Rules

To the benefit of our honest members, the rules will be enforced to their fullest extend. Violations will result in the immediate termination of the membership-account.

1. Membership

Membership begins when an account is created and ends when either the member removes the banner code from its website or the webmaster deletes the member's account for what reason ever.

2. Banner-Display

Every member has to display the provided html-code without any changes. Altering the code is prohibited (besides editing the page-numbers in order to generate sub-codes).

On your site, there may be as many Turtle Search banner-codes as you wish but only one Turtle Search Banner Code is allowed per page!

The banner code may not be displayed on:

• web pages with more than two codes from other banner exchange services

• hidden frames

• pop-up-frames

• banner-linklists

• pages with automatic relays

• pages with automatic refreshs

• on pages that do not belong to the member's domain.

• on sites with off-topic, illegal and/or sexually explicit content

• on sites, that link to such content

3. Display Ratio

The banner exchange's display ratio currently is 3:2. This means: For every 3 network- banner- displays on its website, the member will earn 2 own banner displays on the network. Turtle Search claims the express right to change the display ratio without prior notification but guantees, that it will never be below 3:2.

4. Bonus Credits

Each new member will receive some free start-up credits. This will help promoting new websites before they have the chance to earn their own credits. Our bonus system will be:

• 500 start-up credits for new entries that display the Turtle Search banner exchange code on top of their main-page.

• 300 start-up credits for new entries that display the Turtle Search banner exchange code elsewhere on their main-page.

• 200 start-up credits for every new entry.

• Top-performances will occasionally be rewarded with bonus-credits.

5. Banners

This banner exchange uses 468 x 60 standard banners only. Each member has to provide its own banner which will remain stored on the member's web server. The file-format can be gif, animated gif or jpg. The banner must not be larger than 15 kB. The banner must not be mis-leading, promoting sexual, racial and/or illegal topics. It has to promote a turtle and tortoise topic. Displaying embarrassing or even illegal banners will -at least- result in the immediate termination of the membership. Also see Paragraph 5 "Fraud".

6. Fraud

Going for banner credits by manipulating webpages, technical performance, banner codes or statistics, making wrong statements, providing unacceptable content, and what other attempts ever may occur in order to receive more banner displays, will be regarded as fraud. It harms the honest members' interests and steals the operators' bandwidth and advertizing fees. Therefore, fraud or attempted fraud will not be accepted. It is Turtle Search's strickt policy to enforce these rules and to exclude anyone who is believed to violate these therms. Any potential violator can be sure, that the webmaster will discover fraud by constantly monitoring the network's performance. Fraud will possibly be reported to law-enforcement authorities.

7. Fees

The membership is free of any charge. On the other hand, members will not receive any payment for providing banner space on their websites.

8. Non-Profit-Organisations

Non-profit organisations may apply for free banner displays. Turtle Search will donate some of its banner-space to organisations that voluntarily work for the benefit of the world's endangered turtle and tortoise population.

9. Sponsors

Individuals or companies/organisations, that like to use the network's banner space without applying for membership, will have to pay sponsor-fees. Ad space is available on a pay-per-view or pay-per-click-basis.

10. Announcement of Changes

Turtle Search claims the right to change these rules without prior notification. In order to stay up-to-date, we recommend every member to visit this webpage frequently. All changes of our rules and policies will be announced here.

11. Fun-Factor :-)

The rules sound harsh and believe us: We mean it. But they are not set up in order to embarrass our honest members. We don't want to have any cheaters in here and we will try hard to NOT have them in here. Many of the people who operate a turtle and tortoise related web site regard it as their hobby or their contribution to the conservation of these endangered species. Therefore everybody in here needs the fun-factor to keep up the work. If the fun-factor got lost, the whole thing would be ruined. So let's all work together in order to enjoy the fun-factor :-)

12. Availability of Services

We claim the right to terminate this banner exchange service at any time. We also claim the right to refuse this service to anyone for what reason ever. We will notify the members in case of shutting down this service. We cannot guarantee a 100 % server-availability. Server-connection may be disturbed or interrupted for what reason ever. Data-flow may be interrupted, disturbed or slow.

13. Disclaimer

We are not responsible for any content displayed on any member-websites.Turtle Search is responsible in the sense of the Federal German Press Law. Read our disclaimer.

14. Location

Currently, our company and the server both are located in the Federal Republic of Germany. You can contact us via e-mail, mail or telephone/ telefax. In case of calling, please notice, that Germany is located in the Central European Time Zone CET (+6h from EST)