+---
Title: Group registration
-template: soon.html
---
+
+This page describes group registration and the use of the freenode group
+contact. Group registration allows your project or organisation to maintain
+unambiguous contact with the freenode project volunteers and group registration
+represents an official relationship with freenode.
+
+### On-topic groups
+
+Groups considered to be on-topic for Freenode are primarily free and open-source
+software projects, and other peer-directed projeccts, for instance Linux User
+Groups (LUGs), student societies, and other colloborative efforts.
+
+### Group registration:
+
+**Represents an official relationship between freenode and your project or
+organisation.**
+
+> By registering your group, you are indicating that you are maintaining an
+> official presence on the network. If your group is a legal entity, we want to
+> make sure that management has approved your registration.
+
+**Requires no special type or level of participation.**
+
+> You may maintain as little or as much control over your channels as desired.
+> You may cloak your members, employees or participants, or not, as you decide.
+> You may apply to sponsor a server if that is something you wish to do.
+
+**Is accomplished by discussing your registration with the community team.**
+
+> If you think a group registration would benefit your project, let any member
+> of staff know over IRC; they'll assess whether your group appears to be
+> on-topic and advise you on what kind of information and authorisation you'll
+> need.
+
+
+### Two types of group contacts exist for freenode:
+
+#### The primary contact.
+
+This contact registers to establish that your group intends to create a
+relationship with freenode. The primary contact should have the authority to
+make the determination that your group intends to register, with the specifics
+depending on the type of group:
+
+1. Legal entities. A primary contact should belong to upper management or the
+organisation's board. This authority can be delegated further in the case of
+larger organisations, but it is not recommended; in cases where such delegation
+occurs, contact with the organisation is often lost and the group registration
+must subsequently be removed.
+
+2. Informal, project-oriented groups. Informal groups vary considerably in
+their internal organisation. If the group is run by a single project leader or
+developer, that person should submit a group registration. If it is run by a
+larger core group or by voting across the project, the voting group should make
+a collective decision to register and should appoint one of their number as
+primary contact.
+
+#### The secondary contact.
+
+Secondary (or approved) contacts are appointed by the primary contact. A
+secondary contact may be assigned limited access and/or privileges. They need
+no special level of authority; delegate whatever level of authority seems
+appropriate. We will not expect them to make policy decisions, just to find out
+the answers to any questions that are raised.
+
+
+### Group registration provides:
+
+1. Additional channel management capabilities. Projects and organisations are
+entitled to own channels bearing their names. Your group contact can request
+changes in channel ownership in accordance with this policy and can directly
+request changes to access lists and configuration for any channels you own.
+
+2. Group hostname cloaks. Cloaks allow your project or organisation to grant
+official recognition to project participants. Your group contact maintains this
+cloak list.
+
+3. Problem solving. When there is a problem with one of your channels or if
+there is a complaint by a user or a question about policy, we will pass it on
+to your group contact.
+
+We aim for a reasonable degree of flexibility where we deal with groups. If you
+mention any particular needs your project might have, we'll try to accomodate
+you.
+
+
+#### Your group contacts:
+
+**Are designated by your project or organisation.** For example, a group
+contact might be your IT manager or someone involved with your project
+infrastructure.
+
+**Can be one person or several.** You decide who acts as group contact. Each
+contact can be designated to handle issues pertaining to your entire group, or
+to a limited set of projects or users. You can designate primary and backup
+contacts if you wish.
+
+**Acts as your "goto".** When you need someone to talk to us about a network
+issue, your group contact is the person. They are your formal point of contact
+with our network staff.
+
+**Acts as our "goto".** We will ask your group contact whenever we have any
+question about your project or organisational policies as they pertain to
+participation in the network.
+
+
+## freenode Group Advisory Board
+
+In order for freenode to provide the best possible service to the communities
+we serve, it is important for us to receive feedback from the projects with
+which we have relationships.
+
+We invite all current (and future) Group Contacts to join GAB, the freenode
+Group Advisory Board. While we hope to see many Group Contacts involved with
+GAB in an advisory capacity, GAB membership is of course optional.
+
+freenode will consult the GAB on matters relating to services given to
+groups/projects, any addition to, or change of, group specific policy and other
+relevant issues.
+
+If you are a current Group Contact and wish to get involved with GAB, please
+contact staff on IRC or email groups at freenode dot net for instructions on
+how to subscribe to the freenode-groups mailing list. If you're considering
+becoming one, just let us know your email address when registering.
+
+We'd love to hear how you feel we could improve the service for your community.
+Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!
+
+
+## Group Management & Community Team
+
+The Group Management & Community Team comprises **nhandler**, **e**, **tomaw**
+and **christel**; together they will act as your liaisons during the group
+registration process and throughout your tenure on the freenode network. If you
+wish to discuss the group registration process, find out if freenode could be a
+good fit for your project or register your project as a group, please feel free
+to drop any of the team members a line on IRC.
+
+Once you have discussed your project with a staff member, you'll be asked to
+email <projects@freenode.net> with the details of your request, including any
+formal verification information that might be required. If you're a PGP user,
+feel free to encrypt to:
+
+ 445B 4A56 5E9D F351 DD80 CE98 FCF3 9BAB 6166 AFB8
projects / irc / freenode / web-7.0.git / blobdiff