Acceptable Use Policies ----------------------- This usage agreement, and the services you select when signing up, are your Contract. The term of the contract is stated on the pricing page (http://www.austintx.com/pricing.html) with the service. If there is no term stated, then the term of the payment is used (e.g. monthly payments default to a monthly contract, etc.). Any questions concerning this contract should be directed to AustinTX.COM directly (see http://www.austintx.com/contact.html for contact information). By signing up for service with AustinTX.COM, you are consenting to be bound by this usage statement. Disk Usage Storage Users are considered to have a permanent storage limit of twenty (20) megabytes. Users may temporarily consume up to twenty-five (25) megabytes of storage, however, if space is needed, files may be compressed or removed by system administration. We do not provide backup for any of your files. Users should not consume more than twenty-five (25) megabytes of disk space at any time without notifying system administration and receiving permission to use more disk space. Disk space may also be purchased. File Removal AustinTX.COM reserves the right to reduce without notice an unauthorized file space consumption in excess of twenty (20) megabytes to the twenty (20) megabyte limitation. Temporary Exceptions Temporary disk space allotments are given as a courtesy of AustinTX.COM and users should download or remove files from this disk space as soon as possible. Compression AustinTX.COM may compress users' files without prior notification. Please compress any files you do not access regularly. To do this from a UNIX shell prompt, type "man gzip" or "man compress". Users may also use any other compression utility prior to placing files on the server. File Security AustinTX.COM _IS_NOT_ responsible for _ANY_ damage or loss of user files or electronic mail. Multi-user, networked computers are inherently risky environments and it is each user's responsibility to keep copies of all user data at their site or risk data loss. -------------------------------- Mail Policies Mass Mailings Unsolicited, Mass Mailings (SPAM) are a policy violation and are grounds for immediate removal from AustinTX.COM. Mass Mailings are defined as sending mail to more than fifty (50) users on the Internet in a single mailing. This includes the use of the Pine or Eudora address book functions to mail to multiple users. Mass Mailings cause large loads on our mail server and have detrimental effects on system performance and thus affect other users online at the time of the Mass Mailing. One exception to this rule is made for List-Server customers, who must provide the instructions for removal from the list at the bottom of each List-Server message. See our price list for further details on List-Servers. -------------------------------- WebPage Policies Bandwidth AustinTX.COM allows its users free webpages based on bandwidth. The bandwidth usage of the web page will be added to the user's total bandwidth allotment and will be billed to the customer if the maximum free usage is surpassed. Please see our pricing page for more details. Content So long as the content of user webpages does not violate any U.S. or Texas laws (namely copyright or patent infringement, child pornography, export-restricted materials and information, etc.), users are free to publish anything he or she pleases without censure. Custom CGI Scripts For a fee, AustinTX.COM will allow Virtual Website owners to use custom CGI scripts. The source code for all such scripts must be made available to the System Administrators of AustinTX.COM upon request for security review. Also, any script or program run by the user may be disabled if AustinTX.COM feels that it represents a security risk or that it is using to many system resources. The webmaster of the site will be notified via email if this is the case. -------------------------------- Privacy AustinTX.COM conforms to the provisions of the Electronic Communications and Privacy Act. AustinTX.COM users are expected to respect the privacy of other users. For example, users shall not intentionally seek information on, obtain copies of, or modify files, other data, or passwords belonging to other users, or represent themselves as another user unless explicitly authorized to do so by that user. Likewise, the system administrators of AustinTX.COM will respect the privacy of user files and mail unless there is reason to suspect unacceptable use of the system including violations of state or federal laws. Administrators may access files and mail to correct problems or perform maintenance, but will not divulge any information witnessed therein. Software Piracy Unlike issues of free speech and communication, which are governed by community standards of conduct, certain activities are clearly illegal under state or federal law. Software piracy is one of these activities. AustinTX.COM users found to possess pirated software are subject to removal of these files and possible forfeiture of service. Harassment AustinTX.COM users are expected to respect the integrity of computing systems; for example, users shall not intentionally develop programs that harass other users or infiltrate a computer or computing system and/or damage or alter the software components of a computer or computing system. Continual harassment of others, either via mail, in Usenet, or in another forum is considered to be a violation of others' privacy and will be addressed in the same fashion as other violations of AustinTX.COM Policy. -------------------------------- Bots/IRC/Muds The use of automated programs (Bots) on Internet Relay Chat is prohibited. Likewise, the unauthorized running of multi-user environments (MUD or MUSH-like game servers) or any data or information server is prohibited. Contact AustinTX.COM administration if you wish to propose the authorization of any such server. In general, development and testing of such servers to be placed in other locations must occur during late-night (1:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.) hours, and with the express permission of system administration. -------------------------------- Usenet News Full Usenet News is provided to AustinTX.COM customers on a "Spare Bandwidth" basis. This means that, should Usenet News traffic adversely effect our network bandwidth, AustinTX.COM reserves the right to restrict its flow until more bandwidth becomes available. AustinTX.COM does not at this time provide news feeds to down-stream servers. -------------------------------- Acceptable Use of Other Networks AustinTX.COM communication traffic need not conform to the NSFNET Acceptable Use Agreement and there is no prohibition on commercial traffic. However, the Subscriber agrees to observe the acceptable use policy of any other network the Subscriber accesses through the AustinTX.COM connection. The subscriber recognizes that other networks may have different policies concerning commercial postings/traffic and agrees to respect those policies. -------------------------------- Security AustinTX.COM does not own or control all of the various facilities and communications lines through which it may provide access. Accordingly, AustinTX.COM shall not be responsible for user/access security. However, AustinTX.COM will assist in network security breach detection and identification and in establishing limited access when requested. -------------------------------- Unacceptable Use It is not acceptable to use AustinTX.COM to achieve unauthorized access to systems, software, or data. It is not acceptable to use AustinTX.COM for any purposes which violates U.S. or state laws, including piracy of software. It is not acceptable to use AustinTX.COM so as to interfere with or disrupt network users, services or equipment. Such interference or disruption includes, but is not limited to: propagation of computer worms or viruses and using the network to make unauthorized entry to other computational, information, or communications devices or resources. -------------------------------- Enforcement and Violations The Administrators of AustinTX.COM, or their designee, will review alleged violations of the AustinTX.COM Acceptable Use Policy on a case-by-case basis. Clear violations of the policy which are not promptly remedied by the relevant Subscriber may result in disciplinary action by AustinTX.COM up to and including the expulsion of the Subscriber from AustinTX.COM, termination of AustinTX.COM services, and forfeiture of all fees paid to date and possible contractual penalties. Suspected violations should be reported to "abuse@austintx.com". Any criminal act against or performed through AustinTX.COM computer systems will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. AustinTX.COM cooperates fully with Local, State, and Federal Law enforcement agencies in persuing criminal acts committed on or through AustinTX.COM systems and networks. -------------------------------- Modifications to this policy AustinTX.COM, and its parent Virtual Global Communications, Inc., reserve the right to modify this policy at any time. Subscribers will receive notification via AustinTX.COM email mailing list of all such modifications at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to their effective date. -------------------------------- Last modified 05/01/00