TSG Account Basics
From TSG Library of Knowledge
- This page is part of the Tech Support Guy FAQs.
Why should I register?
In order to fully utilize the abilities of this forum, we require that you register as a member. Registration is FREE, and allows you to do the following:
- Post new threads
- Reply to other peoples' threads
- Edit your posts
- Receive email notification of replies to posts and threads you specify
- Send private messages to other members
- Set up a 'buddy-list' to quickly see which of your friends are currently online
To register, you will need to specify a username and password, and a valid email address. Entering your email address will not leave you open to 'spam', as you can choose to hide your email address, and messages sent to you via email do not reveal your address to the sender in any case. (To verify this, you can try sending an email message to another user.) The final part of the registration process is by email, so ensure that the email address you provide is valid and working.
If you are under the age of 13, you may not register or post to this site.
Click Here to Register or Click Here for our Welcome Guide
I forgot my password!
If you forget your password, you can click on the 'Forgotten Your Password' link on any page that requires you to fill in your password.
This will bring up a page where you should enter your registered email address, and an email will be sent to that address instantly, with instructions for resetting your password.
Can I change my username?
Username changes must be made by an Administrator. We generally don't like to have users change their names as it, obviously, causes some confusion. To request your username to be changed, you'll need to have a good reason -- for example, you used your real name or your email address as your username. You may contact us to make a request. Please include your current username, the username you'd like to have, and why we should make an exception for you.
How can I change the information in my profile?
It is your responsibility to keep the information in your profile up-to-date. You should especially ensure that your email address is kept current. You can alter any of the fields in your profile, except your username. Once you have registered your username, it becomes yours for life. In extreme circumstances, you may request that the administrator change your username, but he or she will require a very good reason to do so.
What is the signature for?
After you have registered, you may set your signature. This is a piece of text that you would like to be inserted at the end of all your posts, a little like having headed note paper.
If the administrator has enabled signatures, then you will have the option to include your signature on any posts you make. If you have specified a signature, then the forum will automatically append your signature to any messages you post. You can disable signatures on a per-post basis by un-ticking the 'Show Signature' checkbox when you compose your message.
You may turn the signature on and off on posts you have already made by editing the post and altering the state of the 'Show Signature' option.
You can set your signature by editing your profile.
How do I get a picture next to my username?
These small images are called Avatars. They are displayed next to your username on all posts that you make. There are two kinds of avatars: those provided by this site and those that you upload yourself.
You may select an avatar that best describes your personality from those that we have provided. Alternatively, you can use custom avatars, which allows you to upload an avatar image from your computer.
For more information about avatars, click here.
What are the buddy and ignore lists?
The buddy list is used to keep track of the friends you have made on this forum. By going to your "Open Buddy List" in "Quick Links" menu of the navbar, you'll be able to see which of your friends are currently online and send them a private message. Adding people to your buddy list also allows you to send private messages to multiple forum members at the same time. You may add any member of the forums to your buddy list by viewing their profile or by going to "Buddy / Ignore Lists" in your "User CP".
Ignore lists are used for those people whose messages you wish not to read. By adding someone to your ignore list, those messages posted by these individuals will be hidden when you read a thread.
What are Guests/Junior Members/Members/etc?
Users are divided into several categories: Account Disabled - Someone whose account was closed because he/she violated the rules.
- Guest - Someone who has been removed from the site, usually by request.
- Junior Member - A new member with fewer than 30 posts.
- Member - A member who has at least 30 posts, but fewer than 100.
- Senior Member - A member who has at least 100 posts, but fewer than 2,000.
- Distinguished Member - A member who has more than 2,000 posts!
- Moderator/Administrator - A member who has the ability to edit and delete another member's post in order to enforce the rules. See below.
What are Moderators and Administrators?
Moderators and Administrators oversee this web site and try to keep things in line. They have the ability to edit and delete posts, move threads, and perform other manipulations. Becoming a Moderator is usually rewarded to users who are particularly helpful and knowledgeable in their field. The existing Moderators pick new ones by a private vote. Click here for more information about your Moderators!
What is Affero ("Rate Me")?
The "Affero" links you see at the end of some user's posts will take you to a program called Affero, run by a third party, that will allow you to thank that user for their help. Affero also allows you to donate to that user's charities as a token of thanks.
If you have an Affero username, you can enter it by going to My Account choosing Edit Profile.
Click here for more information about Affero!
What is Private Messaging (PMs)?
Using the Private Messaging (PM) system, registered members may send each other private messages. To help reduce advertisements sent by Private Messaging, you must be a member of the site for a period of time and have posted before you may use the PM system.
Sending Private Messages
Private messages work a little like email, but are limited to registered members of this forum. You may be able to include vB Code, smilies and images in private messages that you send.
You may send a private message to a member of this forum by clicking the 'Send A Private Message' link in the private messaging section of your user control panel, or by clicking the Send PM button in a member's posts.
When you send a message, you have the option to save a copy of the message in your Sent Items folder.
Private Message Folders
By default, you will have two folders in your private message area. These are the Inbox and the Sent Items folders.
The Inbox folder contains any new messages you receive, and allows you to view all the messages you have received, along with the name of the person who sent the message to you, and the date and time the message was sent.
The Sent Items folder contains a copy of any messages that you have sent, where you have specified that you wish to keep a copy of the message for future reference.
You may create additional folders for your messages by clicking the 'Edit Folders' link.
Each folder has a set of message controls which allow you to select messages, then either move them to one of your custom folders, or delete them completely. You may also have a button which allows you to forward multiple messages from a folder to another member of the forum.
You will need to periodically delete old messages, as there is a limit to the number of private messages you can have in your folders. If you exceed the number of messages allowed, you will not be able to send or receive new messages until you delete some old messages.
Whenever you read a message, you will have the option to reply to the message, or forward that message to another member of the forum. You may also have the ability to forward that message to multiple members of your buddy list.
Message Tracking
When you send a new private message, you may have the option to request a read-receipt for that message. This will allow you to check whether or not a message has been read by its recipient by viewing the Private Message Tracking page.
This page is divided into two sections: unread messages and read messages.
The unread messages section shows all messages that you have sent with a read-receipt request, that have not yet been read by their recipient. The time of the last activity of the message recipient is also shown. Messages in this section can be canceled if you decide that their contents are no longer relevant, or for any other reason. Canceled messages can also be restored to active status if the administrator has enabled this feature.
The read messages section shows all messages you have sent with a receipt request that have been read and acknowledged by their recipient. The time that the message was read is also shown.
You may choose to end the tracking on any message you choose by selecting the message and clicking the end tracking button.
When you receive a message with a read-receipt request, you may have the option to read the message while denying the read-receipt request. To do this, simply click the 'deny receipt' link rather than the title of the message, if it appears.
Can I send email to other members?
Yes! To send an email to another member, you can either locate the member you want to contact on the member list or click on the user's name above any post.
This will open a page that contains a form where you can enter your message. When you have finished typing your message, press the Send Email button and your message will be sent instantly. Note that for privacy reasons, the email address of the recipient is not revealed to you during this process.
Note that if you can not find an email button or link for a member, it means that that member has specified that they do not wish to receive email from other members of the forum.
Another useful email function is the ability to send a friend a link to a thread you think they may find interesting. Whenever you view a thread, you will find a link somewhere on the page which will allow you to send a brief message to anyone you like. Your referrerid is added to the link you send, so if your friend registers on this forum as a result of viewing the link you sent to them, your referrals total will automatically be credited!
Registered members are also able to send messages to other members of this forum using the private messaging system. For more information about private messaging, see the section above.
