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| Forum Index |
| Concerning The WordTickler Libraries |
| What are "The WordTickler Libraries"? As outlined in the Mission Statement, The WordTickler Libraries are "a location on the Internet where writers of all genres can hone and exhibit their craft in a controlled environment, void of petty and frivolous barriers to their creativity." All writers tickle words. They caress and mold collections of words to convey thoughts. The Libraries are essentially forums for the works born of these thoughts. A library is a collection point for works from many writers (word ticklers). WordTickler (Kerry B. Rogers) is the librarian for these collections of works. Opening the doors of The WordTickler Libraries is his way of giving back--paying it forward-- to the community that so helped him realize his love for the written word. He is giving empty shelves to the writing community to fill with their own creations. Writers all across the Internet are finding that they are fast becoming "writing refugees". Social networking web sites lure writers to their servers with grand promises of a place they can effectively practice their craft. When the smoke clears, these writers are finding that they have become part of an online sales blitz as their works compete with onscreen advertisements that essentially scare away lovers of the written word. In effect, these revenue-greedy social networks are making money from the blood, sweat and tears of unwary writers. Life for a writer is hard enough without throwing this kind of deception into the mix. At The WordTickler Libraries, there are no advertisements. WordTickler, himself, carries the cost of the site in his effort to "pay it forward". Additionally, graphics are scarce on the site in an effort to remove the glitz of multimedia from the faces of potential readers and allow them to focus on the purity of the written word. Back to top |
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| Are forums all that are here? What's up with the main web page? Well, for now they are. But, hey, these forums are like blank paper, ready to absorb your mental ink. Over time, the main web site will be fleshed out to be a summary point of all that is going on in The WordTickler Libraries. The most important thing was to get the forums up and running. We have to have a place to tickle our words, right? Back to top |
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| Can I post adult content here? If you are referring to content such as erotica and adult-themed prose, yes; go right ahead. If you are referring to provocative and disturbing words, well, yes to that, too. However, if you are talking about pimping adult material from adult porn sites in an effort to make some porn money, absolutely not. If members do not want to tolerate your writings, that's too bad. However, if I (WordTickler) feel your writings are counter-productive to this community's ability to "pay it forward", you're history. See the Mission Statement for clarification on why "paying it forward" is so important at WTL. You are welcome to write and post whatever you desire as long as it does not break any laws, place this web site or its owner in any legal jeopardy or impeded my ability to "pay it forward". Freedom of speech can be a wonderful thing when it is not abused. As you know, Society does not react well to the public display of erotica. Broadcast TV is a good example of this. Because anything with adult content must be hidden behind a veil that is only accessible by adults, you must be very careful where you post your words. If your words are only to be read by adult audiences, you will need to ensure that they are only visible in the "Members Only" areas of the site: Your Members Only Blog, Your Members Only Gallery or in the Members Only Forums. When your words are displayed in the Members Only areas, only those over the age of 18 will see them since WTL requires members to be at least 18 years of age (as defined in the Membership Registration Agreement members must agree to in order to become and/or remain a registered user). You need only request and you will be give a Members Only Blog and/or Members Only Gallery. Back to top |
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| Unusual or Unique Forum Features |
| Down in the bottom corner of the main screen is a "www Top 10 Hits" icon. That's that? The  button will take you to a screen that displays the top ten personal web pages that anyone has clicked on from this web site. If you use the provided blank in your Profile Settings and list your personal web site URL, the total times your URL has been clicked will be incremented anytime someone visits your URL from this web site.
It's a great way to see who is coming to your personal web site from The WordTickler Libraries. Note that no information is evaluated or retained concerning who clicked your URL. All we do is increment the number for your edification. Back to top |
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| What is the little envelope for, in the lower, right-hand corner of the screen? That is your Inbox indicator. It has three states:
Although you can click the "My Inbox" menu item at the top of the screen, clicking on the envelope icon will perform the same function. You will be taken directly to your Inbox. Back to top |
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| What is the little feather (quill) for, in the lower, left-hand corner of the screen? The number beside that little Quill icon indicates your current QuillCache™ count. With each page load, it is updated to reflect the number of Quills in your QuillCache. Clicking on the icon beside the number will take you to your QuillStats™, a page that will display all the statistics associated with your interaction in the QuillAward™ System. Please see the FAQ Topic The WordTickler Libraries QuillAward™ System, for more detailed information. Back to top |
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| The WordTickler Libraries QuillAward™ System |
| What is a Quill? A Quill is the award unit used by WTL to allow members to recognize the merit of others' words. It is similar to a rating or point system's unit of value. Back to top |
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| What is the QuillAward System? The QuillAward System is the system in place at The WordTickler Libraries that manages the storage, transfer, tracking and tallying of Quills as they are moved from member to member. Back to top |
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| What does Quillable mean? The word "Quillable" refers to the status of a posted message in the WTL forum system, insofar as its ability to receive Quills through the QuillAward System. By default, every Post at WTL is Quillable. However, the author of a forum Post can elect to make the Post "Unquillable" by checking the checkbox at the bottom of the Post that says "Disable Quilling for this post". At any time, the author of a Post may edit the Post and turn its Quillability on or off (without affecting its previously accrued QuillTally). Back to top |
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| What is a QuillCache? Every member of WTL has a virtual QuillCache associated with his or her membership account. This is the imaginary "bank account", if you will, for a member's cache of Quills. At any time, when logged-in, a member can see the total number of Quills in his or her QuillCache on the left at the bottom of the screen. As Quills are received or awarded, this number adjusts accordingly. Back to top |
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| What is the QuillAward Button? The QuillAward Button is the button on every Quillable Post that can be clicked to award a Quill to that Post. Note that some Posts may not be Quillable and will, therefore, have no QuillAward Button. Back to top |
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| What is a QuillTally? In the header of every Post, the QuillTally for that Post displays the total number of Quills the Post has earned for its author. Back to top |
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| What is QuillWhining? QuillWhining is the not-so-affectionate phrase WTL members use to describe unecessary or unfounded complaints about the QuillAward System. Being a QuillWhiner is not a good thing. It could affect your ability to earn Quills as members tire of hearing QuillWhines. Back to top |
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| Why do we get 100 Quills when we join? Why not 1 or 1000? Here's why:
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| Do I gain or lose Quills based on my attendance or posting prowess? Although this was originally considered, the answer is a resounding "no". There are only two ways to gain Quills, here at WTL:
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| Are all posts Quillable? By default, any Post created here at WTL is eligible for Quilling. However, Quillability for a given Post is not possible under the following circumstances:
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| Can I award more than one Quill to a Post? No. For a given Post, you can only award a single Quill--ever. Note that once awarded, the Quill may not be taken back. QuillAwards are irreversible. Back to top |
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| I Quilled the wrong post. Can I get the Quill back? No. Within the QuillAward System, QuillAwards are irreversible. You can, however, work something out with the author of the erroneously Quilled Post, but you are entirely on your own in that respect. At no time will WTL administrators or moderators assist in any way while you try to recover an erroneously awarded Quill. As far as WTL is concerned, once awarded, a Quill no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the new owner, 100%. Again, if you insist on retrieving the Quill through your own negotiation with the new owner of the Quill, you are entirely on your own and at the mercy of the new owner's generosity. Any QuillWhining in this situation will not be tolerated. Back to top |
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| The author of a post changed its contents. I don't like the changes. Can I take my Quill back? No. Your Quill was earned by the contents of the Post at the time that Post displayed those contents. Since there is no tangible way to determine if editing has improved or damaged a Posts Quillability, the contents of the Post at the time of its Quilling are decidedly the reason for its QuillTally. Back to top |
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| What happens to a post's Quills when it it deleted? A Post does not have any Quills. Quills are transfered from one member to another. The QuillTally on a Post merely indicates how many Quills it has earned for its author. Therefore, nothing happens to the Quills. Since they are not attached to a Post, the Post can disappear without affecting any Quills that it was associated with. Back to top |
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| Where can I see statistics on my Quilling activities? In the near future, members will be able to see their QuillStats™ by going to the Member List and clicking on their member name. What you see in your QuillStats will not be the same information presented to the general membership. You will also see private information not available to anyone else. An announcement will be made when the QuillStats System is finally in place. Back to top |
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| Where can I see statistics on someone else's Quilling activities? In the near future, members will be able to see members' QuillStats™ by going to the Member List and clicking on a member name. What you see in your own QuillStats will not be the same information presented to the general membership. You will also see private information not available to anyone else. An announcement will be made when the QuillStats System is finally in place. Back to top |
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| If I have multiple accounts here, can I Quill one of my own posts from another account I own? First of all, you don't "own" your account. WordTickler does. Second, WordTickler does not encourage nor condone multiple accounts at WTL. If you elect to create more than one account, WordTickler does not want to know about it and will certainly check for irregularities in Quilling if he finds out about your "dual personality". It's essentially a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Please see the FAQ Section "Login and Registration Issues" and look for the question "Can I have multiple accounts here at WTL?" for more information on this issue. Back to top |
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| What are the ways the QuillSystem can be cheated? Why on Earth would you think you would be given a useful answer to that question? Back to top |
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| What makes the QuillSystem any better than rating systems at other sites? This is not really a question that can be answered authoritatively. There is too much opinion involved. For this reason, when time permits, WordTickler will be writing an essay comparing various award, rating and scoring systems around the Internet. This will give you some perspective on the issue. Keep checking "WordTickler's Public Gallery" and "WordTickler's Public Blog" for the appearance of this essay. Back to top |
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| What's the difference between Quilling a Topic Post and a Reply Post? There is no difference. In the eyes of the QuillAward System, a Post is a Post, whether it is a Post that starts a topic or a Post that is a reply to another topic-starting Post. Back to top |
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| Can my Quills be exchanged for anything else (money, special features, etc.)? No. Back to top |
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| How do Quills tie-in with Contests here at WTL? Please see the rules of each contest for the effect (if any) Quilled Posts have on the outcome. This is determined on a case-by-case basis for each contest at WTL and will be clearly spelled-out in the rules of a given contest. Back to top |
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| What do I do when I have no more Quills left?! Basically, you have two options:
Obviously, for the good of WTL, you are encouraged to use the first method. Back to top |
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| Can my QuillCache ever drop below zero Quills? No. This is not programmaticaly nor mathematically possible. Back to top |
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| Can I turn off the ability of any of my posts to collect Quills? Yes. Before you click the "Submit" button and send your Post to WTL for posting, you can check the checkbox at the bottom of the unsent Post that says "Disable Quilling for this post". Also, at any time, the author of a Post may edit the Post and turn its Quillability on or off with the aforementioned checkbox. Previously accrued Quills will continue to follow a given Post whether it is Quillable or not. By default, this box is always unchecked. Back to top |
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| Can guests (non-members) use the QuillAward System? No. Only members may award or receive QuillAwards. At present, guests (non-members) cannot post in the forums here at WTL, therefore, there will never be an issue where a post by a guest could be awarded a Quill. Note: When the board was first started, Guests were allowed to post. Unfortunately, too many of them were concerned about announcing the advantages of using Viagra™ and other products. The Guest-posting feature was promptly turned off. Only members are allowed to Post and, consequently, award or receive Quills. Back to top |
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| What does QuillWorthy™ mean? Any post that compelled a member to award a Quill to it is considered to be QuillWorthy. It is simply a term used to conversationally separate Posts that merit Quills from those that do not, in the opinion of the reader. Back to top |
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| How many different ways can I get Quills? There are only two ways to get Quills:
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| How do I transfer Quills to another member? No system is in place (nor planned) to allow the transfer of Quills between members. Back to top |
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| The QuillAward Button doesn't show up on a Post I want to Quill. What gives? Most likely, the author of the Post elected to keep the post out of the QuillAward System by checking the "Disable Quilling for this post" checkbox before posting it (or editing the post and performing the same act). If you are the member who submitted the Post that you are trying to Quill, then that is the root of the problem. You cannot award Quills to your own Posts. If neither of these situations exist, it is most likely because you have already Quilled the Post. Members can only award a one-time single Quill to a given Post--ever. Whatever the reason, the QuillAward button should be visible, even if it is disabled (in which case it should spell out why it is disabled). Back to top |
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| Is there any way to see a list of all the Posts I have Quilled? This feature is in progress. Members will be able to generate a list of all the Posts they have ever Quilled. Note that only you can see the Posts you have Quilled. This is considered private information. Back to top |
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| Is there any way to list all of my Posts that have received Quills? This feature is in progress. Members will be able to generate a list of all the Posts they generated that earned Quills. Note that this information will be available to anyone as it is not considered private information. Back to top |
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| Is there any way to see a list of all the Posts by another member that have been Quilled? This feature is in progress. Members will be able to generate a list of all the Posts anyone generated that earned Quills. Note that this information will be available to anyone as it is not considered private information. Back to top |
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| Donating to Writers |
| Why would anyone donate? Who knows? At best, I can give these examples¹: Example 1: Jane is emotionally moved by a topic John started. She decides that John deserves some kind of reward for his efforts, say $1. Jane locates the post that John submitted, starting the topic, and clicks the "Donate to John" button under John's avatar. She donates $1 via PayPal from there. Example 2: Maggie has decided to become a "self-published author". She is selling her cookbook on eBay™, Amazon.com™ and other venues. She often visits The WordTickler Libraries and strikes up conversations about her cookbook with WordTicklers here. In any of her posts, she can benefit from an "impulse buy" when a reader clicks on the "Donate to Maggie" button. The reader can simply PM her and say, "I'm donating $10 for a copy of 'How to Properly Cook Iguanas'. Thanks for a great book. Please send it to [blah blah blah]." Example 3: John posted a huge manuscript in his Gallery. Jane and Sally have been relentlessly ripping it up, helping him get it ready for a publishing house submission. Although many people have donated their time to the editing effort, Jane's and Sally's efforts stand out far above all others. He goes to a post left by Jane and donates $10 there, sending a thankful PM saying "Thanks for your help! Here's a drink on me!" He then repeats the same procedure for Sally. Example 4: Sally read an opinion piece posted by Jane that was, in her opinion, just ridiculous. She chimed in with her take on the situation in the replies to Jane's post. Her insight was so profound that five people wanted her to know it. They clicked the "Donate to Sally" button on the specific reply Sally posted and donated $1 apiece. Sally's rebuttal earned $5 for a new box of soap. These are just some examples off the top of my head. I'm sure there are many others. ¹ These examples use fictional people, obviously. I simply tried to avoid so many occurances of the generic, slashed "he/she" reference. Back to top |
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| Can I donate using PayPal™? Yes. As a matter of fact, that's the only way you can donate here at WTL. When you click the "Donate to..." button on a given post, the specific Post URL (link to that post) is passed along in the transaction to PayPal so that the author will know where the generosity originated. Back to top |
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| Can I donate with a major credit card? Absolutely. Donations here at WTL use PayPal's system, which allows you to use any one of several major credit cards. Back to top |
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| Do I have to sign up with PayPal to donate? Alas, yes. In its effort to corner the market on ePayments, PayPal now requires you to be a PayPal member in order to send money through their service. Sorry, it's all we have to work with, for now. Back to top |
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| Who are we donating to? When you click the "Donate to..." button under the poster's avatar on a given post, you are donating to that specific poster. Please take note that you are not donating to the topic starter (unless you donate using a button on the topic starter's post). Donations in forums are specifically for a given post, topic posts as well as replies. Back to top |
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| Are donations at WTL tax deductible? Since all transactions go through PayPal, you would have to check with PayPal on their policy concerning tax issues. You may also want to check with the recipient of your donation, if this could be an issue with your transaction. Back to top |
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| If someone donates to me, how do I get the money? Since all transactions go through PayPal, their policies dictate how you get to the donations. At the time of this FAQ entry, a PayPal donation shows up immediately in your PayPal account. If you do not have a PayPal account, you would have create one to access its funds. Back to top |
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| Are people donating to "me" or my "posts"? Donations are actually sent to you via the e-mail address you use at PayPal. If you do not have a PayPal e-mail address, PayPal will still be happy to hold your interest-bearing donation in their own account (ready to deliver to you on the day you decide to sign-up with their service and retrieve it). Back to top |
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| Is there a limit as to how much we can donate to a member? Yes. The limit is imposed by your wallet (I kill me). Okay... PayPal may have limits. Since we pass you on to their system, you would have to check with PayPal on transaction limitations. (What a nice problem to have to worry about!) Back to top |
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| Does WTL track donations? Your transaction actually takes place over at PayPal. No transaction information is tracked here at WTL. Back to top |
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| So You Want to Have Your Own Blog? |
| What is a Blog? Wikipedia has a great piece on the origin of the word "Blog". This link opens that entry in a separate tab or window. Essentially, a Blog is a chronicle or diary that is visible online to other people. Back to top |
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| What's required for me to get my own Blog, here? Well, first, you must be a member. Only members can have a Blog at The WordTickler Libraries (WTL). If you are not currently a member, you can register as a member by clicking on this link (or by clicking "Register" in the header of this page). Any member may have his or her own Blogs. I say "Blogs" because each member is allowed both a Public and Private Blog. All one needs do is send me a private message. In your message, please indicate whether you want a Public Blog, a Private Blog, or both. I'll be happy to create both, either or one of them for you. You'll need to include two things for each Blog you want: 1. The Name of the Blog 2. The Description of the Blog Let's use an imaginary user, Kermit, to see what he'd have to do to get Blogged. 1. Kermit would register as a member. He receives a confirmation e-mail and, after confirming his e-mail address, he would be a full-fledged member. 2. Kermit would then login to WTL. He'd use the "Log in" link in the upper right area of the forum area at WTL. 3. Let's say Kermit wants both a Public and Private Blog. He would send me a private message saying: "Hey, WT. Let me have a Public Blog called 'Kermit's Public Blog' and give it a description saying 'Musings of a Green Amphibian'. I'd also like a Private Blog called 'Kermit's Private Rants' with a description that says 'My Belly's On the Lily Pad'." 4. That's pretty cut and dried--albeit weird. I'll then go off and create the two Blogs for Kermit and notify him when it's done. It only takes a minute or two. Kermit will then become the moderator of his own Public and Private Blogs, able to add content, manage comments and move things around as he sees fit. For instance, he may wish to move a work from his Private Blog to the Public Blog for a "viewing" he wishes to give to a prospective agent, editor or publication interested in syndicating or outright buying his words. Conversely, he may wish to move something from his Public Blog to his Private Blog because it has recently been submitted to a publisher who requires it be removed from the public eye. Whatever the reason, he will have complete control of his Blogs' contents and comments. I highly recommend you include the word "Public" somewhere in the name of your Blog title so that members who comment on Blog entries will always know whether or not their comments will be seen by members only or visible to the entire Internet (search spiders included). Perhaps Kermit would want to name his Public Blog "Green Frog Public Blog" (heh, I kill me). As you can see at the top of every page on this web site, you now have the ability to use RSS and Atom Syndication with your Blog. If your Blog is picked up by a search engine spider, it will only be visible to the Internet if it is a Public Blog. Private Blogs will not be accessible by search engines as they will not be able to access the RSS/Atom Syndication URL since it is directly linked to the viewer's ability to access the forums. Even if someone publishes the RSS/Atom Syndication URL for your Private Blog, it will still be inaccessible by non-members (search engines included). However, Private Blogs that are syndicated via RSS or Atom are visible to bona fide, registered members of The WordTickler Libraries. Back to top |
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| I already maintain two Blogs on the Internet! Why would I want to add a third? This is an easy one. Two words: Effortless Exposure That's right, effortless. There is a feature built-in to The WordTickler Libraries (WTL) forums that give you a powerful angle of exposing your Blog elsewhere. It is the BBCode "[web]" feature. When you place a link in a forum post surrounded by "[web]" and "[/web]" (quotes not included), the web page the link points to is embedded within the body of your post. Take a look at this example (which opens in another tab or window): A Lipogram: A Story of Over 50,000 Words Without Using the Letter 'E' See how the off-site web page appears to be embedded within the body of the post? This means that you can edit and maintain a Blog somewhere out there on the Internet and actually embed it, live, here--where it will be displayed with all your edits and changes at the off-site link. Essentially, you're getting free exposure to work that you only have to accomplish once--elsewhere. To use this feature is simple: 1. Create a new post in your Blog area. 2. In the body of that post, put nothing except for the single line "[web]http://www.myoffsiteblog.com[/web]". 3. Be sure to replace "http://www.myoffsiteblog.com" with the actual URL to your off-site Blog. 4. Do not include the double quotes around the example in step 2. That's it! Back to top |
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| So You Want to Have Your Own Gallery? |
| What is a Gallery? A Gallery is a Forum completely controlled by a member where that member can exhibit his or her works as Topics within the Forum (Gallery). The member can allow replies (comments) or lock the exhibited work where no replies may be added. Additionally, the member can determine whether replies are allowed by members only or everyone, including anonymous visitors. Members are allowed one Public Gallery and one Private Gallery. Public Galleries are visible to the entire Internet. This would be a good place to exhibit works that one wishes the whole world to see. Anonymous visitors and search engine spiders can see every word in a Public Gallery. Private Galleries are only visible to registered members of The WordTickler Libraries. Any work exhibited in a Private Gallery is hidden from non-members and search engines. Only members will be able to see Private Gallery contents. Back to top |
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| What's required for me to get my own Gallery, here? Well, first, you must be a member. Only members can have a Gallery at The WordTickler Libraries (WTL). If you are not currently a member, you can register as a member by clicking on this link (or by clicking "Register" in the header of this page). Any member may have his or her own Galleries. I say "Galleries" because each member is allowed both a Public and Private Gallery. All one needs do is send me a private message. In your message, please indicate whether you want a Public Gallery, a Private Gallery, or both. I'll be happy to create both, either or one of them for you. You'll need to include two things for each Gallery you want: 1. The Name of the Gallery 2. The Description of the Gallery Let's use an imaginary user, Kermit, to see what he'd have to do to get Galleries. 1. Kermit would register as a member. He receives a confirmation e-mail and, after confirming his e-mail address, he would be a full-fledged member. 2. Kermit would then login to WTL. He'd use the "Log in" link in the upper right area of the forum area at WTL. 3. Let's say Kermit wants both a Public and Private Gallery. He would send me a private message saying: "Hey, WT. Let me have a Public Gallery called 'Kermit's Public Writings' and give it a description saying 'Black Ink from a Green Amphibian'. I'd also like a Private Gallery called 'Kermit's Private Scribblings' with a description that says 'Webbed Content for the Eyes of Members Only'." 4. That's pretty cut and dried--albeit weird. I'll then go off and create the two Galleries for Kermit and notify him when it's done. It only takes a minute or two. Kermit will then become the moderator of his own Public and Private Galleries, able to add content, manage comments and move things around as he sees fit. For instance, he may wish to move a poem from his Private Gallery to the Public Gallery for a "viewing" he wishes to give to a prospective agent, editor or publication interested in buying his words. Conversely, he may wish to move something from his Public Gallery to his Private Gallery because it has recently been submitted to a publisher who requires it be removed from the public eye. Whatever the reason, he will have complete control of his Galleries' contents and comments. I highly recommend you include the word "Public" somewhere in the name of your Gallery title so that members who comment on Gallery entries will always know whether or not their comments will be seen by members only or visible to the entire Internet (search spiders included). As you can see at the top of every page on this web site, you now have the ability to use RSS and Atom Syndication with your Gallery. If your Gallery is picked up by a search engine spider, it will only be visible to the Internet if it is a Public Gallery. Private Galleries will not be accessible by search engines as they will not be able to access the RSS/Atom Syndication URL since it is directly linked to the viewer's ability to access the forums. Even if someone publishes the RSS/Atom Syndication URL for your Private Gallery, it will still be inaccessible by non-members (search engines included). However, Private Galleries that are syndicated via RSS or Atom are visible to bona fide, registered members of The WordTickler Libraries. Back to top |
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| Why would I want to add one more place that requires me to maintain content? This is an easy one. Two words: Effortless Exposure That's right, effortless. There is a feature built-in to The WordTickler Libraries (WTL) forums that give you a powerful angle of exposing your writings that exist elsewhere. It is the BBCode "[web]" feature. When you place a link in a forum post surrounded by "[web]" and "[/web]" (quotes not included), the web page the link points to is embedded within the body of your post. Take a look at this example (which opens in another tab or window): A Lipogram: A Story of Over 50,000 Words Without Using the Letter 'E' See how the off-site web page appears to be embedded within the body of the post? This means that you can edit and maintain content somewhere out there on the Internet and actually embed it, live, here--where it will be displayed with all your edits and changes at the off-site link. Essentially, you're getting free exposure to work that you only have to accomplish once--elsewhere. To use this feature is simple: 1. Create a new post in your Gallery area. 2. In the body of that post, put nothing except for the single line "[web]http://www.myoffsitecontent.com[/web]". 3. Be sure to replace "http://www.myoffsitecontent.com" with the actual URL to your off-site content. 4. Do not include the double quotes around the example in step 2. That's it! Back to top |
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| RSS and Atom Syndication (Newsfeeds) |
| Are your forums accessible as a newsfeed using either RSS or Atom syndication protocols? Yes. This site allows RSS and Atom syndicated access to both public and private forums. Private forums are only accessible if you are a member, however. To access our syndicated feeds, you will need to understand how to specify a newsfeed type and version that your newsreader can interpret. RSS 0.91, RSS 1.0, RSS 2.0 and Atom 1.0 newsfeeds are all supported here at The WordTickler Libraries. If you would like to set up all of your newsfeeds now, go to the RSS and Atom Syndication page and follow the directions there. Back to top |
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| Login and Registration Issues |
| Why can't I log in? Have you registered? Seriously, you must register in order to log in. Have you been banned from the board? (A message will be displayed if you have.) If so, you should contact the webmaster or board administrator to find out why. If you have registered and are not banned and you still cannot log in, then check and double-check your username and password. Usually this is the problem; if not, please send an e-mail to wordtickler@wordticklers.com explaining your dilemma. Back to top |
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| Why do I need to register at all? WordTickler, the owner/operator of these forums had made registration a requirement for those wanting specific privileges. Registration will give you access to additional features not available to guest users such as definable avatar images, private messaging, emailing to fellow users, usergroup subscription, etc. It only takes a few minutes to register so it is recommended you do so. Back to top |
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| Why do I get logged off automatically? If you do not check the Log me in automatically box when you log in, 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. Back to top |
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| How do I prevent my username from 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. Back to top |
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| I've lost my password! 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. Back to top |
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| I registered but cannot log in! First check that you 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 maybe your account need activating. Some boards will require all new registrations be activated, either by yourself or by the administrator before you can log on. 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 check that 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. Back to top |
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| I registered in the past but cannot log in anymore! 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 latter 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. Back to top |
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| Can I have multiple accounts here at WTL? Multiple accounts are neither encouraged nor condoned here at WTL. However, to allow them the privilege to write freely and publicly without catching the attention of family, friends and acquaintances (perhaps via a search engine), members often choose to use a pen name. Pen names are fine; identities are not something we care about here at WTL. The reasons members use pen names are their own. Thus, WTL will tolerate more than one account for a person as they strive to remain anonymous. But (and this is a big "but"), the moment a member reveals his or her true identity under a chosen pen name (in a forum post) or in any way reveals the ownership connection between two accounts, multiple accounts for that member will no longer be allowed. The member will have to accept that any privacy he or she might have been enjoying has been compromised and communicate to WordTickler which account will continue to exist. Any other account associated with that member will be unceremoniously closed. Also, no member who has more than one account may use any of those accounts to Quill posts from the member's other accounts. Though not available to the general membership, every Quilled Post at WTL is stored with the member ID of the Quilling member. This type of dishonest activity will be caught and the member will be banned. Period. Back to top |
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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 (generally shown at the top of pages but this may not be the case). This will allow you to change all your settings. Back to top |
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| The times are not correct! The times are almost certainly correct; however, what you may be seeing are times displayed in a timezone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, you should change your profile setting for the timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc. 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! Back to top |
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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. Back to top |
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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 or if it does not exist, please feel free to create a new translation. More information can be found at the phpBB Group website (see link at bottom of pages) Back to top |
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| How do I show an image below my username? There may be two images below a username when viewing posts. The first is an image associated with your rank; generally these take the form of stars or blocks indicating how many posts you have made or your status on the forums. Below this may be a larger image known as an avatar; this is generally unique or personal to each user. It is up to the board administrator to enable avatars and they have a choice over the way in which avatars can be made available. If you are unable to use avatars then this is the decision of the board admin and you should ask them their reasons (we're sure they'll be good!) Back to top |
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| How do I change my rank? In general you cannot directly change the wording of any rank (ranks appear below your username in topics and on your profile depending on the style used). Most boards use ranks to indicate the number of posts you have made and to identify certain users. For example, moderators and administrators may have a special rank. Please do not abuse the board by posting unnecessarily just to increase your rank -- you will probably find the moderator or administrator will simply lower your post count. Back to top |
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| When I click the email link for a user it asks me to log in. Sorry, but only registered users can send email to people via the built-in email form (if the admin has enabled this feature). This is to prevent malicious use of the email system by anonymous users. Back to top |
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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) Back to top |
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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 that 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. Back to top |
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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. Back to top |
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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 being an infinite amount. There will be a limit to the number of options you can list, which is set by the board administrator Back to top |
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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 administrator. To edit a poll, click the first post in the topic, which 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 Back to top |
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| Why can't I access a forum? Some forums may be limited to certain users or groups. To view, read, post, etc. you may need special authorization which only the forum moderator and board administrator can grant, so you should contact them. Back to top |
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| Why can't I vote in polls? Only registered users can vote in polls so as to prevent spoofing of results. If you have registered and still cannot vote then you probably do not have appropriate access rights. Back to top |
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| Formatting and Topic Types |
| What is BBCode? BBCode is a special implementation of HTML. Whether you can use BBCode is determined by the administrator. You can also disable it on a per post basis from the posting form. 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 on BBCode see the guide which can be accessed from the posting page. Back to top |
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| Can I use HTML? That depends on whether the administrator allows you to; they have complete control over it. If you are allowed to use it, you will probably find only certain tags work. This is a safety feature to prevent people from abusing the board by using tags which may destroy the layout or cause other problems. If HTML is enabled you can disable it on a per post basis from the posting form. Back to top |
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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. Try not to overuse smileys, though, as they can quickly render a post unreadable and a moderator may decide to edit them out or remove the post altogether. Back to top |
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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 directly to this board. Therefore you must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. http://www.some-unknown-place.net/my-picture.gif. You cannot link to pictures stored on your own PC (unless it is a publicly accessible server) nor to images stored behind authentication mechanisms such as Hotmail or Yahoo mailboxes, password-protected sites, etc. To display the image use either the BBCode [img] tag or appropriate HTML (if allowed). Back to top |
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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, which are set by the administrator. Back to top |
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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. Back to top |
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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 contained inside is automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons. Back to top |
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| User Levels and Groups |
| What are Administrators? Administrators are people assigned the highest level of control over the entire board. These people can control all facets of board operation which include setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or moderators, etc. They also have full moderator capabilities in all the forums. Back to top |
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| What are Moderators? Moderators are individuals (or groups of individuals) whose job it is to look after the running of the forums from day to day. 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 abusive or offensive material. Back to top |
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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 (this differs from most other boards) 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, etc. Back to top |
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| How do I join a Usergroup? To join a usergroup click the usergroup link on the page header (dependent on template design) and you can then view all usergroups. Not all groups are open access -- some are closed and some may even have hidden memberships. If the board is open then you can request to join it by clicking the appropriate button. The user group moderator will need to approve your request; they may ask why you want to join the group. Please do not pester a group moderator if they turn your request down -- they will have their reasons. Back to top |
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| How do I become a Usergroup Moderator? Usergroups are initially created by the board administrator who also assigns a board moderator. If you are interested in creating a usergroup then your first point of contact should be the administrator, so try dropping them a private message. Back to top |
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| Printer-Friendly Topic View |
| I already have print capability in my browser. What is the printer button on the topic headers for? The  button is a print pagination removal button (with the capability of invoking your browser's print feature from the re-pagination preview). It is used to cancelling the board's fixed pagination when printing, creating a more readable and printer-friendly output.
By clicking on this button you will locally remove the board's fixed pagination for the current topic to help your web browser perform the proper pagination for printing based on actual line spacing, rather than the forum-wide limit for number of messages per page. Back to top |
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| What are the boxes on top of the printable output? - Range selection There are two boxes on top of the page and a tape-recorder-like button Show. They allow to select a range of messages. Note that every message in the printable view has a number. Use those numbers to fill out the boxes on top to set up the first and the last message you want to be printed, and press the Show button to rearrange the messages. Another way to set a range is to put a negative number in the second box, which will mean that you want -n of messages to be printed. For example, 4 7 will output messages 4, 5, 6, 7. However if you enter values 4 -7 in first and second box respectively, messages 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 will be shown after you press the rewind button. Back to top |
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| How to print only one message? - Advanced range selection First, go to the printable view of the topic by pressing the Printer button in the topic view. Find your message and note the number in the left of it. Type that number into the first box in the top left of the printable view. In the second box put value -1 and press the Show button. This will tell the database to output only one message starting from the given one. Another way of getting this result is by putting the same number in both boxes. Let's say you want to print only the message number 16. Fill out the boxes in the top as such: 16 -1 and press the go button Show. Instead of 16 and -1 you could as well enter 16 and 16. The result will be the same. This example will work only if there are at least sixteen messages in the current topic, of course. Back to top |
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| Private Messaging |
| I cannot send private messages! There are three reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on, the board administrator has disabled private messaging for the entire board, or the board administrator has prevented you individually from sending messages. If it is the latter case you should try asking the administrator why. Back to top |
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| I keep getting unwanted private messages! In the future we will be adding an ignore list to the private messaging system. For now, though, if you keep receiving unwanted private messages from someone, inform the board administrator -- they have the power to prevent a user from sending private messages at all. Back to top |
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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 to track users who send such posts. You should email the board administrator with a full copy of the email you received and it is very important this include the headers (these list details of the user that sent the email). They can then take action. Back to top |
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| phpBB 2 Issues |
| Who wrote this bulletin board? This software (in its unmodified form) is produced, released and is copyrighted phpBB Group. It is made available under the GNU General Public License and may be freely distributed; see link for more details Back to top |
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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 the phpBB Group has to say. Please do not post feature requests to the board at phpbb.com, as 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 features and then follow the procedure given there. Back to top |
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| Whom 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 that is, 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 no response at all. Back to top |
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