Network Hierarchy and Administration
Defense of Network Administration (Not that it needs to be defended. "Because I said so..." works for us most of the time.)
Due to some recent confusion, I wanted to clear some things up a bit (in a light-hearted and awesome way). I want to take some time to outline the structure of administration as it currently stands. To clarify, I'm not at all saying it will be in this fashion forever. I'd be the first person to sign the page to add more administrators IF the user base / number of servers required it. And I'm in the front of whatever methods you want to try to get us there.
In a world where there is only 1 server, and only a hand full of admin, it makes sense for the operators to maintain total control of the server and services, at the discretion of the server administrators. Why? Because any services action affects the entire server as a whole. Why is this different when there are 2 servers?
Well let’s suppose YOU are the Server Administrator. You run server 1, and, to avoid people thinking the servers are listed in order of importance, you are linked with server A. How do you feel about the Server Administrator making services changes affecting the registration of channels on your server, without your consent or concern? You probably don't feel too good about that. Why? Just because that person has an IRC server does not mean they should be entitled to powers that affect the servers of other people in that way. There's even an argument that could be made against server administrators having global (affective on all servers) power at all.
Well OK. So who controls the services? Well, I submit to you: the person we agreed would run them... within the guidelines we set when they started running. You might be asking, "Who is this 'we' you speak of?" The people that were there when they started running. Fast forward a few servers.... Now there are 8. Who runs services? The person we agreed would run them.
You may now be asking, "why can't I show up and link and instantly be a governing 'we' member?" And the answer is simple.
We are a network. You are a server. You can't expect to show up to EFnet and govern over their services. Okay, DALnet, but only because EFnet doesn't have services. My point is... when there is an already existing group of Server Administrators, them being okay with a new person able to GLine on their network is one thing.... asking them to be okay with a new services governor is a whole other thing.
Also... you have the issue of non-services network control. As a Server Administrator with only one server, you are a network administrator (in a network of one -- kind of like when you're in the army, but went rogue). With a link situation, there has to be someone to make sure the IRCd's are the same (or compatible) versions, make sure any network wide code modifications are made and in place, ensure connectivity is optimized and secured during essential times, as well as regulate network wide guidelines as a means of bringing unity together into everyone's experience on that particular network.
Current Network Administration, and TheZone History Lesson - 101
So, now you may ask... who holds this ever so heavy responsibility?! The answer is simple... it's as clear as a bell... we all have real lives and need someone to tell.... ooooh... crap. Right. I was being poetic again. Sorry. On TheZone IRC Network, there's a reason Syber holds the nickname "God." It was him, dos, and judge that started it up in the first place.
Well how did I (Darc) get here? A little while back, I was the "God" of a network called IdleWhores IRC Network (we had 5 servers at link time with TheZone). When we linked together, my server admins and I eventually dropped the name IdleWhores, which relinquished its network status to that of a channel (#IdleWhores), and there were 4 Network Administrators, myself, Syber, dos, and pre. This is what we refer to as a merge -- two individual separate networks coming together to form one bigger network. (Please note that when a single server is added to our network, we refer to that as a link, since the Server is a different level than a network (a collection of servers), as apposed to a network linking with another network, which I suppose would be a merge.)
dos and pre pre-tty (haha) much don't have a whole ton of interest in IRC at the moment, but I'm sure if either of them wanted to be active tomorrow, they could be... as they're good guys who started this thing in the beginning... but until such a time that they desire to be IRCool again, Syber and I are the guys.... and really I think Syber has the one up between him and myself as when we merged, we used TheZone's services, we use TheZone's name, we use TheZone's website (registered to one Syber), and so on. #TheZone -- is Syber's channel. He owns it. (Well, and dos I think too, technically.) He runs it. The buck stops there.
Will things stay the way they are? Hopefully not. We'd like nothing more than to be FORCED to add to the list of servers, operators, and network administrators, just so long that the driving force is an unmanageable-by-what-we-have-now (and growing) user base.
Instructions for Gaining Network Administration Status - (advanced)
Want to be a network administrator? I'd give you this advice:
1) Learn how to administrate a server as thoroughly as Syber and myself, including full shell / IRCd config / good linux knowledge, and other IRC things (eggdrop, services, etc)...
2) Earn our trust (by being logical, rational, and calm (with us))
3) Get a Server. You can't go from IRC op / regular user to Network Administrator. Only in a world where our userbase was flourishing and unmanageable for us would a RELIABLE and TRUSTWORTHY Server Administrator be considered -- IF needed.
4) Get enough users / servers on the network so that we need you. Otherwise... forget about it. There are already two chiefs... we need some Indians.
5) Realize that if you're whining and begging about gaining this status, you will more than likely be viewed as someone who wants a power trip, and will likely never see the +N flag on your nick -- at least not on our network. So if you do just want a power trip -- hide it. Because we aren't here to stroke your already-too-large ego. We're here to stroke our already-too-large egos. And if you'd like to join is in that effort, that's more than OK. No, it won't get you net-admin brownie points.
Alternatively, grow a network of your own... a few servers and a decent amount of reliable/regular users/server administrators of your own, and perhaps we'd merge and you'd have it by default. Maybe. No promises though, and don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. Building an IRC network (already a mostly dying breed for smaller networks and networks that refuse public warez trading) is a lot of fun I hear.
Cap, recap, and rebottle
Network Hierarchy, IRCd's:
Network Administrators
- Server Administrators
- IRC Operators
- Channel Owners
- Registered Users
- People We Couldn't Possibly Care Less About If Our Lives Depended On It (YOU ARE HERE)
Network Hierarchy, Services:
Services Root Administrators (Full Root Access, including to Services Shell)
- Services Administrators (Full in-IRC access)
- Services Operators (Partial in-IRC Access)
- Bender / Calculon / ProxyServ (not real access, I just liked the idea of making you feel like artificial intelligence eggdrop bots have more access than you.)
- Registered Users (Public in-IRC Access)
- People We Couldn't Possibly Care Less About If Our Lives Depended On It (YOU ARE HERE)
Syber and I also serve as Services Root Administrators. Is there more than one needed? No, but if one of us gets hit by a bus, there's someone to pick up the slack. Also, there's the concern that California will drop into the pacific at some point in time, but as the services / hub server / web server / DNS server is located in California, I'd say we're S.O.L. if that happens anyway. Plus Paul will be swimming for a while, and would probably not care a whole lot about the network at the time. Unless he felt he could recruit some sharks or something to join as users. Then he'd make pitches between breaths and *** strokes. But I also hear that water beings have a little trouble with keeping computers not broke, so I don't think that'd really work out. :( We aren't racist, I promise. But it'd be pretty cool to chat online with a real shark, huh? Oh well... it was worth the try.
In short.... As always, your suggestions, comments, and opinion will be gladly accepted and reviewed.... and then we'll do what we want anyway, claiming any and all great ideas you have as our own, and promptly procrastinating on anything not important, and putting off all important things until we can't live with however it is anymore. We are NetAdmin. This is our vow. Okay cool.
Disclaimer: The I don't care attitude may or may not be the real, actual opinions or thoughts of the administration of TheZone IRC Network. Unless it changes more of your life than you on-the-line online chat habits.... WHO CARES?