Tips and tutorial

This topic contains the following topics:
Tips for new users

Welcome New Users! Below are some tips and general information to help find your way around and let you know what you can do with this publishing system.

What's this all about?

It's about Web Sites. This community system allows any group or individual to publish a Web Site on the World Wide Web. These Web Sites are then categorized and can be listed under a "channel" or category. These Web Sites can also be related to other Web Sites, creating a community of related Web Sites, each representing a site or individual.

What can you do with these Web Sites?

You can represent your family, friends, sports team, school, business, or organization by publishing on the World Wide Web! This community publishing system lets you communicate like never before — by publishing pictures and stories, hosting online discussions, and making it easy to email one or all members of your site.

You can:

  • Publish virtually anything on your pages. Photos, stories, files, game scores, sales materials, and more!
  • Publish upcoming events on the Calendar.
  • Publish group information on the home page.
  • Host threaded discussions.
  • Keep an online list of users who participate in your site. You administer the Web Site and any participants who join.
  • Make sections of your site private and restricted to members only.
  • Customize the site with your logo.
  • Do everything without the use of HTML or FTP!

Back to Top

 
First, create a user profile

To create a new Web Site or participate in existing Web Sites, you must have a user profile. When creating a user profile, you will create a username and password.   

To create a user profile

Note: The following are brief instructions. For complete instructions, see Create a user profile.

  1. If you are a Web Site Administrator, click the Web Site Manager option, then click Add a participant.
    Or, from any Web Site page created within the community, click     Log In/Register at the top of the page.
  2. Click Click to create a new user profile.
  3. Complete the Add a Participant page.
  4. Type your first and last name and email address in the boxes provided. Make up a username and password for yourself and type it in the boxes provided. You will use this username and password each time you login.
  5. Select a security question to answer in the box below the questions. This question will be asked to confirm your identity in the event you forget your password.
  6. Click Create New User at the bottom of the page.
  7. Read and Agree to the Terms and Conditions and click I agree to continue registration.
  8. Click Continue on the Congratulations page to exit registration. You are now registered.

Each time you visit the site, use the username and password you created to log in. Logging in lets the sytem know who you are. You can then visit Web Sites in which you participate or you can administer your own Web Site.  

To log in

  1. Click the Log In/Register button.
  2. Enter your username and password in the text boxes.
  3. Click the Login button underneath the username and password text boxes.

To change user information in My Profile  

The user information (such as username, first name, last name, and email address) is kept in your user profile. Whenever you want to edit this information, click My Profile at the top of any page. The My Profile page also lists the Web Site(s) you created or in which you can participate.

Back to Top

 
Then, participate in or create a Web Site

Once you have created your user profile, you can participate in Web Sites that have already been created. Participation sometimes requires approval by the Web Site Administrator. Participation allows you to view private content within the Site, participate in discussions and chat sessions, and even add content (if the Web Site Administrator allows it).

To participate in a Web Site

  1. Find a Web Site you are interested in (click the Channel Guide option at the top of any page to browse by channel).
  2. Once on the home page of the Web Site, click the Participate button. This sends a request to the Web Site Administrator. You might be automatically approved for participation, or you might be notified by email.
  3. To access private content of Web Sites in which you participate, log in so the system knows you are a participant of the Web Site and have access to private content and chat.  

To create a web site

This option may be offered to you in different ways. If there is a Create Web Site button on the Site, you can click this button to set up your own Web Site. Some Web Site Administrators set up your Web Site for you.  

To create a Participate button

To let users join in your Web Site or publish content, you must insert a Participate button on a page in your Web Site. When users click the Participate button, an Edit Page option appears. The following are brief instructions. See Insert a Participate button for complete instructions.

  1. Click the Edit Page option.
  2. Click Insert a New Posting option.
  3. From the Layout Sets drop-down list, select Participation.
  4. From the layout sets that appear, click one that shows a Participation button.
  5. Click Done to return to the Edit Content on This Page page.
  6. Click Done again to return to the page where you wanted to insert the button.

Back to Top