About the Buffalo Free-Net

Special Interest Group Account Application Instructions

These instructions are designed to help you fill out the online application for a Buffalo Free-Net Special Interest Group (SIG) Account. A SIG account is intended to provide webhosting services for a group or organization or for individuals with an interest in presenting specific topic based information on the World Wide Web. The Buffalo Free-Net does NOT offer business or commercial accounts.

Please read these instructions before filling out the application.

In order for us to set up an account we need to obtain a little bit of information about you, your organization, and what it is that you would like to do with your website.

Buffalo Free-Net Special Interest Group Online Account Application
This application is to be used only when applying for an account for webhosting services for a group or organization or by individuals with an interest in presenting specific topic based information on the World Wide Web. The Buffalo Free-Net does NOT offer business or commercial accounts. Before filling out this application, please be sure that you have read the instructions. If you are unsure of what a question means, or how to answer it, you can get help by clicking the .
Information About Your Proposed Web Site
Account Name:	This is the login account name which the webmaster will use to develop the site, NOT a domain name or web address. We will use your suggested name unless it is already in use. The Account Name should be 6 or more characters with no spaces, for example: ferrets
Account Password:	(5 or more characters or numbers, upper or lower case, no spaces), for example F3rrtz
Web Site Purpose:	Describe your proposed web site and the kind of information or services it would provide.
Select a Category:	Your SIG will be listed under this category on the Buffalo Free-Net Community & Non-Profit web page.
Do you have a domain name?	Yes No Your default web address will be: http://youraccount.bfn.org. However, you can obtain your own domain name.
If yes, Domain Name:	If you have not yet registered this name, you really should do so now. You can then return to this application and check the "yes" box. You may also choose to wait to see if your application is approved before registering the name, however, you will still need to register before we can actually set up your account. For a complete explanation of this value added service, including costs, please see our DNS services fact sheet.
Domain Registrar:	If you have registered your own name, or plan to, please tell us which organization handles it (for example, Choice One Online).
Information About Your Group or Organization
Organization Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone:
Fund Raising:	Yes No Will your organization be seeking an exemption from Buffalo Free-Net rules to allow you to engage in fund raising activities on your web site?
501(c)3 Status	Tax Exempt Not Tax Exempt Does your organization have 501 (c) (3) tax exempt status?
Information About Your Webmasters
Primary Webmaster:	(required) First Name and Last Name
Address:	(required)
City:	(required)
State:	(required)
Zip:	(required)
Work Phone:
Home Phone:	(required)
Email Address:	(required)
Secondary Webmaster:	(First Name and Last Name) We strongly recommend that each SIG have at least two (2) webmasters.
Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Work Phone:
Home Phone:
Email Address:
Additional Information About Your Proposed Web Site
Is there anything else that you would like us to know about your request?
Please enter the text from this image:

Information about your proposed web site

Name of proposed of web site:

This is easy. It's what ever you want to call your web site. In the case of a group or organization, it would probably include the name of the organization. In other cases, it might simply describe the content of your site.

We will use this information to create an account name for your SIG. Your account name (or "signame") is what you will use to log into the Buffalo Free-Net system to create and maintain your website, retrieve email, etc. These are assigned by our system administrator. Your email address will also be derived from this (i.e. signame@bfn.org)

Password for proposed web site:

We will use this information to create a password for the account name of your SIG. Your account name and password is what you will use to log into the Buffalo Free-Net system to create and maintain your website, retrieve email, etc. These are assigned by our system administrator.

Describe your proposed web site and the kind of information or services it would provide:

Use this space to tell us a little bit about what you hope to accomplish with your website, what kind of information you expect to provide, how this will benefit the Western New York community, who will use this information, etc.

Select a Category:

Use this drop down list to select which category you would like your SIG to appear in on our Community web page.

Do you already have, or are you interested in obtaining, your own domain name to be used with this web site?

Your web site will be available to anyone who has access to the World Wide Web. It will be addressed by the URL, "http://signame.bfn.org/" (where "signame" is the name assigned to your SIG account).

As a value added service, the Buffalo Free-Net and Choice One OnLine, Inc. offers Buffalo Free-Net Special Interest Groups the ability to have their own domain name. This is a name of your own choosing and allows you to select a more meaningful and easy to remember address for your web site.

While you may register your domain name with any domain name registrar, the use of Choice One OnLine's domain name registration service will greatly simplify the process of setting up your account.

For a complete explanation of this value added service, please see our DNS services fact sheet.

If you are unsure or undecided, answer "no". You can add this service at any time.

Information about your group or organization

This section is used to provide information about your group or organization. You should include the name of the organization as well as an address and telephone number where we may reach an official of the organization should the need ever arise.

We recognize that In many cases, a group or club will not maintain an established office. etc. In this case you may use the address and telephone number of any official authorized to conduct the group's business such as a club president etc. Ideally this should be someone other than yourself.

Will your organization be seeking an exemption from Buffalo Free-Net rules to allow you to engage in fund raising activities on your web site?

Buffalo Free-Net policy prohibits the use of our facilities for "commercial activities" of any type. Commercial activities include, but are not limited to, the placement of "sponsorship banners" or advertisements on your website, the sale of anything through your website, the promotion of events from which you or your group may derive revenues or the direct solicitation of funds for any purpose.

Qualified non-profit groups may apply to the Board of Directors of The Buffalo Free-Net for an exemption from this rule to engage in legitimate fund raising activities that are in direct support of the mission of the organization.

Please see our Acceptable Use Policy for an explanation of this as well as other rules concerning the acceptable use of the Buffalo Free-Net.

If you answer "yes" to this question, we may ask you to provide some proof of your organization's non-profit status. We may also ask for an explanation of the types of activities you intend to engage in. If you answer "no", you may always apply at a later time.

Does your organization have 501 (c) (3) tax exempt status?

This is one way for us to determine the non-profit status of an organization. In some cases, while your group may not have 501 (c) (3) status itself, it may operate under an "umbrella organization" that does. If you know this to be the case you may still answer "yes".

If you know that your organization does not have this, answer "no". If you are unsure or do not plan to engage in fund raising activities through your web site answer accordingly.

The Board of Directors of the Buffalo Free-Net will decide each request on a case by case basis considering all relevant factors, and we may or may not, at our discretion, grant your request even in the absence of such status.

Information about you

This section is used to provide information about yourself and, if applicable, your secondary webmaster.

Primary Webmaster

You must be 18 years of age or older.

You must be a resident of Western New York.

You should have a working knowledge of the Internet, HTML, and website design.

In addition to standard computer skills some familiarity with UNIX is helpful.

You must be willing to devote the time necessary to adequately maintain your site.

NOTE: You must supply a valid email address. All correspondence regarding this account will be conducted via email. We will also add you to a private mailing list which is used to discuss issues of relevance to Buffalo Free-Net webmasters.

Secondary Webmaster

Qualifications for the secondary webmaster are the same as those for the primary webmaster.

We strongly recommend that each SIG have a secondary webmaster, especially in the case of an account issued to a group or organization. In addition to making your job a little easier, it helps provide some continuity should you find that you no longer have time to maintain the account or should you decide to move on or take a vacation.

Is there anything else that you would like us to know about your request?

Use this space for comments or to include any other information that you think would help us in setting up your account.

If you have any questions about this application or about Buffalo Free-Net webhosting services, please address them to Buffalo Free-Net Webhosting Services Coordinator

This area is maintained by the Buffalo Free-Net SIG Master
Last Revised: May 21, 2008

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Internet Site and Graphics Design, and Maintenance Provided by The Internet Guys and Buffalo Free-Net volunteers.
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DNS Services Provided by One Communications, Inc. & Webmail provided as a public service by Synacor, Inc.