Originally Alamak started as a free chat and most users who chat here chat for free. Due to demand and expenses we added special commands and services which users can pay for. These revenues go to support our rather heavy monthly maintenace costs.

Alamakians who want to get more out of their chatting can pay to become members.

As an Operator you get no advertisements, unlimited access, more commands, added chat features, and access to other special services on Alamak!

An Operator or Op is a paying member of the Alamak community who helps support the chatline and other services provided by Alamak.

Become an Operator (Op) if you are an Alamakian who wants to have some say in the use of the chat and want all the special commands and added features.

Ops are not required to enforce the rules of the chat but they do have the ability to kick and ban other users from the chat rooms.

There are several levels of operator. A new Operator starts at Level 1 and will advance roughly every month up until level 12.

Operators get many new commands that are not available to non-operators. For example, they can lock private rooms, use in-line graphics, administer the chat and have access to the operator message board.

Read the Op Commands page for the list of Operator commands.

Ops can signup by Credit Card ( VISA OR MASTERCARD ) via the Instant Activation Form and the account is activated within a few minutes on all servers or send Check or Money Order to one of our offices. To become an Operator, join up on the Sign Up page.

Operator membership was created for two reasons.

• To support server improvments, upgrades, and network costs.
• To monitor the chat rooms so all users can enjoy friendly chat without being flooded or harrassed.

If you compare us with other web based chats you will find that we dont just offer chat, we have many added on services and use multiple servers and networks for reliability.

All services unless otherwise noted have been developed indepently by Alamak with the support of Operators.


No Ads or Flash Page

Non-Operators will see an Ad banner at the top of the page and every 90 pages get a flash page where they must read and CLICK continue to keep chatting. This is to let you know we need your support and give you links on how to signup.

Operators don't have an Ad banner at the top of the page or a flash page.


Color, Fade, Rose, Bold Color, and Icons

Operators get full access to /color and word modifications like bolded color etc as well as /fade and icons.

• [Alamak] This is a normal person chatting, I've made the font white so you can see the example

• [Alamak] This is an example of Operator chatting with blue bold with RED and italic modications.

• * Alamak ~~{~~{@ ~~{~~{@ ~~{~~{@ ~~{~~{@ (((( WONDERFUL ROSES )))) @}~}~~ @}~}~~ @}~}~~ @}~}~~

Alamak Operator status entitles you to unlimited access to services on all of our servers. The servers do have a maximum user limit and certain commands are restricted to those who have applied for Ops. As an Operator you will be permitted preferential access even if our system is full.


Bypass Bans and Proxy Blocks

Bans and proxy blocks are not foolproof and in many cases block out innocent users as well as the offending person harrassing, flooding, or using foul language etc.

Operators are not subject to the normal IP bans and proxy blocks. Operators can only be banned explicitly by nickname by higher level Ops in cases of extreme abuse.


Server Redundancy

We actually run 7 servers worldwide, more than you will get with any other web based chatline. These servers run on seperate networks in the USA and Singapore. If one goes down, you will still be able to use the other ones.

No other chat site has this sort of network and server redundancy.


Support

As an Operator you will be given preferential treatment when submitting a request and asking for help via the Contact Us Page.

If you have a login problem or complaint, we'll do our best to help you in a timely fashion.


CMAIL

This is a chat mail function allowing users to send each other messages even if offline. When you login to the chat you will be notified if you have new CMAIL and provided a link to read it. You can also access CMAIL from inside of the FreeHome server which allows you to delete specific CMAILS, add people to your AddressBook or Wait List.


Wait List

This function allows you to wait for and be notified when your friends log into the chat. There is now an additional seperate wait server that will show you logins on all local servers including regular chat, framechat, cybermyst. This window will autoupdate every 60 seconds lettting you know who's online.


Quick Message

The server was recently upgraded so that anyone on your wait list will immediately be placed in your quick message short list enabling you to message that person simply. For example message FrIeNdYgUy you could just type 'm friend hello' and the message will be sent to FrIeNdYgUy assuming there is no user 'friend' on the server.


Reserved Nicks

The server has always reserved Operator nickname so that no one can login with the exact same nick. We recently upgraded so that regulars users can't use any other spelling of the same nick or substitute Zero for 'O' or One for 'l' or 'I' or 'I' for 'l'. This is to prevent harrassment by impersonation of an Operator.


Relogin Saved Messages

The server was recently upgraded Aug 2000 so that if you get disconnected by a network error, your modem fails, your PC crashes, or whatever ... you can relogin and your message buffer will still be there.

Not only this but all your Ignore, Page Length, Color, Null, Quick Message List, IP Switch, and Auto Reply settings will be saved so you don't have to retype them.

We reserve the right to change or alter this list at any time, but Operators will always be given special commands and privledges.

Com Command and Abuse Report

Operators can type /com [message] to send a message ( suggestion complaint or problem ) to the server committee. The committee will then read this message later and try to assist you with your problem.

While we would like to look at everyone's problem there just isn't enough time for the committee or the Alamak office to address everyones complaints so we restrict this to Operators though the main office does read all the contact reports regularly to look for trends.

Operators can use the abuse command to document an un-alterable copy of the current chat page into the server. An /abuse report against a specific person can also be made which will include a copy of your messages and the accused private messages to determine if either person was involved in instigating the abuse seen in the main. This can later be reviewed by committee to determine if action is needed against potentially abusive Operators. Committee are under strict instructions not to release any information in the abuse log to others and this is the only case were a persons private messages are recorded anywhere. Abuse logs can only be read by trusted committee members and are flushed after 30 days.

Forward Messages

Users at any time can /foward thier private messages to an Operator for review and proof of abuse in private message. If a person insults or uses extreme vulgarity in pm and you ask them nicely to stop and they do not, you can forward your messages to an Op for proof.

Color and Text Modification

Operators can use color, make their whole line bold or colored, or mix and match as well as use special command for fading their text from one color to another.

Icons and Rose

Operators can use icons and cute colored strings while chatting. Type // to get a full list of the icons and how to type them. Any message in the main must be preceded by // to include icons. Describes and privates messages can also include icons, no // required.

IMG LINK PIC

Operators can use 3 commands in the chat to put links in the main or send a link to another user by private message. The /img sends a URL privately to another user, /http posts a link in the main, and /pic attatches a URL to your nickname while chatting.

Give Command

This command allows Operators to give use of /color to one other regular user on the chat so they can try it out. We reserve the right to alter or remove this command at any time.

Ops Command

This is a new command that toggles the special "#" marks which identify an Operator. It enables Ops to go into stealth mode if they dont' want to be bothers or bugged to /give color. Ops can also now use the newly added Auto reply command to setup a reply that they've already given out thier color.

Kick and Ban and Unban Commands

Operators are given the ability to help police the chat line and keep it a nice place to chat.

Lock and Unlock

Operators have the ability to lock or unlock rooms to outside access to partake in private chatting.

Summon

This summons a user to a new location for private chatting even if the location is locked.

Invite

This allows an Operator to create a protected room which is saved in the server. The operator who first types this in a private room is the list maintainer though anyone who is added can add or remove other Ops from the invite list except the room maintainer. No Operators can /join or /summon /kick or /ban other users into an /invite room except those on the invite list. If the room is locked only Ops on the invite list can join the room without being summoned and regular users can not join in freely. If the room is unlocked regular users can enter the room freely but no Ops can enter who are not on the invite list. Regular users can not be kicked out of an /invite room from the outside except by committee and above.

Do not make un-necessary invite commands, these are permanently stored in the server. Setup your room, remember it and use the same room name again next time, Thanks!

Post Command

Operators are allowed to /post to the public message board. This is for fun and enjoyment, it is not to issue complaints about other users, Ops, or the chatline.

Backup Command

Operators can use the /backup command to request help from other Operators online when a room gets too out of hand or being harrassed by regular users for fair actions.

The ID Command

Operators can use /id to get information about thier level and login host etc. As you increase in level your abilty to /id other users and Ops gets better so that you can get more information to determine if a user is the same as another user for abuse tracking purposes. Beginning Ops can only /id themself.

Additional Commands

Additional command are available to higher level Ops but Operator levels can be changed by the chat administration and are not part of the service agreement.

There are also other commands which are not mentioned here for Ops so type /help in the chat to see an up-to-date list.

We have developed a multiuser web based game of hacking and slashing evil monsters, collecting potions, weapons, magical items, and so on.

Users can login and try out CyberMyst but upon quitting only Operators can save their score and be reported on the high scores list.

Additionally, Operators have access to special commands for creating doors, describing room, etc...

Alamak now has a function to search out nicknames and store them in an AddressBook or your Wait List. You can also add people to your wait list from within the chat.

The freehome server also supports some personals and free home pages.

This is a web based stragey game where you create a race design and manage growth of your empire. Eventually, you meet alien races and cooperate or compete ( not always peacefully ) for the limited resources available.

Operators have access to a special command '/ops' which once enabled allows unlimited colonization, without the /ops command users will be limited to a set number of planets they can colonzie depending on current GC game policy.

Alamak offers a very popular free guestbook service on both the US servers as well as the server in Singapore.

Alamak is a community of concerned users, and has been in operatation since mid 1995. As an Operator you are helping to support our community. We are continually working to improve the chatline and add new services. Recently added aret he AddressBooks, Wait, Galactic Conq, and FreeHome/CMAIL access as well as a new client to run on Alamak.

We recently added more free games and services, including 'Tharsis Gate'.

Operator memberships also support the Free Home Pages, Free Guestbooks, and chat Registered Access. Registration is a way users, can try out CMAIL, Alamak Search, Alamak AddressBook and Alamak Wait it is not intended as a permanent free service. These services are discussed below.

Operator membership supports all of our services and including free chatting, and hence Operators should be appreciated by regular users for making their chatting possible.

As an Alamak Operator you are paying for our original ideas and work to improve service to you, not a rip off or a copy of another site. It is important to note that Alamak was the first and is still the most popular web based chat. Other sites may have copied our format but they aren't original. We don't fake our user counts. Other sites have copied our format, command set, concept of Operator membership, policy pages (with a few words changed here and there), and even now add new commands and features as we add them (with little or no change).

Each server has a Committee of high level Operators that enforce the chat rules across all Alamakians. They read /com board for compliants and suggestions, monitor the chat BB, access /abuse logs, and determine the details of complaints to determine who is at fault and what action should be taken. They can recommend a user be put on the permanent ban list. They may alternatively decide to issue a warning. If that warning does not satisfactorily curb an overzealous Operator, the committee can /deop the offending Operator.

Any Operator can become a Committee member if recommended by the current committee, the Alamak Office will not entertain any requests for level upgrade or complaints about your level as it is not part of the Operator Service Agreement.

Ops can signup by Credit Card ( VISA OR MASTERCARD ) via the Instant Activation Form and the account is activated within a few minutes on all servers or send Check or Money Order to one of our offices. To become an Operator, join up on the Sign Up page.