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ALIAnet systems and passwords

The services provided via ALIAnet are a blend of several complex systems, all co-operating to serve the needs of members of ALIA, staff of ALIA National Office, non-members affiliated to the sector, and others.

Each of these systems operates independently, and is kept this way to avoid a system-wide collapse if one component trips over. Here is a summary of what is required to gain access to each discrete component.

Website members-only content	To gain access to 'locked' members-only content on the website, we require your ALIA membership number and a password (the password is initially provided by ALIA National Office membership staff, but can be modified by you at any time). Once these credentials are verified, you have access to all content on ALIAnet, including content denoted by a lockicon. Only members are permitted access to members-only content on the website. You can modify your membership detailsat any time. See our members-only information page for more.
Chat server access	The ALIAnet chat service is open to all, and since it permits 'temporary' and 'pseudonym' access, is not tied to the membership database. Access is via a self-nominated username and self-nominated password when you register to use ALIAnet's chat service. These details are only useful within the chat service, and allow anonymity as well as security - see the ALIAnet chat service for more information.
E-list subscriptions	ALIAnet's e-list server is open to all, and merely demands a valid e-mail address to subscribe to any e-list. A password is assigned (and is able to be modified), and if you subscribe to more than one e-list, can be combined. Your username and password can be changed via the web interface. Please note that your e-mail address need NOT be the same as that used for any other service: if you wish to use a specific e-mail address to subscribe (such as a Yahoo temporary mail account) then this is perfectly acceptable. No username is attached to e-mail subscription, preserving both security and anonymity. See our e-list information pages for more information.
ALIAnet accounts, including web-based mail	ALIAnet internet accounts allow access to a personal ALIAnet e-mail address, access to FTP services, and a personal website. It is only available to personal members of the Association. Information about access is posted to individuals upon successful application. Details required for access to your account are a valid username and a password, both of which are supplied when your account is set up. Your ALIAnet e-mail account is accessible using these credentials, either using a POP client, or ALIAnet's web-based e-mail service. See our ALIAnet accounts page for further details.

Why independent servers?

E-list subscription is controlled by an independent system which allows you (as a member of the Association, or not) to subscribe to e-lists by any address of your choosing - for instance, you might prefer to use a free web-based e-mail address for one e-list, and an alternative address for another e-list. Given the nature of e-mail usage patterns, we observe that astute and savvy internet users often have 'throw-away' mail accounts, especially to subscribe to e-lists. Consequently, we do not tie any details used in our e-list server with any other database. Additionally, there is no requirement to furnish a username or real name to subscribe to any e-list: indeed, some subscriptions are clearly automated services used to gather data.

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