FILEGATE POLICY DRAFT .006
Copyright 1994-2004
   by Janis Kracht on behalf of the IFDC FileGate Project <sm>

===========================================================================

This section of FileGate reccomendations addresses the following:

      - The IFDC FileGate: An International File Distribution Cooperative
      - FileGate Coordinators
      - Creation of a Steering Committee
      - Acknowlegment of the FileGate in File Archives
      - Integrity of files released on the FileGate
      - Redress of problem files released
      - Duplication of services
      - Individual Policies of participating FDN's
      - Overseas connections & coordination
      - FileGate Zone 1 HUB Structure
      - EchoMail communications between FDN Heads and Adminstrators
      - Types of recognized FDNs
      - Possible solutions to User-Supported FDNs

Preface: The IFDC FileGate: An International File Distribution Cooperative

The IFDC, an International File Distribution Cooperative is represented in
this document by IFDC members who voluntarily agree to encourage the
growth and organization of file distribution, this growth and organization
being known in this document as the IFDC International FileGate <sm>, also
referred to in this document as the FileGate <sm>.

The IFDC is born of the spirit of cooperation among file distribution
networks, and reflects the realization of file distribution coordinators
that this cooperation is a necessity to provide a quality of service
unavailable via other file distribution methods.

Since the major flow of File Distribution Networks originates in Zone 1,
IFDC members in Zone 1 who make up the steering commitee of the FileGate,
will be involved in all decisions affecting the FileGate in this and
future documents which represent any facet of FileGate policies, decisions
affecting the FileGate, its organization and distribution.

Further definitions and policies of the IFDC are addressed in the IFDC
policy document and are outside the scope of this document.

Section 1.0 FileGate Coordinators

    1. The International Coordinator of the FileGate is responsible for the
       smooth operation of the FileGate. The IC agrees to contact those
       sites in other zones where FileGate sites do not exist, and agrees
       to recruit those sites as possible FileGate SuperSites.

    2. The International Systems Coordinator of the FileGate will accept
       information from all Zone Supersites as to connections, links, etc.
       and will create a map of these sites where possible. 

    3. Each Zone in FidoNet will be organized by the Coordinator of that
       Zone with regard to HUB and distribution sites.

       Currently, Zone coordinators of the FileGate include:

           ????                     Zone 1
           Lukas De Groen           Zone 2 (Mainland Europe)
           Vince Coen               Zone 2 (England)
           Malcolm Miles            Zone 3
           -seeking link-           Zone 4
           Joe Rink                 Zone 5
           Terry Roati              Zone 6 (Philipines)
           Bin Li                   Zone 6 (Mainland China)
(Pending)


Section 1.1 The FileGate steering commitee

       The FileGate steering commitee was establised to design policy
       documents and organization of the Zone 1 File HUBs, oversee
       the documents presented by other Zone coordinators of the FileGate
       and to trouble-shoot any problems that may develop which cannot be
       resolved by the International Coordinator.

       FileGate Steering Committee consists of the following participants:

        Adam Strack
        Janis Kracht
        Lee Laird    (ab5sm@airmail.net)
        Henk Wolsink (hwolsink@catpe.alt.za)

Section 1.2 FileGate Archive comment

All files should have the FileGate archive header as an archive comment,
which is the one approved by the International FileGate Coordinator.
The filename for this comment is FILEGATE.HDR (updated 01/01/20).

  If not possible, some other method of marking the files as part of the
  IFDC FileGate should be discussed with International FileGate
  Coordinator.

  For example, another method may be a file included in the archive, identical
  to the approved FileGate archive Header file.

    FDN Coordinators must contact their main source of files
    to confirm author approval of this method since Authors rights are
    specifically involved in this example.

  Any alternative to the Archive archive header should  be presented to the
  International FileGate Coordinator for approval, before implementation.


Section 1.3 Integrity of Files

All Files distributed by FDN (File Distribution Network heads) using the
FileGate shall be:

     1. checked with McAfee's Scan program or similar to verify non-infection
        of files with virus or trojan programs.
     2. checked by the releasing FDN head to assure non-distribution of
        Commercial software.
     3. checked by the releasing FDN head to assure agreement of submitting
        authors as regards Author's rights in distribution of said Author's
        files.
     4. checked by the releasing FDN to assure only the release of
        ShareWare, Demo, or Public Domain material. The FDN head may use
        any method of assuring this, whether it be written signed
        agreement from contributing authors, or agreement in policy
        documentation of the FDN, or netmail or e-mail authorization from the
        author.
    5.  An important issue that all IFDC FileGate Supersite, Coordinators
        and links must remember is that any file distributed via the IFDC
        FileGate should not be re-archived, re-commented, or changed in any
        manner whatsoever while in transit to another system.  In addition,
        once a file has been moved to other links, etc., authors wishes
        should always be respected regarding archive types, contents, etc.

Section 1.4 Redress of files released in violation of Section 1.2 - 1.3

     1. An FDN head who releases virus-infected software, commericial
        software, or one which the Author has not given permission if it is
        not public domain or freeware or otherwise freely distributable,
        shall be responsible for initiating a release of a Replacement file
        to remove the offending program as soon as possible. The FDN head
        shall also make all other FDN and FileGate HUBs aware of the
        problem in the FileGate Echo to expedite the removal of the file
        from all FileGate systems.

     2. Any problems which cannot be resolved by the International
        Coordinator shall be addressed by the FileGate Steering Commitee for
        resolution.


Section 1.5 Duplication of Services

      1. Participating FDN's agree to limit the duplication of files released
         on the FileGate when at all possible.

      2. A method of limiting the duplication of files might be to use a
         BACKCHANNEL to the FileGate , where a member FDN
         may send the file of interest to another FDN to that other FDN.

      3. Another method of limiting the duplication of files may to use a
         pre-release announcement echo where all questionable files to be
         released are announced before release so that other FDN's may
         make arrangements for distribution of the file.

      4. Another method of reducing Dupes while not decreasing FDN file
         flow for the FDN's in question might be to share questionable file
         echos, maintaining the original File Echo tags. For example, both and
         SDN and PDN carry each others' OS2 programming file echo, respectively.
         (1-OS2PROG and PDNOS2, and admin. message echos.)


      5. In participating in the FileGate, all FDN's agree to use one of the
         above methods, or another method of limiting the duplication of
         files, and agrees to discuss any other method with the FileGate
         International Coordinator.

Section 1.6 Individual policies of participating FDN's

       1. Each File Distribution Network will develop it's own
          policy for that FDN.

       2. The policy document shall be forwarded to Janis Kracht for
          inclusion in FileGate Info file, at 1:2320/38.

       3. At no time shall FileGate Policy over-ride any individual FDN's
          policy document.



Section 1.7 Overseas connections and coordination

       1. Since the FileGate is one which spans multiple Zones in FidoNet,
          and the concerns of one Zone may be different from another Zone
          represented in this document, members of the FileGate in Zones
          other than Zone 1 are encouraged to develop a policy document not
          unlike this one, and to submit it to the International FileGate
          Coordinator for approval of that zone's policy.

       2. Coordination of FileGate Sites:
          SuperSites are defined as sites connecting to FileGate system in the
          USA.

          Locations of SuperSites are typically outside of Zone 1,
          and represent other Zones in Fidonet.

       3. SuperSites developed thus far include:

          Lukas De Groen   2:280/1027 (Netherlands)
          Gert Andersen    2:236/150  (Denmark)
          Vince Coen       2:257/609 (UK)
          Malcolm Miles    3:50/99   (Australia)
          Terry Roati      6:751/321 (Philipines)
          Bin Li,          6:654/1012 (Mainland China)(pending)

      4. Supersites agree to further develop the connections in their Zone
         and also agree to report connections developed to the FileGate
         Systems Coordinator.

       5. Each SuperSite should try to develop 10 CountrySites. Each
          Countrysite should attempt to connect to 10 more sites.

  For Example:

     Zone X Supersite may have for purposes of this example, 8 nodes
     (CountrySites)

     Each CountrySite is responsible for recruiting 10 more nodes, and each
     CountrySite sends info back to the Zone X supersite regarding links.
     The SuperSite then sends the information upstream to the FileGate System
     Coordinator.


Section 1.8 FileGate Zone 1 HUB Structure

    1. In Zone 1, the following sites form the first Tier of Systems

                1:2320/38      Janis Kracht           Louisville, KY
                1:106/2000     Bob Juge               Sugar Land, Texas
                1:18/500       Ross Cassell           Spartanburg, SC
                1:140/1        Bob Seaborn            Saskatchewan, Canada
                1:232/5        Bob Swift              Stony Plain,  AB
                1:229/460      Frank Linhares         Mississauga, ON

   2.  Each of these sites will connect with 10 other sites, who will in turn
       develop 10 additional sites, and so on.


1.9  EchoMail communications between FDN Heads and Adminstrators

     1. An echo has been established for all FDN Coordinators, SuperSites,
        and First Tier HUBs with a tagname of IFDC.  This echo is for
        discussion of adminstrative issues of the IFDC FileGate and should
        not be passed on to any other system other than those listed.

     2. An echo has been established for all those who are connected to the
        IFDC FileGate with a tagname of FILEGATE. Discussion in this echo
        should be limited to any facet or questions regarding FILEGATE
        distribution. This echo is on the FidoNet Zone 1 backbone and
        should be picked up from local echomail sources.


     3. An echo has been established for a steering commitee members,
        called FG_ZXPOL. The purpose of this echo is to provide a place
        where steering committee members may develop and address FileGate
        Policy for Zone 1, and advisement of other Zones via the document
        they develop.  Only Zone coordinators and FileGate Steering
        Commitee members should receive this echo.


Section 2.0 Announcement Echo

    1. All FDN's on the FileGate are encouraged to post new file announcements
       in one of the file announcement echos, such as FDN_ANNOUNCE.


Section 2.1 FDN's (File Distribution Networks)

   In the IFDC's eyes, there are three types of File Distribution Networks.
   These types are defined by the method of release of files and how they
   arrive on the main FileGate System and the distribution which follows
   on the IFDC FileGate.

     - Single-Source Hatching FDNs
     - User Supported FDNs
     - Exclusive FDNs

    1. Single-Source hatching FDNs
       This type of FDN has designated hatching sites where files may be
       released.  While there is just one site which releases file to
       FileGate HQ, a Coordinator may specify some other person which
       will release the files for distribution
      

       

       This site, or sites, may link into the FileGate HQ directly, or
       be fed to FileGate HQ by a First-Tier HUB or Supersite.

       A single-source FDN is required to follow all guidelines outlined in
       section 1.1 - 1.3.


    2.  User-Supported FDN's

       A user-supported FDN is designated by having files transferred to
       the FileGate by the membership of the FDN.

       The IFDC FileGate strongly discourages this method of dispersal of
       files to be released for a number of reasons:

          - There is a greater chance of illegal file entry
          - There is a greater chance that a virus may be passed through
            the systems.
          - There is more work for the FDN Coordinator in cleaning
            up file flow should there be a problem file after the
            fact when an entire membership may release files.

       If an FDN is allowed to join the FileGate as a User-Supported FDN,
       members may release files from any entry point of the FileGate, but
       must agree to apply the archive comment, and adhere to sections
       1.1 - 1.3.  Failure to adhere to these sections is cause for removing
       the entire FDN from IFDC FileGate distribution.

       The person who specifies he or she is the FDN Coordinator of that FDN
       must agree to take responsibility for the removal of any files which
       a member may release, in accordance with sections 1.1- 1.3.

       Possible solutions to User Supported FDNs:

       An FDN may set up a file-echo that accepts files from the entire
       membership via the IFDC FileGate HUB stucture, but is fed ONLY
       upstream to FileGate Hq at 1:2320/38 where the data may then be
       directed to the specific FDN Coordinator only.  These are called
       BackChannel file echos.

           For example, in Allfix, the file2hq area would be configured with
           a Send only flag to the uplink system, or HUB.  At the HUB level
           it would be configured Send Only to FileGate HQ.  At FileGate HQ,
           it would be configured to receive from all sites, but send only
           to the FDN HQ.

           When the FDN Coordinator receives the file, he must test it and
           process it as usual.


  3. Exclusive FDNs
      Exclusive FDN's are AUTHOR DIRECT, i.e., the FileGate HQ system
      receives the files from the author's site directly, or his AUTHORIZED
      representative, for distribution to all Zone SuperSites and HUBs.

      UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS ANY OTHER IFDC FILEGATE FDN authorized to
      feed these files BACK to the IFDC FILEGATE.  All FileGate Hubs and
      Coordinators however, are encouraged to have these Exclusive FDNs
      delivered to them by FileGate HQ, so that the files may be fed to
      downlinks in private networks and/or the FDN Coordinator's links on
      his own system.

      Questions regarding Exclusive FDNs and file traffic may be directed
      to either the Coordinator of Exclusive FDN in question, or the IFDC
      FileGate International Coordinator.


