Network Hierarchy and Administration
Due to some recent confusion, I wanted to make some things clear in a light-hearted (and awesome) way. I want to take some time to outline the structure of administration as it currently stands.
Defense of Network Administration
(Not that it needs to be defended. "Because I said so..." works for us most of the time.)
Let's suppose we live in a world where there is only 1 server, and only a hand full of admin. How do we choose to administrate our IRC experience? Because of the lack of multiple servers and server admin, it makes sense for the operators to maintain total control of the server and services. After all, giving the IRC ops an O:Line in the first place indicates you trust them. And it only affects you, so who cares?
What I want to look at is... why is this different when there are 2+ servers?
Let’s suppose again that you are the Server Administrator. You run Server-1, and, to avoid a giving a feeling of any sort of priority or importance, we'll call the server you are linked with Server-A. You spent some time getting your channels registered and some rules for the usage of nicks or hosts setup... How do you feel about the Server Administrator of Server-A (the other guy) making services changes to the config or rules affecting the registration of channels on your server (or some other thing you cared enough about to set a policy for) without your consent or input? My guess is, you probably don't feel too good about that.
But why? The other guy made those changes on his server. I can hear you screaming, "But it affected me! 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, unless we establish that is their role." Looking at it this way, I think there's even an argument that could be made against Server Administrators having global (affective on all servers) power at all when O:Lined on a network.
Okay. So who controls the services? Like I stated above, "Unless we establish that is their role." The services controller should be the person we establshed to run them... within the guidelines we set when they started running. You might be thinking "you said we established." Yes I did. You might want to ask, "Who is this 'we' you speak of?" That answer is simple. The people in the room when it was established. You don't think congress gets credit for writing the Constitution. We trust their judgement, and it works out for us.
Fast forward a few servers.... Now there are 8. Who runs services? The person we agreed would run them.
Somebody said, "Why can't I show up and link and instantly be a member of this governing 'we'?" And the answer is simple.
TheZone IRC Network is a network. You are a server. You can't expect to show up to EFnet and govern over their services. Well, I suppose anyone can in a way since they don't have services, so we'll use DALnet instead, but only because EFnet doesn't have services. My point is... when there is an already existing group of Server Administrators in a network, they have reached an accord about the way the network is to be run. They have submitted the reigns of global network matters to network administration, and try to build their servers in any way they can. When you link, asking them to be okay with a new person able to G:Line on their network bears a lot of questions. Wouldn't you be concerned if you were already present and we linked someone new? Asking them to be okay with a new services governor is a whole other thing. Services Administrations can getpass on certain services, revealing passwords. You can separate that from Services Operators, sure, but the point remains the same -- do you want them to have control over your stuff... or do you just want to trust Network Administration to do it? That's a no brainer.
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 and everyone else thought you were stupid (which you are -- do you know we have airplanes now?)). 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 and ensuring that everyone, users and admin alike, have a fair and enjoyable IRC experience on the network as a whole.
Think about it this way too. When you link to TheZone IRC Network -- you, your attitudes and behavior, your resolve, your thoughts, the way you present yourself -- all that, is a representative of TheZone IRC Network as a whole. If you G:Line someone from the network, and it was the President (and people cared), headlines everywhere read 'The President GLined from TheZone IRC Network." This of course would cause mass confusion as no one would know what a GLine is... and they'd google TheZone IRC Network, (which is awesome, so take advantage of this opportunity of you can). If someone hates you, they'll hate us. If they love you, they love us. But the reverse is not always true. People can enjoy your channel on our network, and dislike the rest of the network for whatever reason they want.
Current Network Administration, and TheZone History Lesson - 101
So, now you may ask... who holds this ever so heavy responsibility, the coveted title "Network Administrator"?! 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.
You might be asking "Well, Darc, how did YOU get there?"
A little while back, I was the "God" of a network called IdleWhores IRC Network. At the time of our TheZone merge, we had 5 servers linked. When the merge happened, my Server Administrators and I eventually dropped the network name IdleWhores (which preserved itself only in the form of a channel - #IdleWhores), and there were 4 Network Administrators: Syber, dos, pre, and myself.
(A merge is the terminology used to describe a linking between two individual and totally separate networks (a collection of servers linked together in unity) coming together to form one larger network. A link is the terminology used to describe a linking of one server to another server or a larger network.)
So where are dos and pre?
Well, they pre-tty (haha) much don't have a whole ton of interest in IRC at the moment, so they spend time with their families and play on their Xbox 360s. But I'm sure if either of them wanted to be active Network Administrators tomorrow, they could be. They're good guys, know alot about alot, and started this thing in the beginning. But until such a time that they desire to be IRCool again, Syber and I are the guys that run the show.
In reality, I think Syber has the one up between him and myself. When we merged, we used TheZone's services, we use TheZone's name, we use TheZone's website (registered to Syber), and so on. #TheZone -- is Syber's channel. He owns it. (Well, and dos I think too, technically.) But Syber runs it. So in #TheZone, the buck stops there. On the network, we generally collaborate for ideas and advice, and do what we feel is best. And I don't remember the last time we disagreed, if ever. We seem to have a lot of the same goals and values when it comes to the network. That helps us keep things balanced between who does what. We're both capable developers. We can say "I'll do this, you do that." And break to go do it, and get things done faster.
On a side note, we're also incredibly lazy... so that sucks. But at the moment we're totally in IRC mode, so for the record if there's some idea you have, let us know, because we'll be more likely to do it now than when we feel we're "done."
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, IRC operators, and Network Administrators -- just so long that the reason is that the userbase has grown beyond the servers we already have, and the number of servers has grown to be unmanagable by only two Network Administrators.
Instructions for Gaining Network Administration Status - (advanced)
Want to be a Network Administrator? I'd give you this advice:
1) Learn to Administrate ...a server as thoroughly as Syber and myself, including full shell / IRCd installation and configuration (among other IRC things such as eggdrop, services, etc)...
2) Earn our Trust - Be logical, friendly, rational, calm, not overly zealous, and most importantly -- USEFUL. Causing drama with us or other admin automatically docks you points. Why? Because we aren't going to promote someone we scrap with. That's asking for punishment.
3) Get a Server - You can't go from IRC operator or a regular user to Network Administrator. Well, I suppose you could if you wanted to -- somewhere else. Only in a world where our userbase was flourishing and the servers / services became unmanageable for us alone would a RELIABLE and TRUSTWORTHY Server Administrator be considered for esclation to Network Administration -- IF needed.
4) Build the Network - Get enough users / servers on the network so that we need you. This also shows interest in the network as a whole as apposed to just your server. Unless you show us the love (that you care about the network and the people on it), we aren't going to marry you. Period, no execptions. There are already two chiefs... we need some indians (and not the Cleveland Indians... because I'm a Pittsburgh Pirates fan).
5) Realize that while ability and talen is king, Attitude is Queen -- and wears the pants in the monarchy. If you're whining and begging about gaining this status, or being utterly annoying always... you will more than likely be viewed as someone who wants a power trip and is too immature for it, 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 stroking our own already, and we only have two hands (one to stroke ego, the other to type IRCawesome commands.) And if you'd like to join in the effort to stroke our egos, that's more than OK. No, it won't get you net-admin brownie points. But once you're around awesome long enough -- it gets on ya! :D
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)
On TheZone IRC Network, Network Administrators also serve as Services Administrators. Syber and I alone hold the position of Services Root Administrators. What does that mean? Basically, that we have all power and authority to modify anything, including the source code (if desired) of the services. 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 which time Paul will be swimming a whole lot, and would probably not care much about the network. Unless of course 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? I suppose if California were to drop off, the services / hub server / web server / DNS server would go bye bye too as it is located in California. Yeah... nevermind... we'd be S.O.L. Oh well... it was worth the try.
In short.... As always, your suggestions, comments, and opinions will be gladly accepted and reviewed.... and then we'll do what we want anyway, naturally claiming any and all great ideas you have as our own, and promptly procrastinating on anything not important while simultaneously putting off all important things until we can't live without doing them 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?