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                              The Defined Elite
                                 By Einstein

Elite (i-leet' or a-leet'), n. - the choice or most carefully selected part
                                 of a group, as of a society or profession.
                                 (Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary)

                             a. the best or most skilled members of a given
                                social group.
                             b. a small and priviledged group.
                                (American Heritage Second College Edition)

        This word has fallen into disrepair, wouldn't you agree?  Read the
definitions carefully (this may take some time).  Is there anything in what
you just read that refers to selection?  Of course there is.  The
definition states that to be elite, one must be selected.  If one must be
selected, that eliminates all those users who are undeserving.  This
equates to about 90-95 percent of the bbs community in Memphis.  Of
course, we must also consider just who is doing the selecting.  This is
the problem with scene as it now stands.  No one is doing the selecting.
SysOps are all so intent on this freedom business that they let users in 
that are in all actuality undeserving.  Don't get me wrong, freedom is 
great, but it shouldn't get in the way of keeping trash off of a system 
and keeping good callers calling.
        
        The following are some typical qualifiers for discovering those
users who are truly 'elite' and those who aren't:
        
        [1] If a person were truly elite, he wouldn't share pertinent                                       
            information that he himself had gleaned through hacking or
            through some other means.  Shared information is worthless in
            that it's lifetime is significantly cut short and that those  
            with access to it are often not competent enough to use it 
            correctly or with a proper level of caution.
        
        [2] If a person were truly elite, he would not claim eliteness.
            Actions speak louder than words.
        
        [3] Those who try to cajole a sense of pity or sorrow in their
            newuser applications.  If a user really wants onto a system,
            and he is elite, he already has access, whether the SysOp
            knows it or not.  His friends(not to mention his enemies)
            most always provide easy entrance into a system through
            their mistakes and/or their nature.
        
        [4] Elite users are not malicious.  They are well behaved and
            always have an attitude that implies knowledge on a higher
            plane than those around them.  Although this can be mistaken
            for an air of conceit or arrogance, that is most certainly
            not the case.  Elite users always seem to have the knowledge
            others lack, but also foster with that knowledge a deep
            respect for moderation and tolerance that only unveils when
            threatened.
        
        [5] When an elite user is threatened, make no mistake, he will
            use any available means to protect himself.  Don't be
            deceived, however, when a true elite is backed into a corner
            by a threat, he will not cower.  He will use every means at his 
            disposal to effectively ensure his continued safety.  This 
            "take no prisoners" attitude more often than not leaves few 
            standing.
        
        [6] An elite user will never be seen wasting time online. There
            are always better things to do than vegetate at a main menu
            screen for an hour.  Most elite users will scan the message
            base, scan the file base, and logoff before they've spent a
            minute online.  If, for some reason, they decide to post or
            transfer a file, be assured that the message will make sense
            and will address an issue in clear, consise terms with proper
            grammar and that any files downloaded will be accompanied
            with an upload of equal quality.

        This is not a firm definition or an absolute truth, merely a 
guideline to assist those who have never encountered a set, understood
definition of eliteness for users.  If you have a disagreement with my 
findings, I'd love to hear what your opinion is (right..).

                                         - Einstein

        Credit for the fifth qualifier goes to Splice.  There.. happy?

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