What you can post:
You can post anything relevant to the community and the topic of the BBS. Highly contraversial subjects are best left to other areas created for that purpose. Remember that this area is for all and messages should be written with respect and courtesy for all. The idea is to encourage participation from as many people as possible.

[b]What you can't post:[\b]

1. No defamatory statements
Defamatory statements are, for example, statements that contain certain kinds of untrue information about a person or a company that is derogatory. It's okay to say that the service at restaurant was "unsatisfactory." It's not okay to say that the restaurant doesn't meet the health code, unless you back the statement up with proof. Likewise, it's not okay to accuse a person or company of being dishonest, committing fraud, etc. As a general rule, avoid repeating vague and unsubstantiated rumors about someone or some company. Stick to your experiences and your opinions, based on what you know not what you have heard on the grapevine.
2. No flames, personal attacks or contentious off-topic comments
The idea is to make this a pleasant environment to discuss things, not a schoolyard, or name-calling and rock-throwing festival.
3. No advertising, of either personal or business nature (If the BBS is not for that purpose)
There are other BBS boards specifically for this purpose.
4. Watch your language.
The BBSs hosted here are not a home for potty-mouths. Foul, offensive, or crude language is not welcome.
5. Don't advertise services which MIS is also in the business of providing. MIS provides these boards free of charge to the local community. We do ask out of respect for the sponsor and manager (MIS) that you do not use these boards to market in competition with the sponsor (MIS).

Debate is welcome. This is not about censorship. However, while we do not and cannot police every post, we will delete posts coming to our attention that we believe violate these rules. Occasionally, someone will complain to us about a particular post, make various threats and so on because he/she is offended. While we believe that the BBS has no legal responsibility for the content of participants posts, for obvious reasons we'd just as soon not get entangled in lawsuits.

You can do your part in helping us avoid these problems by following these rules. Of course, whether the BBS is liable or not; if, in a post here, you violate someone's copyright or trademark, defame or slander someone, you can be liable to that person.

Posting the same message to multiple boards is not allowed. Please pick the most appropiate forum for your message. Do not post the same message on several boards. Duplicate posts may be deleted.

[b]Use of Monikers/Posting Names:[\b]
You may call yourself anything you like. Monikers are allowed. You don't have to use your real name. You must be consistent and use only one name. You can not post under other's names. Generally speaking, people like to know who is giving advice. Using the same name over time builds credibility and allows people to better evaluate the relative merits of each poster's contributions relative to system context, preferences, biases, etc.


[b]Rules for the Web BBS[\b]
The WebBBS is a general purpose community forum. All the rules addressed here apply. We also wish that religous and political topics, not of a local scale, not be discussed here. We don't have a problem with political or religious discussion, but strong opinions can cause an overwhelming amount of discussion that buries other discussions on the board. There are other places more appropriate. Local issues are fine and serve the community benefits of the board. Discussing the city council or selectmen are a fine local political issue that would be permitted. Announcing there is a special ocassion at a local church is a fine local issue that would be permitted. Bashing our leaders in Washington DC or arguing over religious differences are not local issues and would not be permitted. There are other forums on the Internet that are more appropriate.

Who we are and the fine print / clarifications
Midcoast Internet is an ISP offering a full line of services. We provide some semi-public forums, open to all, but subject to control of the moderators and administrators. Most of the BBS forums are a free courtesy and not a charged service of MIS. This is why they are open to all but those who would cause themselves get themselves banned.
MIS is not a publisher; we do not screen posts before they are available for general viewing. Nor do we scan every posted message to determine whether it should remain available for viewing. MIS does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of any post made here and therefore assumes no legal responsibility for any such post.
MIS does not edit posts. If a post violates the content rules, it will be removed, not edited or otherwise "cleaned up."
The content of any post is solely the responsibility of the poster, even if that poster is a member of the MIS service, an employee of MIS or a moderator of a BBS forum.
MIS will cooperate with any valid subpoena or other legal process in supplying copies of posts and any information MIS has concerning the identity of a poster.
MIS makes no claim of authorship or copyright ownership with respect to any post. Similarly, by posting, any poster expressly licenses MIS or any person subsequently posting on the MIS BBSs, for the use of that post, or any part thereof, on MIS BBSs, regardless of any other claims of copyright ownership the author of the post may make. In other words, if you have written the Great American Novel (or the Great Australian Novel or some other Great and Valuable literary work) and decide to post it here, by doing so, you have agreed to let MIS have it be posted here and to let other BBS readers copy it, or parts of it, in their posts here as well.
The decision of MIS to delete any post reflects MIS's view that the deleted post is inconsistent with the overall goals and purposes of the BBS, and is not a determination that such post is obscene, libelous, or is otherwise in violation of law. Likewise, the decision of MIS to ban a poster reflects only the MIS's conclusion that such poster has demonstrated an inability to conduct him/herself in an overall manner consistent with the goals and purposes of the BBS and is not a determination that such poster has violated any law.
Persons or businesses are always free to post a response to any post with which they disagree or which they believe is factually incorrect. MIS will not entertain a deletion request by anyone claiming to be harmed by mis-statements of fact in a posting unless that person has first posted a response correcting the alleged mis-statement. Absent such a response being posted, we will assume the complaining party either has no contradictory information or is interested only in causing mischief. MIS will consider qualifying requests that a post be deleted upon presentation of credible information tending to show that the post is false in a material respect. MIS will not entertain a request that a post containing nothing more than expression of personal opinion be deleted, e.g. "John Doe is a jerk," even if that opinion is highly unfavorable.
These rules were adapted from the very friendly administrators of Audio Asylum discussion forum. We thank them for sharing with us.