked down, and you cant get in any channel, or you are being prevented from using your normal nick, or you connect to the missing server. Just sit back, we will be back on the air in a moment.
[edit] What can I do to not be automatically banned?
Well, it would be foolish for me to exactly describe the methods that we use, but it is safe to say that I also admin two other networks, and share spam information with about 200 other networks on a live basis. One or more of us are going to see the spam or flooder first, and we report it to the rest of the group so that the rest of us can prevent it from even getting on our respective networks.
Along with using automated tools like blacklists, pattern matching to known nicks and other information, and certain bot behaviors, we can keep these cretins to a low noise.
Things you can do. Be consistent in your chosen connection information (that is, the nick, the user@ part, and the GECOS/realname field). Try /who yournickname, and you will see what your nick, user@ and GECOS/realname fields are set to.
I don't mean to sound restrictive, and few of you are consistently inconsistent, but take for example sueb, who also connects as suebhoney, milf, and a few others. As she also connects as sueb[work, and this is on a completly different IP, the difference wouldn't count against the other nicks she uses. Some others for example might use nickAFK or nickSLEEP or other variations on a theme. This is acceptable.
But if you connect once with fred, then george, then ralph_ then... and you start changing the rest of your connect information, and you do it enough, this could very well trigger an automatic bot detection. This would be bad.
Don't play games with changing your nick while connected, either. Again, I don't mean to sound restrictive, but changing your nick ten times in a minute or so might also trigger an automatic bot detection. Or not. It really depends on the conditions.
[edit] Aww, you are no fun!
Not so! :) I am only suggesting that you think about the choices you make, and how they might be construed by a soulless detection script, or by an overworked admin playing Whack-A-Mole with spam bots for the past 5 hours might mistakenly take you out in the crossfire.
If we do, you now know why, and please accept our apology. Make a note of the connect (and/or disconnect) message you got, your nick and IP used at the time, and send them to one of the many #bN chat contacts.
[edit] Privacy
NB: Even though I said private message above, we have no way to peek into yours, or anyones private messages, or to see what is going on inside of a channel that we are not in. The server does not log anyones conversations, however, other people visable in the channel you are in may very well be logging the public conversations.
That being said, IRC servers are not to be trusted for any secure conversations. There is no expectation of privacy. Sure, some networks provide SSL connections for users, but be reasonable. You have to trust the server you connect to and that admin, and all of the other servers and admins, and connections between you and the other user, to be secure. Trust me can only go so far.
