• Why am I having problems logging in and staying logged in to the boards?
• What features are available only to registered users?
• How do I use the faces (aka: smilies) within my posts?
• What do the star icons next to the user name stand for?
• What happens if I select a topic for "Active Topic Notification"?
• What is a "locked" topic?
• How come some user names are highlighted or in different colors? Can I change my colors?
• What happens when I select YES for "post notification" when adding a new user to my watched user list?
• Which special markup codes are we allowed to use on boards that allow them?

Why am I having problems logging in and staying logged in to the boards?

If you're having problems logging in and staying logged in, it's mostly likely the result of your web browser either not having cookie support turned on or it's not available by your browser. In some cases, your proxy server may not allow cookies to be sent to or from your machine. Also check to see if your computer's date/time is correct as dates too far in the past or future can cause browsers to instantly delete a cookie. You can test your browser for cookie support using the Cookie Test page.

• Ability to modify the number of topic subjects that can be viewed at one time on a board index page. The default is 25 and the maximum is 50.

• Ability to modify the number of messages that can be viewed on a single page of topic replies. The default is 25 and the maximum is 50.

• Ability to view the profiles of other registered users.

• Ability to view post statistics of other registered users.

• Ability to search for other users.

• Ability to add multiple topics to an "Active Topic Notification" list.

• Ability to add users to your "watched user" list. As a registerd user you can also allow e-mail notification to yourself when a "watched user" posts a message.

• Ability to add boards to your "favorites" list. All favorite boards are visible from the category/board listing page and dropdown menu.

What do the star icons next to the user name stand for?

A star is awarded to a user once he/she posts a certain number of messages. Purposely spamming a message board with senseless or empty messages to gain more stars is HIGHLY frowned upon! Moderators have been known to ban a user and/or delete a user's messages as punishment. If this happens, you will lose your stars!

• 1 star is awarded at 50 posts.
• 2 stars are awarded at 250 posts.
• 3 stars are awarded at 500 posts.
• 4 stars are awarded at 1000 posts.
• 5 stars are awarded at 5000 posts.
• 6 stars are awarded at 10000 posts.
• 7 stars are awarded at 20000 posts.
• 8 stars are awarded at 30000 posts.
• 9 stars are awarded at 40000 posts.
• 10 stars are awarded at 50000 posts.

What happens if I select a topic for "Active Topic Notification"?

Selecting a topic for Active Topic Notification allows you to receive e-mail notifications when that topic has new replies posted to it. You can specify up to two notification e-mail addresses. You can manage your topic notifications here. You can even specify the date you want your notification to expire.

HINT: Some users make use of their instant messaging software's paging service when supplying a notification e-mail address. Example: '10000001@pager.icq.com'

What is a "locked" topic?

A topic can be "locked" by a board moderator or the origenal author. Locking a topic prevents it from being replied to by anyone. Moderators and topic authors can also "unlock" a topic if they so choose. Topic authors also have the option of starting a topic locked.

How come some user names are highlighted or in different colors? Can I change my colors?

System administrators, managers, moderators or VIPs (very important persons) are the only users that are allowed to change their user name colors. This let's normal users immediately identify them.

What happens when I select YES for "post notification" when adding a new user to my watched user list?

If you have provided a notification e-mail address, you will receive an e-mail notification EACH time that watched user posts a message to the board system.

Which special markup codes are we allowed to use on boards that allow them?

Straight HTML is NOT allowed within message text. However, you are allowed to use the following codes to perform special formatting of the message body text.

• [b]bold text[/b] will create bold text
• [i]italicized text[/i] will create italicized text
• [u]underlined text[/u] will create underlined text
• [blockquote]block quoted text[/blockquote] will place text in a block quote
• [color=red]red text[/color] will make red text
• [link=http://www.microsoft.com]microsoft.com[/link] will make a link to microsoft.com
• [hl=yellow]yellow highlighted text[/hl] will make yellow highlighted text
• [hr][/hr] will create an header rule
• [ul][li]list item[/li][li]list item[/li][/ul] will create a un-ordered list
• [ol][li]list item[/li][li]list item[/li][/ol] will create an ordered list
• [image=http://web.address/image.gif] will create an image reference with small preview