FAQ
SIGNING UP:
Q: How do I get started?
A: It’s easy! Click the "Sign Up Now" link on the main MyCommunity.com page. Read the User Agreement, and click "yes" if you agree to the terms. From there you’ll be asked for your first and last name and your e-mail address. Select your hometown from a drop-down box, and then hit "Register." An e-mail will be sent to you. Click the link in the e-mail, which brings you to a registration page where you will choose a password and a screen name. (Screen names must be at least four characters.) Type in the security code at the bottom, and click "Finish." That’s it.
Q: I set up an account, now how do I sign in?
A: After you have set up an account, go to the main MyCommunity.com page. There, you will be asked for your e-mail address (NOT your user name) and your password. Then click "Login." You will be brought immediately to your hometown.
Q: Can readers see my name or e-mail address?
A: No. All readers will see is your screen name. Only the MyCommunity.com staff will have access to your name and e-mail address, and that information stays with us. Your name and e-mail address will not be shared, sold or traded.
Q: Once I choose a town is that the only town I can interact with?
A: No. Your hometown is just your starting point – from there you can go anywhere! Links are provided so you can search, browse and connect with any/all northern New Jersey towns.
Q: How do I create a home page?
A: By signing up, you create a unique username. From there, all you have to do is post! Everything you post is linked to your username.
Q: How do I get to my home page?
A: After logging in, you can get to your page by clicking on the "Go to Your Page" link in the upper right hand of the main MyCommunity.com page. The URL to your page is "http://yourusername.mycommunity.com." All your story posts, event announcements and photo galleries are easily accessible on this page. You can share this URL with your friends, neighbors and family.
INTERACTING WITH THE SITE:
Q: What can I post?
A: You can post anything you want! News, photos, stories, opinions, announcements, events, links, stuff for sale or trade – this is YOUR site. (See the User Agreement for specific information on what is and what is not allowed.)
Q: How do I post?
A: See the How to Use This Site page for a detailed listing of the site’s main links. Clicking on any of these links brings you to easy-to-use pages for posting your news, photos, events and more.
Q: How long do posts stay on the site?
A: There’s no time limit. After you post an item, it stays on the front page of the site until it is moved down by new posts. If you want to see only what you’ve posted, click the "Go to Your Page" link, which brings you to your home page. You can also share your page with others.
Q: How do I edit my posts?
A: After you submit a post, you can edit it by clicking on its headline. Above the headline is an "Edit Item" dropdown menu. Click there and select "Edit Submission." After you have made your changes, click the "Post Story" button. To delete your item, follow the same procedure, but select "Delete Submission." You may also add a photo to your entry from this menu.
Q: How do I upload photos?
A: Click the "Upload Photos" link at the top right of the page. This will bring you to an easy-to-use page where you start creating your gallery by providing information about your photos. You can create as many galleries as you like, but each gallery can only hold a maximum of six photos. Photos must be in JPEG format, and must be uploaded from your hard drive (no linking photos from other web sites). Once you upload your photos, you will see smaller versions of them in your gallery; click them to see them in full size (a new window will open). You can also edit or delete them. Please do not violate copyright or other laws when you post photos. (See the User Agreement for specific posting guidelines.)
Q: Do you have suggestions for selecting and editing photos before I upload them?
A: Yes. Select attractive photos that are clear, bright and colorful, with good contrast. Choose photos that tell a story. (Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words!) The MyCommunity.com site does not offer on-site photo editing capability, but there are many free or low-cost software programs available. Try Gimp (for Mac or Windows), or Graphic Converter (Mac only). Other programs can be found at Download.com (CNET.com, for Mac and Windows). If you're looking for something a bit more polished, try Adobe PhotoShop Elements or the full version of Photoshop (Mac and Windows).
Q: Are posts or photos monitored or edited by staff?
A: No. We leave the content – and the responsibility of editing and maintaining the good citizenship – of all posts up to you. However, there are links provided where readers can inform us of inappropriate content. When such content is identified, the ENTIRE posting will be removed. We will NOT edit it. See the User Agreement for specific posting guidelines.
Q: How do I recognize posts from the community newspaper staff?
A: The most obvious way you’ll be able to identify a staff posting is by the line of text, highlighted in red above the post that reads, "From the host." The signature at the bottom of the post will also identify the poster as a staff member. In addition, there are two featured staff spots, for breaking news and other posts of particular importance to the community. These spots are fixed at the top of the page, and will remain at the top of the page until a staff member adds a new post, or 36 hours have elapsed, whichever comes first. Postings by non-staff members will not bump featured staff posts down.
Q: I’d like to show my friends and family what I’ve uploaded. Can I do that?
A: Yes! Click on your story, photo gallery or event. At the top of the page on the right there are two links: "Print This," which prints a copy of what you uploaded, and "Email This," which enables you to send a copy of what you uploaded to as many people as you want. (Separate multiple e-mail addresses with a comma or semi-colon.)
TECHNICAL and CONTACTING US:
Q: What browsers do you support?
A: The MyCommunity.com site is optimized for Internet Explorer 6.x, Safari and Firefox.
Q: Where can I look for more information?
A: You can try the How to Use This Site page, and/or read the User Agreement.
Q: I logged in to MyCommunity.com, then had to walk away from my computer. How long will I stay logged in?
A: You will be automatically logged off after 60 minutes of inactivity.
Q: If I have a problem not addressed anywhere on the site, who can I contact?
A: You can e-mail questions, concerns and comments to us at info@mycommunity.com. You can report bugs there as well.
Q: How do I report inappropriate content?
A: Every posting has a link where members can report inappropriate content. You can click that, which will bring you to a form that will be sent to the moderators through the site, or you can send an e-mail directly to moderator@mycommunity.com.
SIGNING UP:
Q: How do I get started?
A: It’s easy! Click the "Sign Up Now" link on the main MyCommunity.com page. Read the User Agreement, and click "yes" if you agree to the terms. From there you’ll be asked for your first and last name and your e-mail address. Select your hometown from a drop-down box, and then hit "Register." An e-mail will be sent to you. Click the link in the e-mail, which brings you to a registration page where you will choose a password and a screen name. (Screen names must be at least four characters.) Type in the security code at the bottom, and click "Finish." That’s it.
Q: I set up an account, now how do I sign in?
A: After you have set up an account, go to the main MyCommunity.com page. There, you will be asked for your e-mail address (NOT your user name) and your password. Then click "Login." You will be brought immediately to your hometown.
Q: Can readers see my name or e-mail address?
A: No. All readers will see is your screen name. Only the MyCommunity.com staff will have access to your name and e-mail address, and that information stays with us. Your name and e-mail address will not be shared, sold or traded.
Q: Once I choose a town is that the only town I can interact with?
A: No. Your hometown is just your starting point – from there you can go anywhere! Links are provided so you can search, browse and connect with any/all northern New Jersey towns.
Q: How do I create a home page?
A: By signing up, you create a unique username. From there, all you have to do is post! Everything you post is linked to your username.
Q: How do I get to my home page?
A: After logging in, you can get to your page by clicking on the "Go to Your Page" link in the upper right hand of the main MyCommunity.com page. The URL to your page is "http://yourusername.mycommunity.com." All your story posts, event announcements and photo galleries are easily accessible on this page. You can share this URL with your friends, neighbors and family.
INTERACTING WITH THE SITE:
Q: What can I post?
A: You can post anything you want! News, photos, stories, opinions, announcements, events, links, stuff for sale or trade – this is YOUR site. (See the User Agreement for specific information on what is and what is not allowed.)
Q: How do I post?
A: See the How to Use This Site page for a detailed listing of the site’s main links. Clicking on any of these links brings you to easy-to-use pages for posting your news, photos, events and more.
Q: How long do posts stay on the site?
A: There’s no time limit. After you post an item, it stays on the front page of the site until it is moved down by new posts. If you want to see only what you’ve posted, click the "Go to Your Page" link, which brings you to your home page. You can also share your page with others.
Q: How do I edit my posts?
A: After you submit a post, you can edit it by clicking on its headline. Above the headline is an "Edit Item" dropdown menu. Click there and select "Edit Submission." After you have made your changes, click the "Post Story" button. To delete your item, follow the same procedure, but select "Delete Submission." You may also add a photo to your entry from this menu.
Q: How do I upload photos?
A: Click the "Upload Photos" link at the top right of the page. This will bring you to an easy-to-use page where you start creating your gallery by providing information about your photos. You can create as many galleries as you like, but each gallery can only hold a maximum of six photos. Photos must be in JPEG format, and must be uploaded from your hard drive (no linking photos from other web sites). Once you upload your photos, you will see smaller versions of them in your gallery; click them to see them in full size (a new window will open). You can also edit or delete them. Please do not violate copyright or other laws when you post photos. (See the User Agreement for specific posting guidelines.)
Q: Do you have suggestions for selecting and editing photos before I upload them?
A: Yes. Select attractive photos that are clear, bright and colorful, with good contrast. Choose photos that tell a story. (Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words!) The MyCommunity.com site does not offer on-site photo editing capability, but there are many free or low-cost software programs available. Try Gimp (for Mac or Windows), or Graphic Converter (Mac only). Other programs can be found at Download.com (CNET.com, for Mac and Windows). If you're looking for something a bit more polished, try Adobe PhotoShop Elements or the full version of Photoshop (Mac and Windows).
Q: Are posts or photos monitored or edited by staff?
A: No. We leave the content – and the responsibility of editing and maintaining the good citizenship – of all posts up to you. However, there are links provided where readers can inform us of inappropriate content. When such content is identified, the ENTIRE posting will be removed. We will NOT edit it. See the User Agreement for specific posting guidelines.
Q: How do I recognize posts from the community newspaper staff?
A: The most obvious way you’ll be able to identify a staff posting is by the line of text, highlighted in red above the post that reads, "From the host." The signature at the bottom of the post will also identify the poster as a staff member. In addition, there are two featured staff spots, for breaking news and other posts of particular importance to the community. These spots are fixed at the top of the page, and will remain at the top of the page until a staff member adds a new post, or 36 hours have elapsed, whichever comes first. Postings by non-staff members will not bump featured staff posts down.
Q: I’d like to show my friends and family what I’ve uploaded. Can I do that?
A: Yes! Click on your story, photo gallery or event. At the top of the page on the right there are two links: "Print This," which prints a copy of what you uploaded, and "Email This," which enables you to send a copy of what you uploaded to as many people as you want. (Separate multiple e-mail addresses with a comma or semi-colon.)
TECHNICAL and CONTACTING US:
Q: What browsers do you support?
A: The MyCommunity.com site is optimized for Internet Explorer 6.x, Safari and Firefox.
Q: Where can I look for more information?
A: You can try the How to Use This Site page, and/or read the User Agreement.
Q: I logged in to MyCommunity.com, then had to walk away from my computer. How long will I stay logged in?
A: You will be automatically logged off after 60 minutes of inactivity.
Q: If I have a problem not addressed anywhere on the site, who can I contact?
A: You can e-mail questions, concerns and comments to us at info@mycommunity.com. You can report bugs there as well.
Q: How do I report inappropriate content?
A: Every posting has a link where members can report inappropriate content. You can click that, which will bring you to a form that will be sent to the moderators through the site, or you can send an e-mail directly to moderator@mycommunity.com.
