FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (and our best answers)

To all forum members new and old: here is a new 'how-to' FAQs page that may answer some questions about navigating the forum that we really are asked quite frequently.

We hope it'll be helpful to all. Please note that the content may well be updated from time to time as needs arise. Do please send a Private Message to the moderators if you have any suggestions about the content of this long list.

Our regards to everyone reading this, and our sincere thanks for your presence and all your contributions.

~ Bill Ryan and the Avalon Staff Team
   30 August 2015

 



Click on the question you'd like an answer to. The page will automatically redirect to the answer. If you have another question, then just press the back button on your browser to return to the question list.

To return to the forum, just click here if you have no pages open. (However, do note that this FAQs page should have opened for you in a new window.)

Click here to save this file as a PDF for your own later reference.

 

¥ POSTING

Where (and how) should I start a new thread?

How do I reply to a thread thatÕs been started?

What does the little 'A/A' icon mean?

How do I quote what another member has written?

How do I embed an image in a post?

How do I delete attached images in the File Upload Manager so that I can add other photos? I think I maxed out the limit, because I can't upload any more.

How do I embed a video in a post?

How do I embed an audio in a post?

How do I embed a PDF in a post?

How do I add a link to some text that IÕve written in a post?

How do I find the link to a particular post number?

IÕve copied and pasted a link from somewhere else, that looks like this:
http://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...helping-people
...but the link doesnÕt work. What did I do wrong?

How do I edit a post IÕve made?

I made a second post on the same post soon after my first, and it added what IÕd written to my original post. Why is that?

Can I delete a post IÕve made?

How do I make long quotes shorter?

Can I change the title of a thread I started?

How do I preview what IÕve written before posting it?

Can I move a thread IÕve started into another area/category of the forum?

Can I start a thread in a place where only members will be able to see it?

How can I make sure that a post IÕm in the middle of drafting doesnÕt get lost forever if IÕm suddenly kicked offline, or have a computer problem at my end?

 

¥ SEARCHING / FINDING

How do I search the forum?

How do I ÔsubscribeÕ to a thread (i.e. be sent a notification if there have been any new posts)?

WhatÕs the best way to keep in touch with new posts or new threads?

IÕve heard that there are one or two private areas of the forum that I canÕt see, even though IÕm a member. How come?

 

¥ PERSONAL PROFILE AND SETTINGS QUESTIONS

How do I change my avatar?

How do I change my country flag?

How do I change my password?

How do I change the e-mail you have on record for me?

What happens if I lose or forget my password?

How can I stay logged into the forum all the time?

Can I change my username?

How do I change the appearance (or ÔbackgroundÕ) of the forum?

Can I be ÔinvisibleÕ to other members?

I donÕt seem to be getting the Avalon Newsletter. How do I add my address to the Newsletter list?

What do you do with the personal information in membership applications?

How do I ask to close my forum membership?

How do I ask to go on a ÔsabbaticalÕ (i.e. take a temporary break from the forum)?

How do I make a donation to Project Avalon?

 

¥ PRIVATE MESSAGES ('PM's)

Where will I find my PMs?

How will I know if I have any PMs waiting for me?

How do I send a private message (a ÔPMÕ) to a member?

How do I delete a PM?

Can I download my PMs to my own computer?

How do I search in my PMs?

What happens if I reach the limit for the number of PMs I can keep in my inbox?

Are PMs totally private?

 

¥ OTHER ISSUES CONNECTED WITH PRIVACY OR SECURITY

If I send an e-mail or PM to anyone in the moderators team, is that also private?

I sometimes see a browser error message that the forum is "not secure". What does this mean, and is this a problem?

 

¥ OTHER MEMBERS

How do I search for other members?

What is a 'Group'?

What does Ô+Õ mean that I see against some peopleÕs usernames?

What do the different colors of usernames mean?

How can I see a list of a particular memberÕs posts?

What does ÔThanksÕ mean?

What do the terms ÔRetiredÕ, ÔUnsubscribedÕ and ÔDeactivatedÕ mean by the name of someone whoÕs left the forum?

Sometimes I read about a member who is Ôon vacationÕ. What does that mean?

IÕd like to recommend a friend to be a forum member. How should I do that?

How do I ÔignoreÕ another member, if I want to?

How do I report a post or a Private Message (PM) that I see a problem with, or want to bring to the moderatorsÕ attention for any reason?

Where can I see the forum activity... whoÕs online, the number of posts and threads and visitors, etc?

What do the moderators do?

 


 

¥ POSTING

Where (and how) should I start a new thread?

First, choose a section for your thread to be posted in. That can be almost anywhere here, in the long list of options under the FORUM tab.

When youÕve chosen the best section for what you want to contribute or share, click on that to open it, and then youÕll see a list of the threads that are already there.

Now simply click on Ô+ POST NEW THREADÕ at the top left of the list.

How do I reply to a thread thatÕs been started?

There are two ways:

  1. you can enter text in the QUICK REPLY box, click Ô+ REPLY TO THREADÕ, or click ÔREPLYÕ under any post (these three options do exactly the same thing) — or
  2. click REPLY WITH QUOTE under a post you want to reply to specifically.

REPLY WITH QUOTE means that that postÕs content will be quoted above your own reply.

Note that the quoted text can be edited, trimmed down, or divided into sections as you wish... just edit it like normal text, but make sure you have (or copy) the [ quote] and [ /quote] tags in the right places. (To be sure, do PREVIEW (see this FAQ) the post first to check it all looks right.)

or

then (if you want to Preview what you've replied before posting)

What does the little 'A/A' icon mean?

This is like a WYSIWYG (Ôwhat you see is what you getÕ) on-off Ôtoggle switchÕ. ItÕs useful if you want to see the code behind any post, for instance the choice of fonts, sizes, colors, and the structure of quoted text (which can sometimes get quite complicated).

Note that the two little up/down arrows there allow you to expand or contract the size of the text box youÕre replying in, which can be useful when drafting a long post.

How do I quote what another member has written?

Click 'REPLY WITH QUOTE' below an earlier post youÕd like to reply to (or quote) specifically.

How do I embed an image in a post?

There are two ways of doing this.

  1. Upload the image from your computer, or
  2. Link to an image that's already on the internet (i.e. it's already on a server somewhere).

To upload an image from your computer, click the ÔInsert ImageÕ icon in the toolbar.

If you see this...

...then you need an extra step. Click 'Cancel', then click on the little A/A icon (see this FAQ above)

...and if you click in the ÔInsert ImageÕ icon in the toolbar again, this time you will see

Click 'Browse', select your image, and click 'Upload File(s)'. That's it. The image will remain there as one of your 'Attachments'.

Note: You can later manage your attachments (for instance, to use that uploaded image again at some other time), by clicking GO ADVANCED...

... and then clicking on the little 'Attachments' icon in the toolbar. (Note: this is only visible in 'Go Advanced' mode.)

To link to an image that's already on the internet (i.e. it's already on a server somewhere), either access this window again...

...or access THIS window again, but this time click the 'From URL' tab:

Leave the box on the bottom left UNchecked, enter the URL of the image, and click 'Insert Image'. That's it.

Also see this very useful video, made by former senior admin Ilie Pandia:

... which (in case it disappears from YouTube) is archived here.

How do I delete attached images in the File Upload Manager so that I can add other photos? I think I maxed out the limit, because I can't upload any more.

Click on 'Attachments' in your Settings page:



A new page will open where you can select items to delete. Please note, however, that any deleted attachments will no longer be visible in your older posts.

How do I embed a video in a post?

YouTube videos:

  1. Take the entire video URL (like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utwol6aMv1U) and highlight all of that.
  2. Click the "Insert video" icon OR the YouTube icon .
  3. That's it. Done.
Bitchute videos:
  1. Example: https://www.bitchute.com/video/BAHfVcUY7fs6. Take ONLY the alphanumerical part of that URL (in this case BAHfVcUY7fs6), copy and paste that, and highlight that only.
  2. With BAHfVcUY7fs6 highlighted, click the Bitchute icon .
  3. That's it. Done.
Brighteon videos:
  1. Example: https://www.brighteon.com/94f351df-c513-4190-9fa8-751067785457. This is very similar to Bitchute video embedding. Take ONLY the alphanumerical part of that URL (in this case 94f351df-c513-4190-9fa8-751067785457), copy and paste that, and highlight that only.
  2. With 94f351df-c513-4190-9fa8-751067785457 highlighted, click the Brighteon icon .
  3. That's it. Done.
  4. But note: the source URL, that's automatically added in by the software, isn't the full page source where comments and other text can be found. So with Brighteon videos, it's most helpful to ALSO add in the source URL separately from the embedded video.
Banned videos:
  1. Example: https://banned.video/watch?id=610b15ec4b401c2c26621b15. This is also very similar to Bitchute video embedding. Take ONLY the alphanumerical part of that URL (in this case 610b15ec4b401c2c26621b15), copy and paste that, and highlight that only.
  2. With 610b15ec4b401c2c26621b15 highlighted, click the Banned Video icon .
  3. That's it. Done.
  4. But Ênote: the source URL isn't added in by the software. So as with Brighteon videos, it's most helpful to ALSO add in the source ÊURL separately from the embedded video.
Rumble videos:
  1. Example: https://rumble.com/vobn23-doctor-hydras-and-parasites-in-vaxx-transfecting-humans-into-new-species.html. This involves an extra step to those video types listed above.
  2. Click on the video URL to open it.
  3. At the lower right of the video, you'll see the word EMBED. Click on that.
  4. A popup appears Ñ featuring the words
    Embed IFRAME URL
    https://rumble.com/embed/vlpgxd/?pub=4
  5. Copy and paste the numerical part of THAT (vlpgxd) and highlight THAT only.
  6. With vlpgxd highlighted, click the Rumble icon .
  7. That's it. Done.
  8. But Ênote: the source URL isn't added in by the software. So as Êwith Brighteon and Banned videos, it's most helpful to ALSO add in the source ÊURL Êseparately from the embedded video.
  9. AND: when embedding any Rumble video, it has to be AT THE VERY END OF THE POST. Otherwise, the video will obscure any text which follows it.
Vimeo videos:
  1. Example: https://player.vimeo.com/video/575139273. (Or something fairly similar.)
  2. The trick is to simplify the URL. Slim that down to the short form https://vimeo.com/575139273.
  3. Highlight that whole (simplified) URL.
  4. With https://vimeo.com/575139273 all highlighted, Click the "Insert video" icon .
  5. That's it. Done.
MP4 videos:
  1. Example: https://projectavalon.net/Red_Cross_covid_bomb.mp4. Like YouTube videos, this one is easy.
  2. Highlight the whole URL.
  3. With https://projectavalon.net/Red_Cross_covid_bomb.mp4 all highlighted, click the MOV icon .
  4. That's it. Done.
  5. But Ênote: Êthe source URL isn't added in by the software. So as with Brighteon, Banned and Rumble Êvideos, it's most helpful to ALSO add in the source ÊURL separately from Êthe embedded video.
Despite all efforts so far, we've just not been able to find any easy way to embed Odysee, BrandNewTube, or any other less common type of video.

We do fully understand that this is confusing, because each type of video has slightly different "rules". But it just needs a little familiarity and practice. It's really not too hard to get the hang of it all. Anyone is more than welcome to play with any or all of above on the Sandbox thread.

How do I embed an audio in a post?

Click the ÔWrap [MP3] tags around selected textÕ icon in the toolbar, and enter the URL (link) of the audio.

Important Note: if thatÕs all you do, there will be no way for the viewer to DOWNLOAD the audio... so do please add the raw URL (link) of the MP3 as well, just as text.

How do I embed a PDF in a post?

Click the ÔWrap [PDF] tags around selected textÕ icon in the toolbar, and enter the URL (link) of the PDF.

How do I add a link to some text that IÕve written in a post?

Highlight your piece of text (one word or several), and then click on the little ÔInsert LinkÕ icon in the toolbar.

In the box that follows, enter the URL (link) of what you want your text to be linked to.

Note that if the text is an e-mail address, you can also make that a link by highlighting the address and clicking the 'Insert Email Link' icon.

How do I find the link to a particular post number?

Go the post you want to reference, and there youÕll see (on the top right) a link that says ÒLink to Post # [xx]Ó. Right-click on that, and then choose ÒCopy Link LocationÓ.

Alternatively, if you just click on ÒLink to Post # [xx]Ó, the full link to that specific post will appear in your browser bar.

IÕve copied and pasted a link from somewhere else, that looks like this:
http://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...helping-people
...but the link doesnÕt work. What did I do wrong?

ThatÕs because itÕs a shortened/curtailed URL. The middle part (where it goes Ò...Ó is missing.

To copy a link from another post, point your mouse at the link, right-click, and select 'Copy Link Location'. Then youÕll have copied the FULL link, which may be quite long, and is necessary for the pasted link to work.

When you Copy the Link Location, you'll see that the entire link (and all of it is necessary) is http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?78151-people-being-people-helping-people.

How do I edit a post IÕve made?

Just click on EDIT POST. You can do that at any time, with a post of your own, even years later.

I made a second post on the same post soon after my first, and it added what IÕd written to my original post. Why is that?

The software will always do that if the second post is within 3 minutes of the original, by the same person. If you want what youÕve written to be a separate post, then just wait a little bit longer.

Can I delete a post IÕve made?

No. But the moderators will be pleased to do that for you, and it only takes a second. Either REPORT the post in question (see this FAQ), or send a PM to all or any of the mods asking for the post to be deleted.

How do I make long quotes shorter?

Edit the quote in your text box by deleting whatever you donÕt want to be in there. ThatÕs very useful (for everyone!) if youÕre replying or commenting on just a small specific part of what someone else has written in a long post.

Important note: always make sure that the QUOTE tags are there at the beginning and end, and that you haven't deleted one of those by accident: easy to do.

Can I change the title of a thread I started?

No. But the moderators will be pleased to do that for you, and it only takes a second. Just send a PM to all or any of the mods asking for the thread title to be changed, and weÕll do it straight away.

Note: if the moderators spot a typo in a thread title, theyÕll often correct that themselves. ItÕs important for the spelling of names and key words in thread titles to be accurate, or else they may not be found in any later search.

How do I preview what IÕve written before posting it?

Click on GO ADVANCED, and then PREVIEW POST.

Can I move a thread IÕve started into another area/category of the forum?

No. But the moderators will be pleased to do that for you, and it only takes a second. Just send a PM to all or any of the mods asking for the thread to be moved to a different category, and weÕll do it straight away.

Note: if the moderators feel a thread is in the wrong, or not the best, category, weÕll often move it ourselves, with an automatic redirect to its new location.

Can I start a thread in a place where only members will be able to see it?

Yes, thereÕs a 'Members Only' section of the forum, where anyone whoÕs not a member (or any member whoÕs not logged in) cannot see the threads or posts that are there. (And whateverÕs there isnÕt searchable in Google or any other search engine, either.) That's located at the bottom of the list of forum sections, visible when you click the FORUM tab.

How can I make sure that a post IÕm in the middle of drafting doesnÕt get lost forever if IÕm suddenly kicked offline, or have a computer problem at my end?

If you PREVIEW a post, you may well find that text still intact when you return to the page after a crash or a freeze.

But the safest thing to do is to draft a long, detailed post on a separate text document (e.g. MS Word, or any notepad you may use), and then copy it to the Reply box when youÕre ready.

Having said that, the Lazarus add-on, for the Firefox and Chrome browsers, enables partially completed online forms to be recovered if there's a crash. Free download for Windows here, for Mac here. (Or, download and enable Lazarus from within your browser preferences.)

Note however that for Firefox version 57 and above, Lazarus won't work, and a recommended alternative is Form History Control (II). That can be downloaded here.

Sometimes, a member can be automatically (and unknowingly!) logged out when in the middle of writing a post Ñ in which case the post will unfortunately disappear when one tries to actually post it. The way to guarantee that cannot happen is always to check the REMEMBER ME box, here. Then, one stays logged in all the time.

¥ SEARCHING / FINDING

How do I search the forum?

There are two ways that work pretty well:

  1. you can search in Google if you enter Ôsite:projectavalon.netÕ and then add the search term, which can be a phrase if you enter it in quotes, Òlike thisÓ. Or
  2. click the ÔAdvanced SearchÕ button, which is near the top right of every page.

For the Advanced Search, click on the WORDS 'Advanced Search', which then takes you to a new window. The simple search box, which you can see as a white rectangle, does NOT work so well.

The Advanced Search also allows you to look for phrases, and allows you also to specify the member username you may be looking for, and allows you to choose your results to be presented as individual posts, or as a list of threads in which those posts occur. There are a number of permutations of options available.

You can also search for terms in the titles of threads, which is very useful when doing research into existing threads on (e.g.) topics of interest.

Here's where you can customize your search:

Note that the Forum Advanced Search will not return results on short or very common terms... but Google will.

Note also that if youÕre searching for a specific YouTube video, just enter the YouTube code for that video. E.g. if the video you want to find has the URL http://youtube.com/watch? v=XFP5hOux4UY, just search for ÔXFP5hOux4UYÕ.)

How do I ÔsubscribeÕ to a thread (i.e. be sent a notification if there have been any new posts)?

Click on ÔThread ToolsÕ (to the top right of any thread), and then, from the little menu that appears, choose ÔSubscribe to this ThreadÕ. YouÕll be sent notifications of any new posts on that thread.

WhatÕs the best way to keep in touch with new posts or new threads?

There are various ways; the easiest might be to click on the NEW POSTS list or the NEW THREADS list, to the top right of any page.

IÕve heard that there are one or two private areas of the forum that I canÕt see, even though IÕm a member. How come?

Yes, there are one or two small, ÔprivateÕ areas of the forum. ThatÕs because some topics are deeply and personally sensitive, and those members participating wouldnÕt wish for their posts to be visible even to other members.

An example might be where a certain kind of abuse has been experienced as a child, where a member might not feel at all comfortable sharing what happened to them on the public forum (even for members only).

If youÕd like to start a private area like that for your own good reasons, and suggest that one or two others might be invited also, then please PM the moderators to let us know.

 

¥ PERSONAL PROFILE AND SETTINGS QUESTIONS

Note: for answers to most of these questions, first go to your SETTINGS page. Details then follow in the specific answers below.

How do I change my avatar?

Go to ÔEdit AvatarÕ

...in your Settings page.

Note that while thereÕs a list of ÔstandardÕ avatars to choose from, youÕre most welcome (and encouraged!) to find and upload your own unique avatar, which can be any digital image as long as itÕs not an animated GIF. (WeÕve disabled animated avatars, as one or two of them have been really distracting or irritating to members.)

How do I change my country flag?

Go to ÔEdit ProfileÕ

...in your Settings page, and then, in the page that follows, scroll to the bottom where you can specify your Country Flag.

How do I change my password?

Go to ÔEdit Email and PasswordÕ in your Settings page.

How do I change the e-mail you have on record for me?

Go to ÔEdit Email and PasswordÕ in your Settings page.

What happens if I lose or forget my password?

Just click on this link: http://projectavalon.net/forum4/login.php?do=lostpw. A new password will be auto-generated by the software and sent to the e-mail we have on record for you.

Note: The moderators do not have any kind of access to any membersÕ passwords, old or new.

If youÕre really stuck, just send us an e-mail to staff@projectavalon.net (or use the contact form), and weÕll be delighted to come to your rescue.

How can I stay logged into the forum all the time?

Check the little REMEMBER ME box next time you log in.

Can I change my username?

No. But the moderators will be pleased to do that for you, and it only takes a second. Just send a PM to all or any of the mods asking for your username to be changed.

How do I change the appearance (or ÔbackgroundÕ) of the forum?

ThereÕs a little menu at the bottom left of every page. The standard (ÔdefaultÕ) background (or ÔstyleÕ) is called ÔAvalon BreezeÕ. That has a white background, and will probably work best for most people. But you can always choose a different appearance, just for yourself, if you like.

Note: the important thing to remember is that different members may use different styles. Black text automatically shows as white on a style with a dark background, but other colors may be hard for others to read. Purple or dark blue on white is easy to read, but against a dark background may be almost impossible. Same (the other way around) with pink or yellow.

The only colors that really work well on all color backgrounds are blue, red and black.

Can I be ÔinvisibleÕ to other members?

Click on the ÔGeneral SettingsÕ link...

...in your Settings page. That then leads you to another page, at the top of which you can set your ÔinvisibilityÕ (if you wish).

If youÕre ÔinvisibleÕ, that means that other members wonÕt be able to see if youÕre online, or are viewing any particular thread or memberÕs profile, for example. (Note: the moderators can see all members.)

I donÕt seem to be getting the Avalon Newsletter. How do I add my address to the Newsletter list?

Just send a PM to Bill Ryan (or e-mail him at bill@projectavalon.net), and your address will be added straight away. (YouÕre also welcome to ask for addresses of friends to be added, of course.)

Alternatively, there's a place to sign up on the TOP RIGHT of the page you get when clicking on the FORUM tab.

If your name is already there but you donÕt seem to be getting the newsletter, then it may be ending up in your spam folder each time. Sometimes, an e-mail provider will block it before it even gets to your personal spam folder, and thereÕs nothing we can do about that! But links to the newsletters are all regularly posted on any of the New Newsletter threads.

What do you do with the personal information in membership applications?

All applications are kept in our secure archives, and are accessible to the moderators. Otherwise, all information is kept 100% totally confidential.

We add new membersÕ e-mail addresses to the newsletter mailing list, and we have a database which contains your username, your e-mail address, your avatar, your birthday, the number of posts youÕve made, and so on. That database does not record your personal name or location (though we can look those up in the applications archive).

Do note that we do not check, and have no means of checking, whether any information thatÕs been submitted in your application is accurate. There are a lot of people with birthdays on 1 January! But the only reason we ask for your birthday is so that the software can send you a Happy Birthday message to you each year. (ItÕs also broadly very interesting for us to know someoneÕs rough age... we have some members as young as 15, and a few others who are over 90 years old.)

How do I ask to close my forum membership?

Send an e-mail to staff@projectavalon.net (or use the contact form, or send a PM).

In most cases, weÕd very much discourage anyone from leaving permanently — although someone in good standing with the forum who does leave can always ask to have their membership re-activated any time later. If you do feel you need to take a break (for any one of a number of good personal reasons), just ask to take a sabbatical.

How do I ask to go on a ÔsabbaticalÕ (i.e. take a temporary break from the forum)?

Click on the ÔRequest a SabbaticalÕ link in your Settings page.

How do I make a donation to Project Avalon?

Click on any of the DONATE buttons (in several places on the forum). They all lead to this page: http://projectavalon.net/donate.

Thank you for asking this question! The forum costs $4,220 per year to run, and everything is free. If you can help out, even just a little, everything counts, and itÕs VERY much appreciated.

 

¥ PRIVATE MESSAGES ('PM's)

Where will I find my PMs?

Click on your NOTIFICATIONS tab, and a drop down button for your Private Messages will appear.

How will I know if I have any PMs waiting for me?

There are three ways: (1) You can click on your NOTIFICATIONS tab, (2) you can specify that you'll get a pop-up notifying you if any new PMs come in (which is the default setting for everyone), or (3) (if you like) you can ask for new PMs to be notified to you by e-mail. To do that, click on GENERAL SETTINGS in your SETTINGS page...

...and then you'll see this. Just toggle all the settings whatever way you wish.

How do I send a private message (a ÔPMÕ) to a member?

Click on their name by any post, and the option to send a Private Message is part of the little drop-down menu that appears.

Alternatively, visit their Profile page, and the option to send a Private Message is there, too.

How do I delete a PM?

Check the box to the right of the PM in your inbox that you want to delete ...

...and then go to the bottom right of the page, where youÕll see a button which says SELECTED MESSAGES (1). (The Ô1Õ is there because youÕve just selected one message. Otherwise it says Ô0Õ.) Click that, and a little menu appears. Choose ÔDeleteÕ, and then click PROCEED. (Note: this procedure canÕt be reversed. So be careful!)

Can I download my PMs to my own computer?

Yes. Scroll down to the bottom of your inbox page, and youÕll see three options for downloading. All your PMs will be downloaded in one, large, continuous, file.

How do I search in my PMs?

By far the easiest thing to do is to download them all as one large continuous text document, and then use Microsoft Word (or whichever text application you prefer) to search the content.

What happens if I reach the limit for the number of PMs I can keep in my inbox?

Ask the moderators to increase your inbox size allocation. This can sometimes be a problem for longstanding members, and it's easy for that adjustment to be made.

Are PMs totally private?

Yes, they are. In theory, everything that any member has ever written is there in the database somewhere, which as a matter of principle, are kept secret and never viewed or discussed by the forum moderation team, except of course for PMs sent or reported to the moderators. For regular (non-technical) access to PMs, a special plugin (a software add-on) would be needed, which we do NOT have installed Ñ and we never will. What all that means is that you can rest assured that your Private Messages really are 100% private, to anyone except (probably) the NSA.

 

¥ OTHER ISSUES CONNECTED WITH PRIVACY OR SECURITY

If I send an e-mail or PM to anyone in the moderators team, is that also private?

Moderators might share a PM that's been sent to them personally, or a personal e-mail, with any other member of the moderators team. But never with anyone else. If you specifically want such a message to be totally private, and never even to be shared with another moderator, please just state that clearly. It will always be honored.

(As per the "Are PMs totally private?" question immediately above, moderators can't read or access any members' PMs to each other Ñ unless a PM is reported to a moderator, in which case it may well be shared with other moderators in the team.)

I sometimes see a browser error message that the forum is "not secure". What does this mean, and is this a problem?

ProjectAvalon.net doesn't use SSL (https), but only plain html (http). So we don't use security certificates. As a result of this, some browsers are starting to complain that our site is not secure, meaning that you should not post or send confidential information to the site, if you are concerned that some man-in-the-middle might snoop on the unencrypted data packets as they travel over the Web.

Since we're not a bank, medical clinic, government, credit agency, email provider, or other such site that deals in confidential information, this simply isn't an issue for our members. For guests of our site, who are only reading and sending no personal or other confidential data at all to our site, it is even less of an issue.

Unfortunately, for rather complex software programming reasons, there's little or nothing we can do about this just at the moment. We do understand, though, that seeing such a message might appear a little alarming!

 

¥ OTHER MEMBERS

How do I search for other members?

Click on the MEMBERS tab in the menu.

To search for a specific memberÕs name (even if you only know part of it), enter the name in the MemberÕs Search box to the right of that page.

What is a 'Group'?

A GROUP is a discussion area on a particular subject. If you click here on the menu bar, you can see a list of active Groups.

Click 'VIEW ALL' if the list doesn't look like this:

To create a new group, or to subscribe to (i.e. be notified of activity in) a group, click on one of these two buttons, which are at the bottom right of the Groups page.

What does Ô+Õ mean that I see against some peopleÕs usernames?

That means that theyÕre on your list of ÔFriendsÕ.

Note: accepting a Friend request is a very nice way to be friendly and shake someone's hand (as it were), but in practical reality there's little (if any!) additional functionality to being 'Friends' with a member.

What do the different colors of usernames mean?

How can I see a list of a particular memberÕs posts?

There are several ways: you can click on the little ÔPosts:Õ button under their name and avatar by any post of theirs, you can visit their Profile page and click to see their posts and started threads, or you can go into Advanced Search and find all their posts that way.

What does ÔThanksÕ mean?

ItÕs not defined, but basically it means that a post is appreciated by the thanking member. Many people use it to mean ÒHey, I agreeÓ, but it could also simply mean that the post was valuable and respected, even if NOT agreed with.

What do the terms ÔRetiredÕ, ÔUnsubscribedÕ and ÔDeactivatedÕ mean by the name of someone whoÕs left the forum?

Sometimes I read about a member who is Ôon vacationÕ. What does that mean?

ItÕs a colloquial term the moderators use for someone whoÕs been temporarily unsubscribed for some unacceptable transgression. ItÕs like being in the Ôsin binÕ in ice hockey. A ÔvacationÕ can last from one day to a couple of weeks, which is usually (but not always) the maximum.

In every case, the member concerned would have been sent an e-mail explaining, sometimes in detail, and in most cases not unkindly, why the action has been taken. And in many instances, there would have been an exchange with the member by PM (Private Message) to try to resolve the problem without sending them Ôon vacationÕ, which is usually a last resort.

IÕd like to recommend a friend to be a forum member. How should I do that?

Send them this link http://projectavalon.net/join — and let the moderators know by PM that they should look out for their application, and that you recommend them.

How do I ÔignoreÕ another member, if I want to?

Click on ÔEdit Ignore ListÕ

in your Settings page, and add the name of the member there. That personÕs posts will then be invisible to you. (This can be undone at any time later, by editing the list again.)

How do I report a post or a Private Message (PM) that I see a problem with, or want to bring to the moderatorsÕ attention for any reason?

ThereÕs a little triangular icon to the bottom right of the post of PM that you can click. That post or PM is then automatically sent for the attention of all the moderators. In many cases the mods will acknowledge that the report is being looked at, but in some instances, like a request for a post to be deleted or a thread merged, you would simply see that its been done.

Important note: the mods take serious and usually very rapid note of all reported items, whether theyÕre large or small. If there seems to be a silence after sending a report, please know that it has most definitely been read and is being discussed by the mods.

Another thing to note is that you donÕt always have to report problems! The mods sometimes rely on reports to be their eyes and ears in a large forum where itÕs almost impossible for them to notice everything. Do by all means also report anything particularly wonderful that you think may have escaped the modsÕ notice.

Where can I see the forum activity... whoÕs online, the number of posts and threads and visitors, etc?

If you scroll down to the bottom of this page http://projectavalon.net/forum4/forum.php Ñ thatÕs the FORUM tab in the menu bar

...there youÕll see a section called 'What's going On?' with all the various statistics.

What do the moderators do?

They keep everything working well and in good shape (like aircraft mechanics, what they do is often unseen by the passengers), do a lot of routine housekeeping thatÕs also usually invisible, solve problems of all kinds (big and small) if and when they appear, look out for everyoneÕs well-being, safety and security, filter new member applications, put together pages like this, and try to do everything they can to make this a wonderful and user-friendly place to be.