This thread is getting a bit rediculous. Yes, I did state that I felt that Efnet isn't really the nicest network to visit, but in no way can I agree with you on anything you're saying, LostShadow. Even if some things you say are correct, the fact that you are blantantly ignoring the channel rules even after you know what they are, and you're stating here that you will continue to ignore them, makes everything else you have to say invalid even if it's legitimate.
Ops in ALL channels have the right to do what they wish, set whatever rules they like (even if they are stupid rules), kick/ban people if they want, etc. Only other ops, or higher levels if the network allows it, have any say in policing the ops themselves. If you don't like the rules, then don't visit the channel. DON'T keep visiting, evading bans, and ignoring the rules.
And as far as dealing with conflicts between a non-op and an op, yes, start with talking to the person who you're having the issue with. If you can't get anywhere there, then DO go and talk with another op (or another higher level person if the network supports it). If you get nowhere in the channel and the issue is network related rather than channel related, you can take it to an ircop. If you get nowhere there, or if it's only a channel related issue, then you're done. Drop it and move on.
As far as the issue with helping people in PM... I understand the idea behind not doing so to prevent malicious help, but at the same point, I have been helped before in #mIRC in PM and I give support in other channels via PM. I've gotten support in official scripting channels as well in PM and given support there in PM. Sure, someone could cause problems that way, but banning someone for helping in PM seems a bit too harsh to me. Still, as I said, the rules are there and it's the channel owner's and ops' choice of what rules they want to have. It doesn't matter what my opinion on the rules is. It also doesn't matter what your opinion is.
As a note, if you ran that script in a channel I owned or was opped in, I'd warn/kick/ban you as well.
