The Law of the Mudcat.

(With apologies to Rudyard Kipling)

Now this is the Law of the Mudcat -- as old and as true as the sky;
And the Catter that keep's it may prosper, but the Troll that shall break it must die.
As the thread that girdles the tree-trunk the Posts runneth forward and back --
For the strength of the Pack is the Catter, and the strength of the Catter is the Pack.

Logon daily from L.A. to Bavaria; drink deeply, but never too deep;
And remember the night is for posting, and forget not the day is for sleep.
The DougR may follow the flamer, but, Guest, when thy whiskers are grown,
Remember the Mudcat's about music -- go forth and write songs of thine own.
Keep peace with the Lords of the Mudcat -- the Amos, the Spaw, and Bear.
And trouble not Ainee the Silent, and mock not Little Hawk in his lair.
When Thread meets with Thread in the Mudcat, and neither will go from the trail,
Lie down till Joe Offer has spoken -- it may be fair words shall prevail.
When ye fight with a fellow Mudcatter, ye must fight him alone and afar,
Lest others take part in the quarrel, and the Site be diminished by war.
The Post of the Catter is his refuge, but where he has digged in too plain,
The others shall send him a message, and so he shall change it again.
If post before midnight, be silent, and wake not the net with your bray,
Lest ye frighten the others from logon, and other threads go empty away.
Ye may post for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need, and call,;
But post not for pleasure of flaming, and seven times never a Troll!
If ye flame a post from a weaker, destroy not all in thy pride;
Post-Right is the right of the meanest; so leave him the head and the hide
The threads on the site are the meat of the site. Ye must eat where it lies;
And no one may carry away that meat to abuse, or he dies.
The start of the thread is the meat of the catter. He may do what he will;
But, but thread creep needs no permission, the catter shall live with that still..
Guest-Right is the right of information. From all Mudcatters he may claim
Full-news when the search is empty; and none may refuse him the same.
Information is the right of each catter. To give or receive as ye claim
But check that it's not duplication, and read all the thread just the same.
Because of his age and his cunning, because of his grip on the Spaw,
In all that the Law leaveth open, the word of our Max is the Law.

Now these are the Laws of the Mudcat, and many and mighty are they;
But the head and the hoof of the Law and the thread and the Post is – Obey !

Gareth