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What is a signature?
How do I create and use a signature with graphic in the forum?
I hate seeing these stupid signatures! How do I get rid of them?
I hate Doubleclick! Do I have to accept their cookies?
How come the forum is showing "read" messages as "unread?"
Can I change my screen name? I don't like the one I have now.
How can I see more posts than five at one time?
How come I only see that cool formatting toolbar in Internet Explorer for Windows?
Can I delete or edit my own messages?
Hey, my message was edited or deleted by somebody else! What gives?
There's part of an article posted but where's the rest of it?
How come I only see a few threads under certain sections of the forum?
How do I create a poll in the forum?
How come the Subscribe feature doesn't work?
How do I post a link to a specific message?
I'm tired of getting email notifications of messages to me, how do I turn it off?
How do I switch back and forth between the ET and eweek forums?
Do my user ID, password and preferences work in both forums?
How do I ignore somebody if I don't like them?
How do I forward a message to someone via email?
How do I reply to a message via email?
Someone sent me an email from the forum! How did they get my email address? Did you give it to them?
How do I rate a message?

What is a signature?
A signature is a little blurb at the end of a forum member's message that has a witty saying, ID or other bit of text. Sometimes signature's also include a graphic. It's really just a way of personalizing your messages, it adds warmth, personality and humor.

How do I create and use a signature with graphic in the forum?
Creating a sig is easy. In the upper right hand of your browser you will see orange text that says My Discussions. (If you don't see it because of a large ad, click the black space around the ad and scroll down). Click My Discussions then look over to the bottom left of your browser and click on My Preferences. Scroll down to the Personal Signature box, that's where you put the text for your signature.

You can use just a bit of text or you can fancy it up a little bit with some HTML. Please note that you should make the text readable, short and easy on the eyes. You can use one graphic in your sig too.

Please do not use javascript, music or Flash in your signature file. Please make sure your graphic is no larger than 125 pixels wide by 125 pixels high and doesn't weigh more than 20k total (lighter is better).

Here's some sample HTML to use for signature text with a graphic. Please bear in mind that any graphic you want to use has to be hosted on a server somewhere on the net. You can't upload graphics directly to the forum, you can only link to them.

<P><BR> <A href="mailto:you@youremailaddress.com?subject=Message from the Forum"> <IMG height=67 alt="Click here to email me" src="Insert link to graphic here" width=91 align=left border=0> </A> <BR><FONT face=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif size=2><A href=¡Insert link to your web page here¡><B>Insert your name here<BR></A>Insert your title here</B><BR></FONT></P>

Note the following:

1.You have to put in your own name and/or title in the appropriate spot.
2.You have to change the email address to your own if you want people to be able to click the graphic to send you email.
3.You have to edit the height and width to match the size of the graphic you are using.
4.You should change the URL link to your own web page if you have one or remove it if you don't.
5.You have to change the image source link to wherever your graphic is being stored, it has to be on the net somewhere, it won't work if it's on your local drive.

Once you're done editing the sample HTML above, just paste it into the Personal Signature box, select the Contains HTML checkbox under it and then scroll down and click Submit. Now when you post, all of your messages should contain your signature text and/or graphic.

You can test your signature graphic here in the forum. If you're still not sure how to set up your sig, don't worry. You can post a note in the forum and we'll help you out.

I hate seeing these stupid signatures! How do I get rid of them?
Not everybody likes seeing sigs, not to worry though. It's very easy to get rid of all of them. Click My Discussions and then click My Preferences. Scroll down to the Disable Signatures text and click the Yes checkbox. Then click Submit. That's it, you're all set. No more signatures will be displayed in the forum when you are logged in.

I hate Doubleclick! Do I have to accept their cookies to use the forum?
No, you do not need to accept doubleclick cookies to use the forum. Just use your browser or other software to block doubleclick's cookies. You have to accept the forum cookies though if you want to be logged in. The forum uses cookies to display itself according to your preferences. We have a complete list of our privacy policies available here. You can also visit the Doubleclick site for more privacy information related to their practices.

How come the forum is showing "read" messages as "unread?"
You probably aren't logged in when you see "read" messages as "unread." The forum unfortunately does not look for cookies usually until you hit Reply or Post New. Until it looks for a cookie it assumes you are a guest and shows you everything unread. You can try coming in via the My Discussions link to force it to look for your cookie:

Can I change my screen name? I don't like the one I have now.
Unfortunately, no. You will have to reregister if you want a new screen name. It can't be changed once you've registered.

How can I see more posts than five at one time?
You can view up to 20 posts at a time if you are registered and logged into the forum. After making sure you are logged in, just click the My Discussions then My Preferences. Scroll down to the Select your preferred view: and choose the number of messages that you want displayed per page. Bear in mind that you must be logged in for this to work once you've changed the setting. Sometimes the forum doesn't read your cookie until your hit Reply or Post New.

How come I only see that cool formatting toolbar in Internet Explorer for Windows?
Unfortunately, our forum software isn't designed to provide that message formatting toolbar in anything except IE for Windows. If you are using IE for Mac or any other browser in Linux or Windows, you won't be able to use the formatting toolbar. You can still format HTML messages by hand, however.

We think this stinks as much as you do (our Community Manager actually uses Linux most of the time) and we wish we could change it right away. Unfortunately we can't. We hope to be less IE/Windows-centric in future forum software. In the meantime we're stuck with things as is. Sorry.

Can I delete or edit my own messages?
Yes. If you are logged in you will see an Edit and Delete link at the bottom of your messages. You can edit or delete your messages whenever you want. However, it's not really a good idea unless you've said something you really want to take back. Others may benefit from your messages so, assuming you are comfortable with what you said, it's best to leave messages as they were originally posted whenever possible.

Please note that if you do edit a message, there will be a Edited By: message displayed at the bottom of the message you've edited. It's a courtesy to let others know that the text of the message has changed from when it was originally posted.

Hey, my message was edited or deleted by somebody else! What gives?
We hate editing or removing messages, we find it as distasteful and uncomfortable as you do! Unfortunately, sometimes messages cross the line and it's necessary for us to do some community management. That's why it's a great idea to read our forum's Posting Guidelines. Just scroll down past the FAQ section on this page to see a complete list of Posting Guidelines. They'll give you an overview of the forum's rules.

There's part of an article posted but where's the rest of it?
Our content management system automatically posts the first few lines of our articles in the forum. To read the rest, just click the Back to Article link above the top of the message. That will take you right to the full text of the article.

How come I only see a few threads under certain sections of the forum?
Click the title of the section that you want to see a longer list of threads in. For example, to see more threads in the Tips and Solutions section, click Tips and Solutions in the left frame. Once the longer list opens scroll down to see more threads, to go even farther back click the Next 50 link at the bottom of the left frame after you've opened up the thread list.

How do I create a poll in the forum?
To create a poll, click the Create Poll link at the top of the left frame. We recommend that you don't allow anyone to change their vote and we also recommend that you show results while the poll is open. Most people won't return to see the results if they have to wait.

It's also better to leave the poll open permanently, you never know how many votes you are going to get and you can always drop by weeks or months later to see what happened with your poll. The forum software limits poll choices to five, there's no way to add more so pick your answer choices carefully.

How come the Subscribe feature doesn't work?
Well it works...sort of. It won't, unfortunately, alert you to new posts. But it will display a handy list in your My Discussions area of the threads you've subscribed to. This makes it very easy to find your way back to the threads that interest you.

To subscribe to a thread, click the Subscribe link in the upper right hand corner in the message frame on the right. Then click OK when you see the Subscribe screen. To view your Subscriptions, click the My Discussions link when you are in the forum.

How do I post a link to a specific message?
Put your cursor over the message number in the upper right and corner and choose copy shortcut in IE to copy the entire URL of the message you are viewing (in Mozilla it's called copy link location). If you paste that URL into a message or email, the person getting the message or email can click it and they'll be taken right to that message.

I'm tired of getting email notifications of messages to me, how do I turn it off?
Click the My Discussions link in the upper right hand part of your screen. Then click My Preferences at the bottom left side. Scroll down to the Email Notification section and uncheck the Yes checkbox. Now you will no longer get email notifications of posts addressed to you.

Bear in mind that this can cause you to miss responses so only do this if you are in dire need. A better way to avoid getting a lot of notifications in your main inbox, is to set up a separate folder and then use a filter to route your notifications into that folder. That way you get the best of both worlds.

How do I switch back and forth between the ET and eweek forums?
First visit each forum and be sure you are logged in by hitting Reply or Post New. Then click the My Discussions link and look at the Recently Visited list. If you've visited both forums you'll see them listed there. Click the checkbox next to both forums and then click Add Checked to Favorites.

Both forums will now be listed on your My Discussions page permanently. You can easily hop back and forth between each (and be logged in automatically each time) simply by visiting the My Discussions page.

Do my user ID, password and preferences work in both forums?
Yes, you don't need a new user ID or password. If you've registered for one forum then you're already set up for the other one. If you are logged in, the forums will be displayed according to your preferences.

How do I ignore somebody if I don't like them?
Put your cursor over the Options like in one of their messages and choose Ignore. From then on you won't have to read their messages anymore. You can remove the Ignore setting for someone the same way.

This setting might not work properly with some non-Internet Explorer for Windows browsers. If that's the case then you'll have to use some old-fashioned scrolling to move past messages by someone you dislike. We hope to fix this bug in future releases of the forum software.

How do I forward a message to someone via email?
Click the Options link to forward a message to someone outside the forum via email.

How do I reply to a message via email?
Click Reply and then scroll down the Reply page and select the Reply via Email option. Then click Post. Your message will be sent in private email to your recipient. Bear in mind that when you do this the email address you used to register with the forum will be known to your recipient.

Someone sent me an email from the forum! How did they get my email address? Did you give it to them?
No, we didn't share it with them. They used the Reply via Email option mentioned above so their email was automatically routed by the forum to the email address you registered with. At no time was your email address displayed to anyone. If you don't want the person who sent you the note to know your email address then don't respond to their note.

The Reply via Email option is a courtesy for forum members for the times when it's best to communicate privately outside of the forum. Bear that in mind when you use it and when you receive email from someone in the forum.

How do I rate a message?
You can rate any message by simply clicking on the orange stars at the bottom right of the message you are viewing. Here's an overview of the ratings system:

To rate a particular message, roll over the star bar and click on the rating you would like to give. For example: To rate a message 4 stars, click on the fourth star from the left.

Ratings may not be calculated immediately

After you have rated, a thumbs up icon will appear so you know you have rated that particular message.

After you have rated, you will still be able to change the stars by rolling over them, this will not change your vote.

You may only rate a message once.

If you rate the same message again, it may appear as if the rating is accepted, but it is not calculated.

You can find the rating of an entire discussion by mousing over the discussion title in the left frame.

The discussion rating will appear in your bowser's status bar (located at the bottom of your screen).

You can choose to view messages of only a certain rating or higher. (A great way to only see the best messages!)

These options can be found on your My Discussions page, under forum preferences.

All messages have a 3 vote minimum for this filter to work. Therefore, you will see all messages that have not been rated by at least three people.

Posting Guidelines
These guidelines are geared to make sure that we avoid problems and keep the forum on topic and trouble-free. Please take a moment to read through them carefully.

Show courtesy and respect to other forum members
Keep your posts on topic and avoid flames and profanities. We're all busy people and nobody wants to spend time wading through lots of purposeless shouting, bad language or personal attacks. Messages that contain flames, profanity or personal attacks may be edited or removed from the forum.

Two tips to help keep the forum flame-free:

1. Use the Ignore button
Remember that you can use the Ignore button to ignore anyone who is bothering you. When reading a message, just put your cursor over the Options link and choose "Ignore this author". You will no longer see messages from that person.

2. Flame via email, not in the forum
If you really need to flame someone - do it in email, not in the forum. When you go to post your response, choose the "Reply via Email" option at the bottom of the reply page instead of posting it to the forum. This way your exchange with your adversary can get as heated as you want, without skunking up the forum.

Please do not post Flash in your messages
Please do not embed Flash in your messages. Instead just link to the Flash animation with a description of what it is.

Use HTML sparingly and wisely in your messages
Messages that contain inappropriate HTML may be edited or removed from the forum. Use HTML sparingly and wisely in your messages.

Show courtesy and respect to company representatives
From time to time representatives of various companies might drop by the forum to answer questions and talk about their products. We invite them here so our community can ask questions, provide feedback about products and have the benefit of first-hand knowledge from company developers, executives and other personnel.

Remember to treat these folks with the same respect and courtesy you show to other forum members. They are not being paid by to be in the forum, they come to share information about their products with our community. They are on their own time and are under no obligation to visit us or to answer every question that might be posted.

Intelligent, thoughtful questions and comments are appreciated and welcomed. Abusive, nasty posts are not and will be edited or removed from the forum.

Do not post advertisements in the forum
We intend to keep discussion threads free from messages containing ads. Messages with advertisements will be removed from the forum. You are welcome, however, to put a link to your own site in your signature file if you want.

Proper posting of articles from other sites
If you want to share an article from another site in the forum, please just post the first two paragraphs and then a link back to the entire article. Please do not post the entire article in the forum.

Clearly and cleanly label the subject heading of your post
When you post a message, make sure the subject header indicates what the post is actually about. This will make it easier for other members to respond to your question or comment. Please avoid the use of expletives in subject headings, it makes the post and the forum look bad.

Keep posted links relevant and clean
Do not post links to adult sites, etc. Posts with those kinds of links will be removed from the forum. Posted links should be relevant to the thread they are posted in.

Keep graphics relevant and clean
If you include a graphic in your message, please make sure it's relevant to your post. Unnecessary graphics just slow things down for everyone. Messages with adult graphics will be removed from the forum.

Please use the following standards for signature files
Please do not use javascript, music or Flash in your signature file. You may use graphics (animated or still) in your signature as long as they are no larger than 100 pixels wide by 100 pixels high and they should not weigh more than 8k total (lighter is better).

Keep personal information private
Never post personal information such as phone numbers, credit card numbers, addresses, etc. If you do decide to disclose personal information to someone, always choose the "Reply via Email" posting option, never post it publicly in the forum. Messages containing personal information may be edited or removed from the forum.

Don't post messages in all caps
This is the online equivalent of shouting and marks your post as either a newbie or someone who wants to be rude. Either way you're better off simply not doing it.

Don't embed music or Flash into messages
Please do not embed music or Flash into your messages. Instead just use a regular hyperlink to link to the music or Flash file you want folks to check out. Messages with Flash or music embedded in them may be edited or removed from the forum.

Click here to view Ziff Davis Media's Privacy Policy.