What is the AustNet Services Department?
The AustNet Services Department is a group who help manage the services (ChanOP, NickOP and so on) and assist users with services-related problems. They also monitor and correct abuse of these services, in accordance with the AustNet services guidelines. To do these things, they use a service named ASD.

What is ASD?
ASD is a service provided by AustNet for services operators and administrators. ASD helpers who have special access to AustNet's Open Public Access System (OPAS) may use ASD to assist IRC users whom require technical support. ASD is also used to restrict abusive users' access to services and correct crisis situations concerning channel operator-less channels.

What can the services department do for me?
ASD helpers are available to help you use a service and show you commands, recover your password if you have lost it and can prove that it is yours, or assist you if you think another user has violated the services guidelines. ASD is not here to undo bans for you, kick people you don't like, ban people from AustNet, or to provide non-services related help. Some ASD helpers also look after IRC weddings.

What are the services policies?
Policies:
No mass messaging / advertising / inviting
No services flooding (including NickOP/LoveOP floods)
Any or all of the above can and will end in the suspension of your channel, whether done by the owner or a member of that channel. If your channel is suspended, please contact #ASD to find the ASD Operator that suspended it, so that it may be discussed. Generally the suspension will remain until it expires
Restrictions:
Maximum of 4 nicks per user allowed to be registered
Maximum of 1 channel per nick allowed to be registered
Any violations may and will result in the removal of some and/or all nicks/channels.

How do I find a services person when I need one?
The most obvious place is their channel, #ASD. If you have a services query just type /join #ASD and ask in the channel. If nobody seems to be awake type /msg ASD listadmin for a list of services people which shows who is online and who is not away. In the unlikely event of absolutely nobody being on, you are welcome to mail [email protected].
Senior ASD helpers have a line in their WHOIS response showing that they represent services staff. If somebody appears to be impersonating an ASD person let an IRC operator or ASD administrator know.

What is spam?
Spam is unsolicited advertising of a channel. It usually falls to ASD to prevent spamming, and the definition of spam that we work from is a non-op advertising in a channel that doesn't want advertisements, OR a mass message / invitation to people who would not wish to join the channel.
What does this mean?
A #chatzone op sending a user from #chatzone into #sex would not be spamming.
A #chatzone non-op asking people in #chatzone to come to #melbteens would be spamming, because #chatzone do not allow that.
A person on #chan telling people to join #wicked is allowed because the #chan ops allow advertising (very rare).

Any person on any channel using the /invite or /msg commands to invite non-friends is spamming.

The possible results of spamming are:
Being banned from the channel you spammed in by an operator (not by ASD).
Having your access removed and being banned from the channel you spammed, preferably by the channel owner. (Channel owners are expected to co-operate with ASD personel at all times).
Having your channel suspended.
Being removed from the network by an IRC operator.
Having ASD contact your ISP if spamming is excessive.

What rules are there for ASD people?
Because of the access they have, services people are governed by guidelines covering almost every situation they may have to deal with. If you are conerned about the actions of anyone using ASD, please send e-mail to [email protected] with information and logs to support your complaint. Information sent to this address is dealt with on a one-to-one basis, and action is decided by a specialist group of trustworthy people.

For more help on ASD, ask online in #asd or contact [email protected].

Many people ask us how they can become involved with the AustNet Services Dept.

New ASD helpers are generally chosen from those who have shown they are good helpers in other established help channels (such as #mirc, #help, #mirchelp, #newbies).

People who are considered for addition to ASD are extremely familiar with AustNet services in all its variety.

We do not consider people who have a history of spamming, or other antisocial activity on AustNet or other networks.

ASD helpers represent the network, so we look for people with a good attitude towards other helpers and general users.

Do not ever ask for ASD access. Asking shows your motivation is not that of helping users. Such people do not make good ASD helpers. Refusal often offends.

If you believe you fit the above criteria, and you would like to show your interest in ASD, you can fill out an expression of interest form HERE.