Getting An Account on Agora

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The first step in getting an account on agora is to apply for the basic login account. If you're viewing this page online, the you can use the Online Application Form to request an account. Don't Go There Yet! Read the rest of this page, as it has important information on what to expect!

If you can't or don't want to use the online form for some reason call 503-972-0365 with a modem and a regular terminal program such as Hyperterminal (on Win95 or later) or Kermit. Once connected, login as user "apply" (no password needed) and you will be asked for your desired login, password and some other info. After you confirm the information at the end, it will be mailed to the system administrator and you will be disconnected. If you already have Internet access, you can telnet agora.rdrop.com instead of dialing up...

However you apply for the account, within a day or two, you should have an account (if you left an email address, a message will be sent there when the account is created, otherwise, just keep trying).

This process will get you a restricted account, which will not have direct net access and can only dialup with a terminal program to a basic menu interface with limited features. For most people, this translates to no access. To become unrestricted, you need to send proof of your identity to us so that crackers and spammers won't anonymously use the free month trial period to harass the net (the lack of such a requirement is why a lot of people filter out Hotmail and Yahoo email).

Acceptable proofs of identity include:

If you know another user already on agora, they can vouch for your identity via email.
You can make a copy of some common forms of ID such as passport or driver's license and mail it to:
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    RainDrop Laboratories
    3600 SW Par Place
    Corvallis, OR  97333
    
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If you know you're likely to stay on agora, you can make a payment via Paypal if you have a verified account there. You will still get the free month, payments always extend the expiration date from where it was before.
You can send a check with your name and address pre-printed on it to the above address.

Once your account is unrestricted, you will have full shell and network access, including PPP (which allows you to put your own computer on the Internet, where you can run full graphic and multimedia capable applications such as Netscape) and can request other services, such as your own area to put up a web page or a mailing list. Such requests should be emailed to support@agora.rdrop.com and should be processed quickly.

When your account is created, the expiration date will be set to the first of the next month that's more than a couple weeks away (so yes, if you apply in the last half of the month you get more free time). This gives you your free trial period. When ever you send in a payment, the expiration date is extended accordingly. You will get mail on the 15th of the two months preceding the expiration date (assuming you've paid more than a month ahead, otherwise you'll only get the one notice two weeks before it expires). When the expiration date is reached, the system will automatically stop allowing you to login, but email will continue to be accepted and web pages still served until the account is archived. This is guaranteed to be at least a month after the expiration date, but can be several, depending on when I get around to backing them up and removing them. Once this is done, there is a $5 charge to restore an account, assuming someone hasn't already taken your login (once removed, it becomes available for use by someone else).

If you have questions or problems and can't send email via other means, login as user "message" and you will be prompted for a message that will be sent to the system administrator. As there is no way to identify the sender of such messages, be sure to include contact information and hours so the system administrator knows who to get back to and when (he keeps late hours)...