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Elmo Lover Board
the discussion board for Elmo lovers.
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| Login and Registration Issues |
Why can't I login?
Have you registered? Seriously, you must register in order to login. Have you been banned from the board (a message will be displayed if you have)? If so then you should contact the webmaster or board administrator to find out why. If you have registered and are not banned and you still cannot login then check and double check your username and password. Usually this is the problem, if not then contact the board administrator they may have incorrect configuration settings for the board.
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Why do I need to register at all?
You may not have too, it is up to the administrator of the board as to whether you need to register in order to post messages. However registration will give you access to additional features not available to guest users such as definable avatar images, private messaging, emailing of fellow users, usergroup subscription, etc. It only takes a few moments to register so it is recommended you do so.
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Why do I get logged off automatically?
If you do not check the Log me in automatically box when you login the board will only keep you logged in for a preset time. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged in check the box during login, this is not recommended if you access the board from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university cluster, etc.
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How do I prevent my username appearing in the online user listings?
In your profile you will find an option Hide your online status, if you switch this on you'll only appear to board administrators or to yourself. You will be counted as a hidden user.
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I've lost my password, can you give it to me?
Don't panic! While your password cannot be retrieved it can be reset. To do this go to the login page and click I've forgotten my password, follow the instructions and you should be back online in no time
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I registered but why can't I login?
Firstly check your are entering the correct username and password. If they are okay then one of two things may have happened. If COPPA support is enabled and you clicked the I am under 13 years old link while registering then you will have to follow the instructions you received. If this is not the case then does your account need activating? Some boards will require all new registrations be activated, either by yourself or by the administrator before you can logon. When you registered it would have told you whether activation was required. If you were sent an email then follow the instructions, if you did not receive the email then are you sure your email address is valid? One reason activation is used is to reduce the possibility of rogue users abusing the board anonymously. If you are sure the email address you used is valid then try contacting the board administrator.
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I registered in the past but why can't I login any more?!
The most likely reasons for this are; you entered an incorrect username or password (check the email you were sent when you first registered) or the administrator has deleted your account for some reason. If it is the later case then perhaps you did not post anything? It is usual for boards to periodically remove users who have not posted anything so as to reduce the size of the database. Try registering again and get involved in discussions.
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| User Preferences and settings |
How do I change my settings?
All your settings (if you are registered) are stored in the database. To alter them click the Profile link shown at the top of the forum pages. This will allow you to change all your settings
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The times are not correct!
What you may be seeing are times displayed in a timezone different from the one you are in. The default board time is set to Eastern Time (New York). If you do not live in this time zone, then you should change your profile setting for the timezone to match your particular area. Please note that changing the timezone, like most settings can only be done by registered users. So if you are not registered this is a good time to do so, if you pardon the pun!
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I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong!
If you are sure you have set the timezone correctly and the time is still different the most likely answer is daylight savings time (or summer time as it is known in the UK and other places). The board is not designed to handle the changeovers between standard and daylight time so during summer months the time may be an hour different from the real local time.
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My language is not in the list!
The most likely reasons for this are either the administrator did not install your language or someone has not translated this board into your language. Try asking the board administrator if they can install the language pack you need, if it does not exist then please feel free to create a new translation. More information can be found at the phpBB Group website (see link at bottom of pages)
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How do I show an image below my username?
The image that appears under some people's usernames, known as an avatar, is generally unique or personal to each user. In order for you to display an avatar, you must first collect enough Elmo coins to buy avatar privledges from the Special Effects Shop. Once you have privledges to display an avatar, you may choose an image you want under your profile settings. You may also link to an image from another website, provided that the server the image is hosted on allows hotlinking. Most free webhosts such as geocities, lycos, angelfire, and spaceports do not allow hotlinking. If you have a small image on your computer that you wish to use as an avatar, you can use the "Upload Avatar from your machine" option.
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How do I change my rank?
The rank is the phrase that appears below your username. In general you cannot directly change the wording of any rank. Ranks for regular members are used to indicate the number of posts you have made. For example, if you have made less than 5 posts, then your rank will be "Twiddlebug". Ranks are also used to identify special users. Administrators, Moderators, and the Member of the Month have a special rank. Please do not abuse the board by posting unnecessarily just to increase your rank. If you do, then a moderator or administrator will reset your post count to zero.
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When I click the email link for a user it asks me to login?
Sorry but only registered users can send email to people via the built-in email form. This is to prevent misuse of the email system by anonymous users.
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| Extra Profile Options |
What does "Referred by" mean?
You can enter the username of the person who referred you to the Elmo Lover Board. It's a nice way to let the admins know who brought you to the board, and they can receive the money points and prizes for bringing you here. When filling out this field, make sure that you type in your referrer's username correctly or else the system will not be able to register it. If no one told you about this board and you just surfed on in, then you can leave this field blank.
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Why is there a Real Name option?
If you have a name or nickname that you would like to be called, then be sure to fill out this field. The Real Name option is a good way to know who you really are if you have an ambiguous username. However, we respect your privacy and if you don't want your real name to be known then you don't have to fill out this field. If you are under the age of 18, then please fill out your first name only.
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Why is there a Gender option?
Sometimes it is hard to distinguish sex just by a person's username. Many times someone may be accidentally called "he" when this person is actually female. The Gender option when filled in will let us know how to refer to you as being male or female.
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What is the Birthday option for?
It's a good way for members to know how old you are, and for us to know when your birthday will be so we can give you extra special Birthday treatment that day. Your board name will show up 7 days before your actual birthday in the bottom area of the board.
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| Posting Issues |
How do I post a topic in a forum?
Easy, click the relevant button on either the forum or topic screens. You may need to register before you can post a message, the facilities available to you are listed at the bottom of the forum and topic screens (the You can post new topics, You can vote in polls, etc. list)
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How do I edit or delete a post?
Unless you are the board admin or forum moderator you can only edit or delete your own posts. You can edit a post (sometimes for only a limited time after it was made) by clicking the edit button for the relevant post. If someone has already replied to the post you will find a small piece of text output below the post when you return to the topic, this lists the number of times you edited it. This will only appear if no one has replied, it also will not appear if moderators or administrators edit the post (they should leave a message saying what they altered and why). Please note that normal users cannot delete a post once someone has replied.
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How can I print a topic?
If you would like to make a print of your post, you can click on the "Printer-friendly version" link found near the bottom of the topic. In most browsers, you can make a print out by selecting File and then Print.
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How do I Email a topic to a Friend?
If you would like to email a topic to a friend, you can click on the "Email topic to a friend" link found near the bottom of the topic. You will then be taken to a page where you can fill out your friend's name and email address. An email from the Elmo Lover Board will be sent to that person with a link back to the topic you sent them.
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How do I add a signature to my post?
To add a signature to a post you must first create one, this is done via your profile. Once created you can check the Add Signature box on the posting form to add your signature. You can also add a signature by default to all your posts by checking the appropriate radio box in your profile (you can still prevent a signature being added to individual posts by un-checking the add signature box on the posting form)
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How do I create a poll?
Creating a poll is easy, when you post a new topic (or edit the first post of a topic, if you have permission) you should see a Add Poll form below the main posting box (if you cannot see this then you probably do not have rights to create polls). You should enter a title for the poll and then at least two options (to set an option type in the poll question and click the Add option button. You can also set a time limit for the poll, 0 is an infinite poll. There will be a limit to the number of options you can list, this is set by the board administrator
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How do I edit or delete a poll?
As with posts, polls can only be edited by the original poster, a moderator or board admin. To edit a poll click the first post in the topic (this always has the poll associated with it). If no one has cast a vote then users can delete the poll or edit any poll option, however if people have already placed votes only moderators or administrators can edit or delete it. This is to prevent people rigging polls by changing options mid-way through a poll
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Why can't I access a forum?
All visitors may read posts in public forums, but in order to post a message you must first register a username with the board. Also, some forums, such as the hosted games, may be limited to certain users or groups. In order to participate in the hosted games, you must post an application in the designated forum before the game starts.
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Why can't I vote in polls?
Only registered users can vote in polls to prevent a person from voting more than once. If you have registered and still cannot vote then you probably do not have appropriate access rights.
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| Formatting and Topic Types |
What is BBCode?
BBCode is a special implementation of HTML. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML, tags are enclosed in square braces [ and ] rather than < and > and it offers greater control over what and how something is displayed. For more information please see the BBCode Guide.
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Can I use HTML?
A few HTML tags are permitted, but any of these tags can be replaced by the appropriate BBCode. It is recommended that you use the special BBCode instead. Limiting HTML on the boards is a safety feature to prevent people abusing the board by using tags which may cause serious problems such as warping the board layout or even sending malicious files through the board.
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What are Smileys?
Smileys, or Emoticons are small graphical images which can be used to express some feeling using a short code, e.g. :) means happy, :( means sad. The full list of emoticons can be seen via the posting form. You are encouraged to use as many smilies as you wish, but try not to overuse smileys as they can quickly render a post unreadable and a moderator may decide to edit them out or remove the post altogether
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Can I post Images?
Images can indeed be shown in your posts. However, there is no facility at present for uploading images from your computer directly to this board. Therefore you must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. http://www.some-web-server.net/my-picture.gif. To display the image use either the BBCode tag or appropriate HTML. If you have an image stored on your computer that you wish to use in a post, check out some of these hosts for free image hosting on the web: http://www.free-webhosts.com/free-image-hosting.php
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What are Announcements?
Announcements often contain important information and you should read them as soon as possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the forum to which they are posted. Whether or not you can post an announcement depends on the permissions required, these are set by the administrator.
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What are Sticky topics?
Sticky topics appear below any announcements in viewforum and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them where possible. As with announcements the board administrator determines what permissions are required to post sticky topics in each forum.
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What are Locked topics?
Locked topics are set this way by either the forum moderator or board administrator. You cannot reply to locked topics and any poll it contained is automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons, and not all reasons are neccesarily bad.
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| User Levels and Groups |
What are Administrators?
Administrators are the people who keep this board running smoothly. They can control all facets of board operation which includes setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or moderators, etc. They also have full moderator capabilities in all the forums. The administrators of this board are meggie and Markybear.
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What are Moderators?
Moderators are people who look after their assigned forums within the board. They have the power to edit or delete posts and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the forum they moderate. Generally moderators are there to prevent people going off-topic or posting material against the board rules. The also keep track of any Elmo coins that a user may earn in their assigned forums. They may also alert the Administrators about potential problems. The General Moderator, currently Mr. Monkey, is responsible for moderating the entire board and keeping track of the regular moderators. We are currently looking for responsible moderators to help out with these duties. If you are interested, contact meggie with why you feel you are qualified to be a moderator and which forum(s) you would like to be responsible for.
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What are Usergroups?
Usergroups are a way in which board administrators can group users. Each user can belong to several groups and each group can be assigned individual access rights. This makes it easy for administrators to set up several users as moderators of a forum, or to give them access to a private forum. For examples, all participants of a hosted game may be placed in the same usergroup and then that group will have access to the private game forums.
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How do I join a Usergroup?
Currently all usergroups are private. If you have questions about a specific group, contact an administrator or the moderator of that group.
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How do I become a Usergroup Moderator?
When usergroups are initially created by the board admin, they also assign a board moderator. If you are interested in creating a usergroup then contact an admin with the details and you will most likely become the group moderator if it's created.
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| Private Messaging |
What is a private message?
Private messaging (or PM for short) is a sytem found on many bulletin boards and is similar to email. Private messages allow users on a board to contact each other so that only the recipient can see the message. To use private messaging, you must be logged in to the board. Look at the top of any page, and click You have X new message(s). This will take you to your private messaging center.
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How do I send a private message?
There are three primary ways to send a private message. First, you may go your private messaging center and click New Post. Secondly, you may click Post Reply from a private message you are reading. Finally, you may click the PM link on any user's profile or post.
The posting form is identical to the normal posting form with a few exceptions:
Username - The username of the person you want to receive the message. If you are replying to a PM, or clicked the PM link in someone's profile, this field will be automatically filled for you.
Additionally, PMs may not be Sticky Topics, Announcements, or contain Polls.
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Can I edit a private message that I already sent?
When you send a PM, the message goes to your Outbox. It remains in the Outbox until the recipient visits his/her Inbox, at which point it is moved from your Outbox to their Inbox. While the message remains in your Outbox you may edit or delete your message if you like. The message remains in your control until it is received.
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How can I tell if I have received a private message?
There are three ways that one may be notified of a new private message. Most obvious is the Private message link at the top of every page. It will display You have X new message(s), where X is the number of new messages you have. If you have any new messages, then the text will also be scrolling. You may click this link to take you to your Inbox.
You may be informed of new PMs by an email sent to the email address your username is registered to. You may also be informed of a new PM by means of a small window that pops up while you are viewing the board. Email and pop-up notification will contain a link to your Inbox. Email and pop-up notification may be enabled/disabled in your Profile settings.
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Why don't I have any new messages when I've been informed of a new PM?
Sometimes you may be informed of a new PM, but when you go to your Inbox, there is no new message. This is not a bug, it simply means that the sender must have deleted the PM before you read it.
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I cannot send private messages!
There are two possible reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on or the board administrator has prevented you from sending messages. Private messaging for individual accounts are only disabled if you have severely abused the system in the past. If you believe that your private messaging privileges have been accidentally disabled, please contact an admin with the details.
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I keep getting unwanted private messages!
If you keep receiving unwanted private messages from someone, contact the board admin along with a copy of the message(s) and appropriate actions will be taken.
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I have received a spamming or abusive email from someone on this board!
We are sorry to hear that. The email form feature of this board includes safeguards to try and track users who send such posts. You should email the board administrator with a full copy of the email you received. It is very important this include the headers (these list details of the user that sent the email). We will do everything in our power to stop abusive emails, including contacting their ISP and their local law enforcement, if neccesary.
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| Elmo Coins |
What are Elmo Coins?
Elmo coins are pretend money that you can earn, save up, and spend in the shop.
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How do I get Elmo Coins?
You can get coins by posting in the board or doing something special. The following is a list of ways you can earn coins:
- 2 coins for each topic you start.
- 1 coin for each reply to a topic.
- 5 points for each correct answer in the game forum (up to 50 points per day.)
- 20 points for every unique symptom you post in the Symptoms of an Elmo Lover forum.
- 50 coins for starting a game in the game forum.
- 50 coins for each original story you write in the story forum.
- 20 coins for writing an addition to an existing story in the story forum.
- 100 coins for every good suggestion you leave in the Suggestion Box.
- 150 coins for referring a new member who stays and posts at the Elmo board.
- 200 coins for winning the title of member of the month.
- I will also randomly donate any points that I earn to anyone who is particularly helpful or makes a lot of good posts.
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What can I buy with Elmo coins?
You can buy many things in the Shop, including special effects that will show up when you view a topic. You can also buy pretend items in the shops. For more questions about the shop, please see the shop faq.
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How can I check if points I earned have been added to my account?
A record of points you receive is kept under View Board Donations. If you don't see credit for something special you did, then contact an admin or the moderator of the forum you posted in.
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| The Elmo Shops |
What is a Shop?
A shop is a store where members can buy items with the Elmo coins they've earned. All items are pretend items, just like that Elmo coins. They are a fun way to collect things on the board and even learn about spending money.
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Can I give an item that I have to another member?
Certainly. It's a nice idea to give someone else a gift on a special occasion, such as their birthday. All you have to do is go into your inventory by clicking on the Items link and then click on the Donate link next to the item that you want to give. You can then fill out the name of the person you want to give the item to. Your donation will show up in the View Board Donations section.
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If I decide I no longer want an item and sell it back, do I get a refund?
You will receive a 50% refund in all stores except the Special Effects store.
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What does the Special Effects store Sell?
The Special Effects store deals with effects that can be seen in the board when you view a topic. Before purchasing an effect such as color, glow, and shadow, it is a good idea to test these effects out in the board first to see how they look because you will not get a refund if you change your mind and purchase a different effect. The special effects available are as follows.
Privileges: Gain access to special board features.- Buy Avatar Privilege - Allows you to display an image under your name. Please see the question How do I show an image below my username? for more information about avatars.
- Buy Signature Privilege - when purchased, you will be able to add a few lines under all of your posts. See the question How do I add a signature to my post? for more information about signatures.
Name Effects: effects purchased in this section will change the format of your username as listed when a topic is viewed.- Buy Color - Changes username color.
- Buy Glow - Adds a glow effect to your username.
- Buy Shadow - Adds a shadow effect to your username.
Title Effects: Changes the format of your custom title, which can be purchased in the next section.- Buy Title Color - Changes the color of your title.
- Buy Title Glow - Adds a glow effect to your title.
- Buy Title Shadow - Adds a shadow effect to your title.
Custom Changes:- Change Title - Adds a custom title of your choosing under your avatar. This is different from your board rank. Make sure that the title you choose complies with the board rules or else it will be deleted without a refund.
- Change Username - change your username to something else.
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I sold back an effect in the Special Effects store, but why didn't I get any money back?
Technically, effects are not items so they cannot be resold to someone else. Make sure you buy the effect that you want before you make a purchase in this store. You can test out the color, glow, and shadow effects whenever you make a post in the board.
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| phpBB 2 Issues |
Who wrote this bulletin board?
This software (in its unmodified form) is produced, released and is copyright phpBB Group. It is made available under the GNU General Public Licence and may be freely distributed, see link for more details
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Why isn't X feature available?
This software was written by and licensed through phpBB Group. If you believe a feature needs to be added then please visit the phpbb.com website and see what phpBB Group have to say. Please do not post feature requests to the board at phpbb.com, the Group uses sourceforge to handle tasking of new features. Please read through the forums and see what, if any, our position may already be for a feature and then follow the procedure given there.
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Who do I contact about abusive and/or legal matters related to this board?
You should contact the administrator of this board. If you cannot find who this you should first contact one of the forum moderators and ask them who you should in turn contact. If still get no response you should contact the owner of the domain (do a whois lookup) or, if this is running on a free service (e.g. yahoo, free.fr, f2s.com, etc.), the management or abuse department of that service. Please note that phpBB Group has absolutely no control and cannot in any way be held liable over how, where or by whom this board is used. It is absolutely pointless contacting phpBB Group in relation to any legal (cease and desist, liable, defamatory comment, etc.) matter not directly related to the phpbb.com website or the discrete software of phpBB itself. If you do email phpBB Group about any third party use of this software then you should expect a terse response or nt
-sponse at all.
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