In looking at the original "opermyth" document, we here at efnet.info decided that it needed to be re-done. In the five years since this was written, EFnet has undergone some drastic changes. So, here’s the updated "opermyth" document.
Q: What can ALL opers on EFnet do?
A: This is a list of what ALL of us can do:
- Squit our own server, separating it from the rest of the net
- Connect our own server to an uplink
- Kill a local user
- See the nickname changes of a local user
- See all invisible users on our server
- Mass msg/CTCP/notice a hostmask
- Mass msg/CTCP/notice a server
- See and send Operwall notices
Q: What can MOST opers on EFnet do?
A: In addition to the above, this is a list of what MOST opers can do:
- Squit ANY server on EFnet from its uplink
- Connect ANY server to an uplink
- Die our own server
- Kill a user on ANY server
- K:line (or un-K:line) a hostmask or domain
- D:line (or un-Dline) an IP address
- Start or vote on a G:line to knock someone off of the servers that accept G:lines
- See when someone does a local /whois on them (/whois nick nick)
- Use the operspy commands
- X:line (or un-X:line) a phrase
- Get a score on a channel from CHANFIX
Q: What can SOME opers on EFnet do?
A: In addition to the above, this is a list of what SOME opers can do:
- Use CHANFIX to fix a channel
- Edit the ircd.conf file on our own server to do things such as adding I:lines
Q: What can ONLY admins on EFnet do?
A: In addition to the above, this is a list of what ONLY admins can do:
- Call a vote and vote on EFnet issues
- Give a user an O:line on our own server
- Give a user a hostmask spoof on our own server
Q: With all of this power, what can EFnet opers NOT do?
A: EFnet opers can NOT:
- Track nickname changes on clients that are not local to them
- Op ourselves in a channel, unless we are near the top of the CHANFIX oplist, and the channel warrants a chanfix
- Op anyone else in a channel, unless we have ops, or that person is near the top of the CHANFIX oplist, and the channel warrants a chanfix.
- De-op someone in a channel, unless it warrants a chanfix.
All of the above actions under "warrants a chanfix" are actually done by CHANFIX, and not the oper.
Q: What are some other oper issues that come into play?
A: Here are some other issues that come up occasionally
- The most common issue probably is killing for nicks. Is it abuse? Should we be able to? Some opers think that the notion that nicks are not owned should apply to everyone on EFnet; some opers think that their own nicknames should be reserved for them. There are no rules either way. However, it is very rare that an oper uses the /kill command for a nick other than their own. That is still looked down upon by the oper community, and considered abuse by some.
- A new issue that has come up is overuse of CHANFIX. CHANFIX is meant to prevent the occasional takeover and provide ops to opless channels; it is NOT meant as a channel service to be used every day to prevent takeovers. Yes, occasionally, channels will be packeted off in full for a few days on end. However, that is rare. Every channel should take steps, even with CHANFIX, to make sure their channel isn’t taken over.
- Another common issue is users packeting other users. While we can, with enough proof, knock these abusers off of IRC, it doesn’t do much to stop the packeting. Your best bet is to complain to their ISP or shell provider.
Q: Where can I find out more?
A: Here are some good resources.
www.efnet.info/faq.html has the definitions of K:, D: and X: lines, etc., as well as some other information
voting.efnet.net has all of the previous votes archived, and includes more
information about the operspy utilities
The CHANFIX FAQ can be found at www.irchelp.org/irchelp/ircd/chanfix.html
Version 2.0 done July 7, 2003 by Matt "Pills" Phillips
Original done July 30, 1998 by Ray "Monkster" Powers
Special thanks to everyone at efnet.info!