Provost

Many people are not reading the email which delivers their username and password, but are emailing me with questions about why they can't get into the forums right away.

As outlined below, we no longer offer automatic access to the forums because of difficulties with a few individual's rude and crude behavior. Therefore all membership requests are personally reviewed by me before being allowed into the forums.

I regret the inconvenience but it is unavoidable if we are to stay open to those with a modicum of self-control.

As a point of reference, I am reproducing the letter here.

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Welcome!

This is a computer generated message to thank you for registering to use the Civil War Reenactor Homepage forums and provide you with vital information.

-We no longer offer automatic access to our forums. The moderator (provost) reviews all new memberships and activates membership privelages on a case by case basis.

-Account activation will usually happen within 24 hours of when you signed up, but might take longer on a weekend.

-Once your account is activated, the following information will help in accessing your account.

-Here is your login information:

USERNAME_PASSWORD

Please go to http://www.cwreenactors.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi

(Bookmark this page, it will give you a short cut to the forums.)

Now select the "login" icon and enter the username and password supplied above, exactly as they are printed here. Remember that capitalization is important.

Once you log in, you may change your password by clicking on the "user" icon and following the choices displayed.

For information on how to navigate our forums and use the special features, click on the "help" icon.

Information on the "New User" forum has been updated since we upgraded our software last year, look there for answers to any questions you might have. If you don't see an answer, feel free to post a question there at any time.

We've upgraded our software but the Forum Guidelines have not changed. You can find them at: http://www.cwreenactors.com/dcforum/newuserforum/94.html

**Please read the Forum Guidelines *carefully* before posting a message. We are very serious about keeping the forums open and that means maintaining some standards for our conduct.**

You will find periodic annoucements from me on the Lobby page, as well as a list of those who've posted a profile for their username. Look for those text buttons on the upper left side of the screen.

Once again, welcome to the Civil War Reenactors Homepage discussion forums.

Provost
moderator@cwreenactors.com

(last updated 10/03/2000)
(revised 2/18/2001)

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Provost
mailto:moderator@cwreenactors.com

How can I keep track of new messages?

http://www.cwreenactors.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=help&selected=8

Which reads:

"In order to keep track of message read, you must be a registered user AND must be logged on. Once logged on, you use the Mark icon. After finish reading messages in a forum, simply click on this icon and that's it. The next time you visit this site, all forums and topics containing unread messages will show 'new' image next to them."

However, there seems to be some confusion about how to find these topics easily.

At the top of each forum you'll find this menu:

Sort Topics by..... Topic ID | Discussion Topic | Author | Last Updated Date/Time | Views

Click on the one one labelled "Last Updated Date/Time" and the most recent threads will be near the front of the list.

Simply scroll down until you stop seeing "new" flags and you've seen all the new material, you don't have to hunt across the many "back pages" of the forums. Most of the new material will be on the first or second page.

I hope this is of some benefit.

Provost

Go to the "lobby" by clicking on the text button "Conferences" on the top of the page. This is also the place you first arrive when you come to the forums from the rest of the Civil War Reenactors Homepage.

From the lobby, click on the "First time visitor? Please Register" button/icon.

Once that page loads you'll see our usage policy. Read it through and if you agree, make sure cookies are enabled on your system and click "I accept."

When this new page has loaded you will see four essential fields to enter information.

Enter your "username" just as you'd like it to appear on the forum.

Be aware that capitalization of letters is important here. If you enter your name as "Anyone" and then come back later and type in "anyone" to log on, you may not get in. Those may be treated as two different names.

Next, enter your first and last names. This must be your real name, no pseudonyms or aliases allowed in those boxes. Then enter your email address in the assigned box. Only one username can be granted per email address.

Item of special note:

**The email address you enter is where you'll receive your initial password to enter the system. Once your account is activated, you can log on and change the password. You won't be able to change the email address yourself.

**This is also the address that will receive email sent to you through the system here by other members.

**Be VERY careful to write in the correct address. I get many messages saying "the system didn't send a password" when the address is clearly not correct.

When you check your mail, you should find a note (generated by our software, I don't do these by hand, sorry) with your username and initial password indicated. Along with it will be a URL to the lobby. Bookmark that page and you'll have a short cut to the forums.

Click on the URL and follow the instructions posted elsewhere here if you'd like to change your password.

Final note: If you have trouble logging in, where it seems you are using the right userid and password but it's not "taking", check to see if your browser is set to "not accept cookies." Consult your browser's help files to see how to change this setting on your end.

**You must be able to receive cookies for this system to recognize that you're logged in.

Once you're logged in you will see a text button and icon marked "user" at the top of the page.

Click on "user".

The screen will display two choices "Change your password" and "Modify your member profile".

Click on the dot next to "Change your password" and then the "submit" button.

There will be space to enter your current password, then the new password twice. Type carefully and remember that capitalization counts. What you type will not be displayed on the screen for security reasons.

Click on the "Submit" button.

The system will then ask you to re-login with your username and new password.

Your change is now complete.

Provost

Click on the "login/logout" button.

On the screen that appears you will see the following text:

Don't remember your password? Click here to retrieve your password.

Click on the "click here" and a new password will be sent to the email address from which you registered.

You MUST follow the instructions above first, but should that system break down in some way please send the following to me:

From the email address for your account, send to moderator@cwreenactors.com :

Your username
Your real name

You MUST send your -username- along with your request for a new password.

Having your 'real world' name and email address helps us to verify your identity.

And -please- send the request from the same email address the username is registered to. This verifies that it's a valid request.

Provost

We do not allow users to do this themselves because it could circumvent the accountability of forum membership.

If you're going to change providers or addresses, the best thing to do is send a request to me from the old address before it expires. That way we have some assurance that you are you.

If that chance has passed, send me a note and we'll see what we can do to get it changed for you.

**IMPORTANT**: Send me your username so I can locate your membership record quickly and accurately.

Please double check that you are sending me the correct information. The present version of the software will reveal your email address to other members when they click on the email icon.

Provost