FAQ/ Site How To

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For the Batavia Class of '65 Web Site

and
 
HOW TO USE THIS SITE

(derived from the Claremont, CA '59 Web Site)


 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

for the Batavia Class of '65 Website

OK, as of this writing, early June '10, the site hasn't been up long enough for any question to be classified as "frequent". Well, yes, if you're going to get real picky, nobody has actually asked me (Jim) any of these question, but they're ones I'm absolutely positive they would have asked (frequently, no less) if the site had been up a while and I hadn't already (rather presciently, if I do say so myself) anticipated them. I mean gimme a break, guys!

 

 Point and Click on the Question to jump down the page to the Answer.

  1. What is the background of the creation of this website?
  2. Was this site created from scratch?
  3. What's the catch? When am I going to see this show up on my credit card bill?
  4. What's this "whitelisting" stuff all about?
  5. I'm concerned about security. What protection do you have in place and what can I do to ensure protection of my information?
  6. What do I do if I lose my password?
  7. What options do I have to derive maximum use/enjoyment of the site?
  8. I have a friend who might be interested in this software. Would you recommend it and how do I find out more?

 



1. Q. What is the background of the creation of this website?

A. Early in May of 2010 your BHS '61 Reunion Planning Committee (Barbara Mansfield King, chair, Eugene Northrup, Sandra Sterling Weiler, Donna Gehlert Russell, Mike Rimmer, George Galliford, Jim Owen, Art Munger and yours truly, Jim Minor) met to discuss plans for the class 50th reunion in September of 2011. One of the discussion topics was the idea of creating a class web site.

It was about at this point in the meeting that Barb King offered me some "tea" and I don't remember too much after that except waking up the next day in my own bed with a splitting headache. Later in the day I received several phone calls from meeting participants telling me how happy they were that I had so enthusiastically volunteered to get the ball rolling. Tom Babcock, also on the committee was, at the time, safely ensconced in Florida, holding down the fort in Fort Myers Beach (get it?... holding down the fort, Fort Myers... sorry, Tom, I just had to say that), sent out an e-mail to the class expecting the site to be up soon. And, as they say, the rest is history.

 

 

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2. Q. Was this site created from scratch?

A. Would you believe that I worked tirelessly night and day for several weeks writing in machine code (Assembler would have been way too easy) on a Linux platform for porting to a high-end network server to bring you the magnificent (almost a work of art, I might say) web site that you see presented before your very eyes?

No? (Crimminy, I can't get away with anything with you guys.) Well then (a la Maxwell Smart), would you believe that I took the easy way out and used turnkey software for applications just like ours and provided by an outfit called Class Creator?

Yes? Well OK, if you believe that, then let's all pretend that that's what happened. However, to give myself at least a little bit of credit, I did (and continue to do so) enter and customize the material on the web site for our class, including scanning in all our pictures. (Boy, was I ever glad to see your smiling, oh-so-handsome face, Dan "Black Foot" Ziccardi!)

Note: Some of this customization affects security and were judgement calls on my part (see the section below on security) and may want to be revisited by the Reunion Planning Committee. Please let them and me know of any concerns you may have. -Jim

 

 

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 3. Q. What's the catch? When am I going to see this show up on my credit card bill (and how did they get my credit card number to begin with anyway)?

A. One of the most attractive thing about the Class Creator option (we're still pretending that this is the way I chose to go, right?) is the charges are all paid up front. The cost for all this comes to a little over $100/year and the planning committee, using existing funds in their treasury, quickly agreed to pay this (somehow I got the sense they felt a little guilty... but, of course, that could just be my imagination). Anyway, for that we are already all covered, there are no further charges this year and there will be no advertising (!).

However, if we don't cough up the $100 subscription next year, either someone from Class Creator's office will knock on each of our doors with a tin cup (alternatively, something significantly heavier) or they'll discontinue the service (their option... it's in the fine print of the service contract.)

 

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4. Q. What's this "whitelisting" stuff all about? (Isn't that something Tom Sawyer tried to con his friends into doing on a picket fence he was painting?)

A. Attention! Attention! This is a post-production additional question... Since I was actually asked this by 2 real classmates (and non-shills at that), in the relative scheme of things this counts as a bona-fide very frequently asked question (VFAQ).

The issue: Making sure that all mailings from this site (including notes passed to you from fellow classmates) make it into your e-mail's in-basket without being rejected by spam or junk mail filters (some components of which may reside, by design, on your machine.)

Here's a quote from the Class Creator people on a Class Creator forum on the subject...

In most cases the email will get through fine. We've already whitelisted our new server email address with all major Internet mail systems, such as AOL.com. The majority of time email will get through fine. We're trying to reduce the small percentage of non deliverable emails to an even smaller percentage. We're also trying to ensure that Classmates themselves don't make a mistake, such as seeing the email address "noreply@classcreator.net" and mark it as junk email. If they do that, then all future emails from your site are going to go right into their junk folder as well. So, we're just trying to provide people with a little education on the subject so most emails get through.

Before reading further, try this simple test. On our Home Page, go to the very bottom of the right hand column and insert your own e-mail address in the "Missing BHS '61 Classmates" address box and invite yourself to join the site. If you get the message in your e-mail program's in-basket (wait a few seconds after sending it) then you're all set and you can stop reading right here and go do something more productive with your time. If you don't get the message inviting you to join, then read on.

In the never-ending battle to protect you against spam (junk e-mail) there are various mechanisms in place, many of which you, as a receiver of mail, have a measure of control over. The bottom line is that you want to let your own protectors (spam filters) know that noreply@classcreator.net is a "friend" (correspondent) of yours and that you want them (the spam filters) to allow messages from your "friend" to get through to you.

If you're having trouble receiving mail from this site then the first thing you want to do is go into the address book of your e-mail program (which might have spam filters) and identify (create a card for, in most cases) your new "friend" (or "contact" or correspondent, or similar) by it's e-mail address of noreply@classcreator.net. Your program will probably ask you the name of your new friend and you can put anything you want down but you might use something like First Name = "BHS61", and Last Name = "WebMail" (without the quotation marks) so that 6 months from now when you're scanning your address book you'll be reminded who this wierd "friend" is. If you're unsure of how to do this, you might find helpful instructions here. Try the simple test again to see if this fixed the problem, if you had one.

If you've installed a pre-filter such as Zone-Alarm in your system you'll want to go into that and identify noreply@classcreator.net as a "friend" (correspondent) there as well.

Finally, if the mail is still inot getting through, check to see if your ISP (Internet Service Provider... the people you send your monthly payment to in order to have an e-mail account to begin with), may have a spam filter. If so, you'll have to talk to them about how you identify your new "friend".

If after attempting all this your still confused and/or having problems contact me. Don't be bashful, we all want to talk to you with a minimum of hitches.

 

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5. Q. I'm concerned about security. What protection do you have in place and what can I do to ensure protection of my information?

A. OK this is serious stuff and at times a bit of a heavy slough. Sit up straight, feet flat on the floor, eyes straight ahead, and pay attention. There will be a quiz at the end. Remember after all, you asked the question (well, then again, not really but, well humor me on this one, OK?).

First of all, I, as Administrator (which means the bill first showed up on my credit card), have some switches I can throw. For instance, I can make every single page (including the home page) password protected. If I did that, we'd essentially be in Stealth Mode. Probably a better analogy would be a speakeasy. Everyone would have to know the web address to enter (http://www.batavia61.com) and would have to immediately provide a password to get into the site, even into the home page. Thus, new members would first need to be contacted by me, told of the site and given a password before they could even get in to register. Cumbersome to say the least and hardly ever used by my Administrative peers on other Class Creator sites. However, if we decided to go that way, I could make it happen.

I have chosen to make the Home Page, Classmate Profiles, Missing Classmates, and In Memory  pages available to the general public. Try it sometime by logging out and just coming to the site (don't log in) and see how far you can get. I've chosen the combination of options I have by a desire to have newcomers find a path so that they can sign themselves up and still provide protection for the rest of us beyond that point. Also, from other Administrators, it is not uncommon for friends and relatives of deceased classmates to want to visit the site and see the comments about their friend/relative.

However, now this is where you come in, at the bottom of your profile page there's the following list of options:

You are strongly encouraged to check the first box, "Profile Visibility". Doing so will place a little padlock symbol next to your name in the "Classmate Profile" list for others who have not logged in and indicates that non-members can't access your information. This should protect you from robo web crawlers as well as the idly curious. You can always turn the protection off briefly to let significant others all get a good laugh at what you're telling your classmates about yourself and then turn the security back on and tell them that yes, you added the story about the time you fell in the latrine, without every giving them a chance to verify that you've done so.

Checking any of the other boxes is left to your personal discretion. Note- if you choose to not display your birthday (get real- we all know how old you are) we won't be able to all fly to your home to throw you the magnificient surprise birthday party you've always dreamed of and that you know, in your heart of hearts, you so richly deserve.

Following these steps will allow someone else to do a web search and find that someone with your name went to BHS in '61. They can also see what the person looked like 50 years ago, but that's pretty much it.

 As Administrator I also have the following options presented to me (shown as currently configured):

Thus, by keeping the last box un-checked, anyone (e.g., non-registered individuals) can see the yearbook photos, not the ones in your profile that you uploaded. If there is enough objection to this choice, I can switch over to that additional level of protection. However, leaving it as it is contains no more information than our hardcopy yearbook which (heaven forbid!) might even show up in a garage sale someplace. On the other hand, our hardcopy Batavian is not web searchable.

For each of you there is information classified as "Details" (or "contact information", street address, telephone number, etc.), "Profile" (stuff you entered about yourself), and "Photos" (pictures you uploaded). Per the boxes you checked below the "Profile Availability" box (above), your (registered and logged-in) classmates may or may not be able to see the "Details" information.

Profile information and uploaded photos are visible to all (registered and logged-in) classmates (otherwise, why did you upload them?). Your e-mail address is never displayed on this site. However if you send a classmate a message through the site your e-mail can be seen by the recipient in their incoming message from you.

However, as Administrator I see all of this "Detail" information and will, from time-to-time, download it into a spreadsheet both as a system backup and to share with specific members of the Reunion Planning committee for defined needs in case they need to (snail-) mail things to you or to have a place to start if one of you inadvertently "drops out of sight". Prior to the creation of this site we had been manually maintaining just such a spreadsheet for these very same reasons.

For those wishing more information on privacy, security and steps to prevent 3rd party solicitations, the Class Creator website has a more complete discussion aimed at "Root Administrators" (their term for the top administrative mucky-muck of the site, which in this case would be me) but which you may wish to peruse here.

If you have further questions about security/privacy please let me (Jim Minor... "Contact Us") know and I'll do my best to get an answer for you.

 

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6. Q. What do I do if I lose my password?

A. Plan A: is to just press the "Forgotten Password" link in the login section. If that doesn't work, then on to...

Plan B: One of the things I, as Administrator, can't do is see your password. (I also can't see messages between classmates... which means I'll probably be forced to go out and get a life of my own.)  All I see is the little row of black dots, often associated with entering passwords. What I can do, if you send a request to the "Contact Us" address explaining your situation, I can delete your password, assign you an interim one and, if I can remember to tell you what it is, you can then re-enter the system and change to your own password.

Another note on this subject... The Reunion Planning Committee, in their infinite wisdom, has elected to reimburse me for doing this at a rate considerably below minimum wage (I mean way - waaaaay below minimum wage, if you catch my drift) which means I have to go out and fend for myself from time-to-time (in addition to taking "biology" breaks) and consequently I'm not at my terminal 24 X 7. (The Reunion Planning Committee also rejected my entreaties to subcontract this to Bangalore... said I was soooo much cheaper.) It may take me a day or so to get back to you. Just be a little patient, please.

 

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7. Q. What options do I have to derive maximum use/enjoyment of the site?

A. In the same spirit as the slogan, "Ontario, yours to discover" this site is also yours to discover (except you're not required to speak French in the eastern half of this site.) Please feel free to play around. You're not going to break anything (if you do, stick your hands in your pockets, start whistling and walk away as if you don't know a thing about what all the fuss is about.) Seriously, if you do get into trouble at any point, drop me a line and we'll work it through together.

For instance, at the top of the Classmate Profiles page is more than a header or passive legend. It's an active list of options. Thus, if you click on the "Show BHS '61 Classmates Photo" Box...

 

you'll get the entire rogue's gallery of our class. (Probably a better term for that, but that's just what popped into my head at the moment... sorry about that). Clicking on any of the categories in the box above this will just get you those classmates who meet that criterion. Selecting an option in the "Show by" line sorts the selected classmates by that option.

Play around with your profile. Upload pictures using the "Edit/Upload Photos" link under MEMBER FUNCTIONS in the column to the left of most pages.

To another point, Richard Stevens wanted people to recognize him by his nickname and found that if he changed his profile so that the first name was not Richard but rather Richard "Rick", his listing would be seen as Richard "Rick" Stevens. We didn't pre-load this in for the entire class from the yearbook photo titles as not everyone wants to remind their classmates what their nickname was in high school. ("Dork" comes to mind.)

Using the "Post Announcement" link, also under MEMBER FUNCTIONS, gives you the opportunity to post an announcement (not surprisingly, given the title) on the home page. However, if we get too many "Hey everybody! My 7th granddaughter, she's just the most precious thing, had her 3rd tooth erupt" - type announcements, we may have to start providing some guidelines on this. Note- the Class Creator system is hardwired so that I have to approve all announcements before they become visible. Thus, at a minimum, I'll learn about your darling granddaughter's monumental teething milestone.

We expect we'll be providing some more capabilities in the near future.

 

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8. Q. I have a friend who might be interested in this software. Would you recommend it and how do I find out more?

 A. Actually, so far we've been quite pleased with the software. It helps if you, as an administrative wannabe, have a little background in playing with web pages but it certainly is not a requirement. BHS's ('59) Paul Huff said that he started from scratch, as it were, but picked it up as he went along.

The platform (basic website software) is specifically designed to support the kind of things we wanted to do. The staff is supportive, the site has a FAQ section (note- a real one, not a phony, made-up one like this) plus there are Administrative Forums, moderated by Class Creator staff, on all sorts of site-related topics. As part of the later you get to peek into other peer web sites (up to their password-protected pages) to see what others are doing.

If your friend does go this route he/she should go to https://www.classcreator.com/ to find out more. If they sign up to create their own site, they'll be given the opportunity to enter a Promo Code. Entering the code does nothing for them but if they are supplied one, the entity that supplied the code gets a check from Class Creator (at no cost to the new user) for $50. Thus every time someone uses our (BHS Class of '61) code of  M3149878, our reunion committee will get $50.

Attention web-crawlers, you are invited, nay, encouraged to use this code as much as your little robo hearts desire! M3149878, M3149878, M3149878, M3149878, M3149878 (just in case you missed it on the first pass).

 

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If there are no further questions, then Class Dismissed!


 

HOW To Use This Site
(Derived from the Claremont, CA, class of 1959 website)

 

Welcome Batavia High School Class of 1965 classmates!

 

If this is your first visit, read below to see how to get started. Make your profile page and personalize it by adding pictures, YouTube Videos, and Playlists. Discover how to do it all right on this page!

As time goes on, please remember to keep your profile up-to-date with current contact information, and enjoy using this site as a portal to reconnect with old friends between graduating years. Click on a link below.

 

Fundamentals: 

Can I join the site even if I don’t plan to attend the reunion?
Married Couples - Sharing the same email address for login
Getting started
Don't let our emails go into your junk folder
Forgotten Password
What is "Remember Me"?
Trouble with email and password login
Change of email or snail mail address
Homepage
Questions

 

Your Profile:

How to upload pictures to your profile
How to delete a photo from your profile
How to put a YouTube video on your profile page
How to put a playlist on your profile page


"Member Functions":

Message Center

Edit Contact Info

Edit/Upload Photos

Post Announcement

Profile Subscription

Change Password

Log Out

 

 

Real-Time Communicating with Classmates:


Instant Messaging

What Screen Resolution is recommended for Instant Messaging?

Your Photo

Search for Members
Private Chat
Changing your Instant Message status
Can I turn off my Instant Messaging (IM) feature temporarily?
Disable Instant Messaging
Can the IM window be moved?

 

Will IM work on my IPhone or SmartPhone?

 

 

Live Chat

 

Miscellany:

  Flash Player not supported on 64-bit operating systems

 


 

 

FUNDAMENTALS

 

FUNDAMENTALS- Can I join the site even if I don't plan attend the reunion?  Yes. Even if you do not plan to attend the reunion, it is hoped that there are old friends on this site that you would like to reconnect to and for that purpose you can still join the site.

 

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FUNDAMENTALS- Married Couples - Sharing the same email address for login:  Married couples who share the same email address: Make sure you each have unique passwords for your logins. This is how the website differentiates you.

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FUNDAMETALS- Getting Started: Please take a few minutes of your time to create your Classmate Profile. Click the Classmate Profiles tab in the top left navigation. You will be taken to a listing of the BHS class of 1961. Click on your name and follow the instructions to create your login.  If you cannot find your name on the Classmate Profiles page, please use the Contact Us page to have your name added. Once you create a profile, you will also be able to see the profiles of your fellow classmates and interact with them. You don't have to finish your profile all at once. Come back whenever you want to add to or update your information, or add more photos.

 

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FUNDAMENTALS- Don't let our e-mails go into your junk folder: Please add (or allow) the following email address to your "Safe Senders" list so that your spam blocker will allow emails notifications from this website: noreply@Classcreator.net

 

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FUNDAMENTALS- Forgotten password: If you forget your password, just click on the "Forgot Password?" retrieval feature under the login feature, and it will be emailed to you.

  

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FUNDAMENTALS- What is "Remember me"?: If you click "Remember Me" when you log in, you will not need to log in next time you go to the site. You can log in from computers other than your home computer but you will need to enter your password.

 

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FUNDAMENTALS- Trouble with e-mail and password log-in: Your computer is not retaining cookies.  A cookie is a little piece of data stored on your hard drive and is used by Class Creator to maintain the login system. Although cookie problems are rare, when they do occur you have several resolutions. Try any of the following:

  • Make sure you are logged into your web site.
  • Upgrade your browser to the most recent browser.
  • Switch browsers. For instance if you are using Internet Explorer, try Firefox.
  • Clear your Temporary Internet Files (cache) and clear your current cookies so you are starting fresh. Click here for instructions for clearing browser cookies.
  • Make sure you are doing nothing to block cookies on the web site. Our login system depends on cookies working. If you are blocking cookies in general, you need to at least permit them for this web site so you can log in.
  • Reboot your computer.

Aren't cookies bad? Answer: No. The "cookie scare" of the late 1990s was largely based on misconceptions that cookies stored on your computer's hard drive somehow violated privacy. Erroneous information regarding cookies has long since been corrected, and cookies are a common programming practice used today by some of the Internet's largest websites. There is nothing that our website does with cookies that will in any way jeopardize your privacy, store personal information about you, or submit your personal information to other websites.

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 FUNDAMENTALS- Change of e-mail or snail-mail address: Please change your contact information when you get a new internet provider or move ... we don't want to lose you. We keep our Class List current by downloading your contact information from this website.

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FUNDAMENTALS- Homepage: This is where the main information and announcements are made. Your admins will email you when there is a new Survey or new Poll. Please participate.

  

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FUNDAMENTALS- Questions: Just click on the "Contact Us" button and we'll reply within 24 hours if at all possible.

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YOUR PROFILE

YOUR PROFILE- How to upload pictures to your profile:

  1. You can upload .jpg, .gif, .bmp and .png files, but not .tif. If you want to edit your pictures but don't have a picture editing program, you can download a free one from www.irfanview.com. You can crop out anything you don't like. You don't need to resize your pictures, as they will automatically be resized when you upload them to your webpage.
  2. When you are ready to add your picture to your personal web page, make sure you are logged in from the Home Page.
  3. In the links on the left side under MEMBER FUNCTIONS, click on the link: Edit/Upload Photos.
  4. The Photos for (your name) page will appear and you’ll see a box at the top titled: Upload New Photo. Click on it and you will be at the Upload page.
  5. Click on the box Add Files. A dialog box with a list of folders on your computer will appear. Locate (browse to) the folder that holds the picture you want to add. For most classmates this will be the My Pictures folder located in the My Documents folder. If you are in the icon view, change your view button (at the top) to show icons as pictures. This makes it easier to find the specific picture you want to upload.
  6. Click the Upload button to add the picture to your photos. You will now be back at the page Photos for (your name). The next step is to Sort your photos and add a Caption.
  7. Sort: The Sort number controls the order in which photos display on your page. There are 99999 sort numbers. If you assign Sort numbers 7, 45, 99999, 1, 300, your pictures will show in this order: 1, 7, 45, 300, 99999.
  8. Add a Caption: Caption is the description you write for your picture.
  9. If you want to choose one of your pictures to be your Master Photo, click in the Master Photo circle for that picture. Your Master Photo will appear in your emails and forum posts.
  10. Click the SAVE CHANGES button.
  11. Now go to your Profile page (Click on Classmate Profiles in the left navigation bar) and look for your picture and caption.
  12. If your photos are really large on your profile page and you would like them smaller, it’s easy to do. Go back to Edit/Upload Photos. Scroll down to the photo you want to resize. Click on the Resize button underneath the photo. A box will pop up. There will be a slider bar at the top of the box. Drag it to the left to make your photo smaller. When it’s the size you want, click Save. Return to Classmate Profiles and your profile page. If the photo isn’t smaller, click the Reload button on your browser (the button that looks like an arrow or arrows going in a circle) and it should reload and be a smaller size.

Shortcut for multiple pictures: If you are uploading several pictures that are in different folders, you can copy them to your desktop, then delete them later. Make sure you COPY, not move, your pictures, so you won’t delete the originals.

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YOUR PROFILE- How to delete a photo from your profile:  

  1. Choose EDIT/UPLOAD PHOTOS under MEMBER FUNCTIONS from the left-hand navigation column. All the photos on your profile page will be displayed.
  2. Click in the DELETE box above the picture(s) you wish to zap.
  3. Choose SAVE ALL CHANGES. A pop-up box will ask, "Do you really want to delete this 1 photo."
  4. Click "OK" and the photo(s) will be removed from your Profile Page.

If you are still having problems, please Contact Us.

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YOUR PROFILE- How to put a YouTube video on your profile page:

(Please note that if you know html, you can add videos and photos to any part of your profile page.)  

On the YouTube website, make sure your video is showing in the play box.

Example: you want to put "Graduation Day By The Four Freshmen" video on your site. (If you want to follow along, the URL is  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOVOllNHSis.) 

To the right of the video you’ll see a gray box, and near the bottom of this box is the grayed word “Embed.” To the right of "Embed" is a horizontal white box that contains the code for the video. When this code is placed  in the Video box on your Edit Profile page, the video player with your video will appear and classmates can view it from your page.

 

 Here are the steps to get the code on your page:

  1. With your mouse, left click once on the white window that contains the code. It should turn blue. (Alternately, you can move your mouse across the box until all the code turns blue.)
  2. On your keyboard hold down the CONTROL key (Ctrl) and press the  letter "C" key. This copies the code.
  3. On your Edit Profile page, locate the box "Videos."
  4. Place your cursor inside the box and left click with your mouse.
  5. Now press the CONTROL key and the letter "V" key on your keyboard. The Embed code will now appear in your box. The code should look like this:
    <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/OOVOllNHSis&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/OOVOllNHSis&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
  6. In the Video Description box just below, enter a name for your video or something about your video, like: “Remember Graduation Day?” This will appear just below your video.
  7. Now click the Save button and go view your page.

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YOUR PROFILE- How to put a playlist on your profile page:

The Playlist will also be placed in your Playlist box on your Edit Profile page. 

  1. Go to www.playlist.com and create an account, then start building your playlist by choosing songs or artists you like.
  2. Select and copy the code (Control/C) for your playlist at Playlist.com. Use "Get the code for any other social network" choice.
  3. Click in your Playlist and paste in the code (Control/V).
  4. Save your page. You should now be able to view it and hear the music play.
  5. If you stay logged in to Playlist.com and you find a song you like on someone else's playlist, you can click the add+ sign to add the song to your own playlist. Now enjoy listening to your favorite music.

For an example of a playlist you can look at the following profile

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"MEMBER FUNCTIONS"

Member Functions: Message Center

This feature lists all the emails you have received (IN BOX) as well as those you have sent (OUT BOX) through this web site. Your messages will remain in their respective boxes until you delete them.

A KEY at the top of both the IN BOX and OUT BOX shows symbols representing the status of an email. You will find one of these symbols to the left of each email listed.

Each listed email shows: (1). A box to check, (2). Its status; (3). Either who sent it to you (IN BOX) or who you sent it to (OUT BOX), (4). Subject and date of email, and (5). A red "X."

In both the IN BOX and OUT BOX settings, clicking on sender's name brings up that person's profile page and clicking on the subject brings up the actual email.

Clicking inside the box on the far left or on the red "X" on the far right, will turn the background red. This means that the email can be deleted by choosing the tab at the bottom of the page that says DELETE CHECKED THREAD.
 

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Member Functions: Edit Contact Info

Choosing this feature will allow you to view all of the contact information you entered into your contact information page. You can change your contact info anytime it is necessary.

 

Required fields of entry are:

1.    First Name

2.    Last/Maiden Name

3.    Primary Email. Enter email address. Email address also serves as site
login address.

 

Optional fields are:

 

1.    Alternate Email(s). Enter 1 or more email addresses, if you would like to receive duplicate copies of emails sent through the web site. If you only want 1 copy, leave these fields blank. Please note, only your primary email address can be used to log into the web site.

 

2.    Street Address. Your street address is visible only to the Site Administrator and is hidden from your Classmates unless you specifically choose to share this information in your Profile area.

 

3.    Street Address 2. Same street address privacy rules above apply to this field.

 

4.    City

 

5.    State/Province

 

6.    Country

 

7.    Zip/Postal Code

 

8.    Telephone. NNN-NNN-NNNN

 

9.    Cell Phone. NNN-NNN-NNNN

 

10. Birthday

 

11. Receive Emails

 

Note that we will never use personal information for anything other than contacting you regarding issues directly related to the Great Bend High School Class Of 1975 web site.


Be sure to click the SAVE CHANGES tab at the bottom of the page when you have finished. 

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Member Functions:  Edit Profile

Choosing this feature will allow you to change the information that shows on your profile page. Be sure to click the SAVE CHANGES tab at the bottom of the page when you have finished. You have the following controls over your profile:

 

Profile Visibility: Allow only fellow Classmates to view my Profile details. This will block the public and search engines from accessing your Profile. Leave this box unchecked if you wish to allow the public (friends, co-workers, family members, etc.) to view your Profile details.

Contact Details: Allow Classmates to see my address and phone number (this information is hidden from your Classmates unless you check this box).

Birthday: Allow Classmates to view my Birthday. This option allows Classmates to see your Date of Birth in your Profile and on the home page 30 days prior to your Birthday.

Classmate Comments: Allow Classmates to enter comments under my Profile. (Most users opt to leave this feature on. You have the ability to edit or delete any comments left under your Profile.) 

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Member Functions: Edit/Upload Photos

To add photos to your profile you must be able to locate exactly where the picture is on your computer. Most of the time, it will be in the folder titled MY PICTURES. Follow the directions further up on this page for adding, deleting, and editing photos.

 

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Member Functions: Post Announcement

When you have information you think would be of interest to classmates, you can create your own announcement. The announcement will be forwarded to the administrator who will make it go live on the Home Page. 

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Member Functions: Profile Subscriptions

Place a checkmark next to each Classmate you wish to keep track of. When the Classmates you have selected update their profiles you will be notified via email. It's a great way to keep track of your friends

 

You can also subscribe to Classmates who have not yet joined the site, which will generate an email to you when the Classmate joins.

 

Subscribing to Profiles will also notify you when a Classmate has an upcoming Birthday. 

 

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Member Functions:  Change Password

If you wish to change your password, click on CHANGE PASSWORD under Member Functions. A page with 3 sections for you to fill in will appear.

  1. Type in your PRESENT password.
  2. Type in your NEW password.
  3. Type in your NEW password a second time.
  4. Click on SAVE button

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Member Functions: Log Out

The majority of our users select the "stay logged in" option when they log in. Therefore, they will always be logged onto the site until they click the LOG OUT link under Member Functions.
When somebody selects the option to stay logged in, our system allows the user to bypass the login screen when they come back to the site. If you LOG OUT, the next time you will need to enter your email address and password to get into the site. Also, if you access the site from a different computer (for example a laptop), you will need to reenter your email address and password next time you use your main computer.

If you forget your password, click on the forgot password below your log-in email name, and it will be emailed to you. 

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FORUMS

 

Message Forum: The Message Forum is a simple, never-ending single discussion thread. Click on the "Message Forum" link in the left-hand column, scroll down to the bottom, click on "Post Response", and continue the conversation or change to a new subject.

 

User Forums: User Forums can include multiple forum topics as well as multiple discussion threads within the topic. Click on the "User Forums" link in the left-hand column, determine which existing forum you wish to monitor or contribute to or start a new forum.

 

Forum Etiquette: Forums are intended for reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, sharing memories and stories, as well as current interests. So let’s be courteous to everyone on our website. 

 

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REAL-TIME COMMUNICATING WITH CLASSMATES

 

 

 

Instant Messaging (IM)

In order to participate in Instant Messaging the only requirement is that you have the latest version of the Adobe Flash player. If anyone you're attempting to chat with is having trouble with the Instant Messaging feature, they should go to www.adobe.com and upgrade to the latest version of the Flash player.

 

 

The Members Online panel is positioned to either the lower right or the upper right of the web site (you can choose which you prefer by clicking the little arrow at the left of the panel). The Online panel can be expanded by clicking anywhere in the title (top bar) area. Clicking the title area again will minimize the window. To chat privately with a fellow member simply click his or her name in the Members panel. Each Member's name you click on will spawn a private messaging window as seen below. You can open up to 4 private messaging windows at any 1 time.

 

 

Chatting with another member is simple: Click your mouse anywhere in the bottom region of the window to enter your message then press your <Enter> key to send the message. That's all there is to it — you can now easily chat with fellow members as you browse the site.

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IM- Screen Resolution: For best results use a screen resolution with width of 1280 pixels or greater. Any of today's wide screen monitors will have at least a 1280 resolution. At this size the Members panel will never cover any site content. If you are using a smaller screen resolution the Members panel will cover site content, but it can be easily minimized or closed completely by clicking the X in the upper right corner.

 

 

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IM- Your Photo: Your "Master Photo" is displayed at the top of the Members panel. All messages in the chat window are also preceded by your Master Photo. If you have no Master Photo you will see a default image. Your Master Photo cannot be set from within the Instant Messaging interface. To set your Master Photo click on the Edit/Upload Photos link on the web site and follow the directions on screen.

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IM- Search for Members: If there are many members logged in at the same time, you can quickly search for members by clicking "Search for members" in the Members Panel and entering the first few letters of the member's name.

 

 

SOUNDS: A sound will be heard whenever a new member logs into the web site. Another sound will be heard every time a member sends you an instant message through the web site. Sounds can be disabled by clicking the speaker icon in the Members panel. 

 

ICONS

 Online

 Has not typed anything for 5 or more minutes

  Member is currently typing

Should you forget what the icons mean, hover your mouse pointer over them and the member's status will expand like this:

                                               

TIP: Hovering over a member's name will pop up a window allowing you to quickly jump to the member's Profile page.

TOOL BAR: The icons on the tool bar allow you to insert emoticons, bold and/or italicize your text, change font color, and quickly jump to these help instructions. You can also start a Private Chat session.  

IM- Private Chat: Clicking the "Private Chat" button in the tool bar allows you to jump to a larger private chat environment that allows the sharing of photos, webcam feeds, and YouTube videos. You can also invite additional members to the private chat. You can start as many Private Chat sessions as you'd like (as long as you can keep up)!

 

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IM- Changing Your Status: At times you may not wish for members to see you online. In the Members Panel you can change your status to any of the following:

Online:   You are currently available and accepting Instant Messages.

Away:   You are online, but not currently at your computer.

Do Not Disturb:   You are online but wish to block incoming Instant Messages.

 

 

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IM- Can I turn off my Instant Messaging (IM) feature temporarily? Yes. Click on the ‘X’ in the upper right hand corner of the IM Member online. You will get a pop-up saying: “You are about to turn off the Instant Messaging Feature. If you wish to turn it back on, simply close your browser and come back to our website.”  Once you come back to our website, you might have to log back in.

 

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IM- Can I disable Instant Messaging?: Yes.  If you wish to completely turn off the Instant Messaging feature you can do so by clicking on the Edit Profile link and deselecting "Allow other members to send me Instant Messages through the web site." If you disable the Instant Messaging feature your status will automatically be set to Invisible, no other members will see you online, and you will also no longer see any other members currently logged into the web site.

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IM- Can the IM window be moved? Yes.  Although it works best along the bottom of the screen, you can choose whether to have it at the top or bottom right by clicking on the little arrow on the left side of the panel. You can launch up to 4 IM windows at any one time. Although these windows do pop up in front of site content, they can be easily minimized or closed. You have full control over what IM windows appear and when.

 

 

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IM- Will IM work on my iPhone or Smartphone? No. Most don't support Flash to this day. At least for the moment, if you want to IM you'll need to use a regular computer. We are working on a non flash version.

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Live Chat

 

LIVE CHAT INSTRUCTIONS

In order to participate in this Live Chat the only requirement is that you have the latest version of the Adobe Flash player. If anyone you're attempting to chat with is having trouble loading the Live chat, they should go to www.adobe.com and upgrade to the latest version of the Flash player.

PANELS DESCRIPTION

LEFT PANEL:

This is where conversation occurs. At the bottom of this panel is the Control Bar. The Control Bar is used for controlling various elements of your chat. Messages can be entered under the Control Bar. Pressing the Enter Key or clicking the Send button makes your message visible to all participants.

All messages in the conversation window are preceded by your "Master Photo". If you have no Master Photo you will see a default image. Your Master Photo cannot be set from within the Live Chat interface. To set your Master Photo click on the Edit/Upload Photos link on the web site and follow the directions on screen.

NOTE: New members joining the chat room will see the last 20 entries made by other participants, allowing them to quickly see the current conversation and begin participating.


UPPER RIGHT PANEL:

This is the "Media Window." Members in the chat room can use this window to share photos, YouTube videos, and live webcam feeds. These items can be shared by using the Control Bar.


LOWER RIGHT PANEL:

The Members panel shows who is in the chat room. To the right of each member's name you might see any of the following icons:

Currently participating
Has not typed anything for 5 or more minutes

Should you forget what the icons mean, hover your mouse pointer over them and the member's status will expand like this:

Member is currently typing.
Member is sharing a webcam.
Member is currently watching your webcam.

NOTE: All member names are clickable to their Profile pages. If you want to know more about the person you're chatting with, click on their name and their Profile will launch in a separate window.

 



USING THE CONTROL BAR

The Control Bar is used for sharing media and adjusting font, font size, and font color.

  Insert emoticons.
 
   
  Share a YouTube video with fellow members. To share a video, open YouTube in a separate browser window or tab. Find and play the video you wish to share. While watching the video select and copy the web address in your browser's address bar. You can also copy the "embed code" YouTube provides for sharing videos on other web sites. Return to the Live Chat window, roll over the YouTube icon, and paste the YouTube address into the white box. Click "Share" or press your Enter key to share your video with all participants in the chat room.
     
  Share a picture. You can enter the web address for any picture online you wish to share, or you can upload a picture from your own computer to share with fellow members.
 
   
 

Click the webcam icon to allow other participants to see you. If you want members to also hear you simply plug in a microphone. Whenever a participant shares a webcam, a webcam icon will appear next to their name in the Members panel. Click the icon to watch the feed. Click the webcam icon next to a different member's name to switch to a different feed. If you wish to turn your webcam off, click the "Stop Sharing" button on the monitoring window (if it's not currently open you may have to click the webcam icon on the Task Bar to open it again).

IMPORTANT: There is no 3 way or voice conferencing abilities in this Live Chat application. You can only watch 1 member's webcam feed at a time. Likewise each member can only watch 1 other member's webcam feed at a time. If you want a member to see and/or hear you, and you also want to see and/or hear that member, you must monitor the member's webcam feed, and the member must monitor your webcam feed. Pay attention to the watching icon () so you know when other members are watching your webcam feed.

Is there a way for 1 person to share audio and video with the entire chat room at once? There is. If one person (let's call this person The Presenter) wants to address the entire group of chat members, then all parties in the chat room should click on The Presenter's webcam icon. While all participants would be able to see and hear The Presenter simultaneously, everyone would need to type their responses back to the Presenter, because at most The Presenter could only see and hear one other person (because The Presenter too can only monitor one feed at a time like any other chat participant).

If you have your webcam monitoring window open while chatting you will see this symbol followed by the number of people who are currently watching your webcam.

NOTE: The webcam icon will only appear next to members' names who are sharing a webcam. If a user has not enabled a webcam, no webcam icon will be present.

     
     
    Use these font tools to select font, font size, bold, italic, and font color.
     
  Click the help icon at any time to return to these live chat instructions.
 

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT

If you want chat participants to see and hear you on webcam, you'll need a webcam and a microphone. In order to eliminate sound echo you must ensure sound emitted from your computer speakers cannot travel back through your microphone, causing a sound loop (the source of echo). Echo can be avoiding by utilizing a headset or headphones, or by using a microphone or speakerphone with echo canceling technology.

If you need a webcam or microphone compatible with this Live Chat system here's some we recommend:

WEBCAM WITH INTEGRATED MICROPHONE

 

Logitech Conferencing Starter Kit with Chat Headset

Automatically follows your movements. Everything you need to use the Live Chat system. Click for more details at Amazon.com.

 

HEADSET WITH MICROPHONE

 

Logitech Webcam Pro 9000

Includes noise-canceling microphone and in-line volume control. Great when paired with a stand-alone webcam. Click for more details at Amazon.com.

 

STAND-ALONE WEBCAM

 

Logitech Webcam Pro 9000

Intelligent Face Tracking keeps you center-screen. Use with headset with microphone or echo canceling speakerphone. Click for more details at Amazon.com.

 

ECHO CANCELLING SPEAKERPHONE

 

ClearOne Chat 60

Chat without headgear or earpieces! Crystal clear audio for everyone in the room. Highly recommended. Use with stand-alone webcam. Click for more details at Amazon.com.

 

WEBCAM TROUBLESHOOTING Q&A:


Question: I clicked the webcam icon but my webcam did not come on. What should I do?

Answer: Generally, most webcams will activate when you click the webcam icon on the Control Bar. If yours does not, make sure you can see your webcam feed using the software that came with your webcam. Once you can, close down your webcam software and then try clicking the webcam icon on the Control Bar again. If you have an issues, first check to make sure the webcam is working properly. This can be done by turning off your computer, unplugging the webcam, turning your computer on and then plugging it back in. Let the system pick up the webcam, possibly reinstall or repair drivers and then see if that works. If not, chances are another problem is occurring between either the webcam or its connection.

Question: My webcam is on, I can see my feed using the software that came with my webcam, but after closing that software and then clicking the webcam icon on the Control Bar I still cannot see my feed.

While most of the time your webcam will be auto recognized, many things can affect Live Chat's ability to accurately detect your webcam, such as the age of your webcam, method by which it connects to your computer, and version of your Operating System (OS). Older operating systems are more likely to have difficulties detecting your webcam. One thing you can try is downloading Skype from www.skype.com. Skype is one of the most popular services online where webcams are frequently used. Does your webcam work with Skype? If it does not, it's a good indicator it's time to upgrade to a newer webcam.

Question: I use my webcam with other applications. Is that a problem?

Answer: Possibly. Close all software before starting a new webcam session Sometimes after you finish using the webcam in a software application, the program may not properly release the webcam for other activities in other applications, or even the same application. Sometimes you cannot use the webcam because it is being accessed by another program by default. So, if you are having a problem with your webcam, close the program you are using it in, reboot your computer, and then try using the Live Chat application again.

Question: Should I do anything with webcam drivers?

Answer: If everything else has failed, try downloading the latest drivers and updates for your webcam. Some webcams may not be recognized by the Live Chat application unless you have the most recent drivers and updates for your webcam. If you installed the webcam separately, go to the webcam manufacturer's website and download the latest drivers, updates, plug-ins, or conversion utilities for any webcam video software. TIP: Be sure to verify the webcam drivers and software are compatible with the OS version of Windows or Mac you are using!

Question: Nothing has worked. I think I need to buy a new webcam. Any other suggestions?

Answer: Sometimes new hardware is the only solution. While waiting for your new webcam to arrive, have you considered using a laptop computer with this Live Chat? Most laptops sold today come with a built-in webcam.

 

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Miscellany

 

Flash Player not currently supported on 64-bit operating systems: Adobe Flash Player is not supported for playback in a 64-bit browser. However, you can run Flash Player in a 32-bit browser running on a 64-bit operating system. Adobe is working on Flash Player support for 64-bit platforms as part of their ongoing commitment to the cross-platform compatibility of Flash Player. They expect to provide native support to 64-bit platforms in an upcoming release of Flash Player following release of Flash Player 10.1 

 

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