Blogs FAQ

Home - Set Up Your Own Blog - Features

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions	Short Answer	Detailed Answer (Click below for detailed answer)
Message Board vs Blog - Difference between a Message Board and a Blog?	Yes	Detailed Answer
"Home" Button - Can the "Home" button on my Blog point back to my home page?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Direct Link - Can I Create a direct link from my homepage to my Blog?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Blog Management - How and Who manages the Blog?	You Do	Detailed Answer
Visitor Counter - Can I track/count the number of visitors to my Blog?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Password Protection - Can I password protect my Blog?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Blog Content Policy - Are there any restrictions on how I can use my Blog?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Photographs - Can I insert photograph(s)/jpeg/gifs with my message?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Keyword Search - Can I search all messages for a specific keyword?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Message Formatting - Can I use special effects(i.e. "underline", "bold", "color", "line break" etc.) when typing a message?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Message Length - How long can a message be?	10 pages	Detailed Answer
Custom Logo - Can I have a custom logo at the top of my Blog?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Archive Messages - Can I archive messages on my Blog?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Delete Messages - Can I delete more than one message at a time?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Who Can Post - Can anyone post messages to my Blog?	You Decide	Detailed Answer
Moderated Blog - Am I able to approve/disapprove messages before they are posted?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Threaded Blog - Can I set my Blog up as a "Threaded" Blog?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Changing Categories - Can I change category names or my password?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Monitoring - Who is responsible for monitoring Blog content?	You Are	Detailed Answer
Blog Limitations - Is there a limit on the number of messages that can be posted?	No.	Detailed Answer
Voting Messages - Can\How do I create a "Votable" message? Voting Record - Can users view how other people voted? Voting Anonymously - Is my vote anonymous? Voting Restrictions - Can I restrict who votes? Voting Totals - How often are voting totals updated?	Yes Yes Maybe Yes Immediately	Detailed Answer Detailed Answer Detailed Answer Detailed Answer Detailed Answer
More Features - Do you have a more complete list of features?	Yes	Detailed Answer
Tech Support - Who do I contact for technical support?	Us	Detailed Answer

Can I have the "Home" button on my Blog point back to my home page? Top
Yes. On your Management Page there is a 'HomePage URL' field where you can specify the address your home button should point to.

Can I Create a direct link from my HomePage to my Blog? Top
Yes, when your Blog is set up, you'll receive a URL address that allows you to link directly to your Blog. This address allows you to create a link/button, on your home page, that takes a visitor directly to your Blog without knowing your Blog code.

Message Board vs Blog? Top
A Message Board and a Blog are similar. Both provide an easily updatable website, allowing the owner to post content/messages for other users to view.
The primary difference, is that a Blog only allows the Blog owner(or a very select few) to post messages and content. Normal visitors can view, but not reply or post messages themselves.... A Message board, on the other hand, allows visitors to post messages and replies. A fully featured message board also usually provides more extensive administration features, such as password protection, archiving, private messages, listserv capability, etc. Our Blogs provide all the capabilities of a fully featured message board. You can always switch your Blog to a Message Board via a switch on your Blog management page, or if you want to initially set up a Message board instead of a Blog, go to: http://www.message-boards.net
If you would like to discuss which format would best suit your application, call us: 321 984 9080.

How do I manage my Blog? Top
When your Blog is set up you're given access to a "management site" for your Blog. Below are some of the management functions available to you at your management site:
- View/Reset your visitor counter(Shows number of visits to your Blog).
- Set your Blog up as a "Moderated" type Blog.
  Setting your Blog up as a "Moderated" Blog ensures all messages are approved by you before they are available for viewing by the public.
- Assign System/User passwords and privileges. Allows you to specify who has access to your Blog and what they can see and do on your Blog.
- Set your Blog up as a "Threaded" Blog. To see the difference between a "Threaded" vs "Non-Threaded" Blog Click Here.
- Request automatic email notification, this causes an email notification message sent to you every time a message is added to the Blog.
- Add/Change Blog Category Titles.
- Set your Blog's "Home Page Button" to point to your Home Page.
- Specify a background color/gif to be used for your Blog background.
- Change your Manager's Password.
- Specify Meta Tags (Title, Keywords, and Description) for your Blog (important if you want to register your Blog with Internet search engines).
- Specify how messages are sorted on your Blog.
- Specify the Title of your Blog.
To view a sample "Management Site" Click Here

Can I track/count the number of visitors to my Blog? Top
Yes, when your Blog is set up, you're given access to a management site that will allow you to monitor number of visits to your Blog. This site also gives you the capability to change other configuration parameters such as categories, company name, etc.

Can I password protect my Blog? Top
Yes, when your Blog is set up, you're given access to your Blog management site which allows you to specify system and user passwords/privileges. In addition to a "Members Only" password for system wide Blog access, you can assign individual login passwords to your users and specify level of access (view/post/modify/delete/vote) for each user. You can also protect certain sections of your Blog by specifying that those sections are only viewable by designated users. If you set up a "Moderated" Blog you can designate one or more moderators and even specify what sections of your Blog they have "Moderator" privilege over.

You as the Blog manager, control the assigment of passwords and Blog privileges through your Blog management page. To view a sample "Blog Management Page" Click Here

Each user, when posting a message can create unique passwords for messages they post, ensuring only they can modify/delete their own messages, although remember, you as the Blog Manager can delete/modify anyone's message.

Are there any restrictions on how I can use my Blog? Top
Yes, Although the content and use of your Blog is entirely your responsibility, we do enforce a policy of prohibiting Adult-oriented Blogs displaying pornographic material.
Our current policy prohibits Adult-oriented Blogs, designed for entertainment or commercial purposes. Restricted Blogs include those providing access to pornographic materials (images or multimedia), whether for free or for payment, regardless of whether adult verification is used or not.

Can I insert a photographs/jpeg/gifs with my message? Top
Yes.

You or your users can have jpeg or gif files appear within
messages by embedding the html <Img Src="URL"> in your message.
For example if you type the following html line within a message,
it will cause the bb.gif graphic to appear within the message:
  <img src="http://www.bulletinboards.com/gif/bb.gif">
You might want to create a test message on your Blog with
this line in it to see what happens.

Realize, the jpeg or gif file has to reside somewhere
on the net so that you'll have a "URL" address for the graphic.

So...If the jpeg/gif file doesn't already reside somewhere
      on the net then
      Upload the jpeg/gif file to some web site
      (yours, theirs, somewhere)
      and  then replace the "URL" in the <Img Src="URL"> tag
      with the real URL identifying where the jpeg/gif file resides.

Alternatively you could use the FTP option which allows users to
attach jpeg/gif files to a message in an automated fashion.
However, the jpeg/gif file wont' actually appear within the message
but rather a download link appears in the message allowing
users to download the jpeg/gif file to their computer.

fyi:
  You can find more discussion about this by searching the
  FAQ   Blog
     http://www.bulletinboards.com/Search.cfm?comcode=faq
  using the search term "img src"

If you would like to send your photograph or graphic file to us and have us place them in your messages Click Here.

Can I search all or a subset of messages for a specific keyword? Top
Yes. Click on the "Search" button at the top of your Blog and you'll be prompted to enter a keyword to search on.

How can I create special formatting effects, like underlining, bold words, color, line breaks, etc. when typing a message? Top
Every message you enter will be formatted automatically. However, if you want to add additional formatting features, such as "Bolding", "Underlining", manual line breaks, and Color, with your message text as well as inserting URL links, you can use the full set of HTML formatting codes to accomplish this or simply use the Message Formatting Toolbar:

For detailed info on using the Message Formatting Toolbar Click Here.

How long can a message be? Top
Up to 10 pages of text

Can I have a custom logo or banner inserted at the top of my blog? Top
Yes. We'll create one custon logo for you free, automatically, but if you don't like the one we create or have one of your own, send it to us and we'll insert it at the top of your Blog free or if it resides elsewhere on the net go to your management page and specify its location in the field labeled "banner logo".
You also have the ability to add an introductory paragraph/text at the beginning/top of your Blog.

Can I archive messages on my Blog? Top
Yes, you have detailed archiving capability.
You can archive messages by date and/or category/date.
You also have the ability to search/filter archived messages to view a subset of all archived messages.
When your Blog is set up you're given the address of your management site, where you can do, among other things, archive messages on your Blog. To give you an idea of the user interface you'll use to archive messages, following is a link to a sample Blog's "Archive" page.
Sample Archive Page
To view Archived Messages, use the "Search" button on your Blog.

Am I able to approve/disapprove messages before they are posted? Top
Yes, If you are the Blog Manager you have full control of all messages posted on your Blog. You have the ability to modify and/or delete any message appearing on your Blog. You also have the ability to set your Blog up as a "Moderated" Blog. meaning all messages will have to be approved by you before they will be viewable by the public.

Can anyone post messages to my Blog? Top You. as the Blog manager, are able to control who can view/post/modify/delete messages on your Blog. Using your Blog management site, you can specify view/post/modify/delete privileges for the whole Blog, the category level(i.e. subsections of your Blog), and/or at the user level.
You also have the ability to set your Blog up as a 'Moderated' Blog, meaning even though you allow users to post messages, you must approve them before they will appear on your Blog.

How do I create a "Votable" message? Top
Whenever you post/create a message there will be an option or check box at the end of the 'message create form'. If you want to make your message a 'Votable' message click this check box. Making your message 'Votable' is optional, but if you click in the checkbox, it will allow people to vote 'yes' or 'no' on your message. It's easy, just give it a try. You can always delete the message when your through. To see an example of how an issue/message looks when it's set up as a 'Votable' message Click Here.

Can I view a list of people and how they voted on an issue? Top
Yes, Click on the "View Detailed Results" button that will be displayed with the voting results.

Is my vote anonymous? Top
Depends. Anyone viewing your Blog has the ability to view detailed voting results on the issue/message you voted on. When they do this they will see a list of everyone who voted on the issue with their associated name. Your vote is only anonymous to the extent that someone is able to associate you with the name you gave when you registered to vote. In other words, if you give a bogus name then someone will not be able to associate you with your vote.

Can I restrict the list of people who are allowed to vote on issues? Top
Yes, as a Blog Manager, you can set your Blog up so only you can register voters. This will allow you to control who can vote on your Blog. The default is, to allow anyone visiting your Blog to vote on messages set up as "Votable Messages".

How often are the vote totals updated? Top
The vote totals are updated immediately. As soon as you record your vote, the vote totals will have been updated. To see that your vote has actually affected the vote totals, press the "Reload/Refresh" button on your browser. You can also see that your vote has been recorded by clicking on the 'View Detailed Results' link underneath the 'votable' message you are viewing.

How do I change categories names or my password? Top
Go to your management page at http://www.bulletinboards.com/usermod.htm you can change/add categories and manager's password as well as other configuration options here.

Who is responsible for monitoring Blog content? Top
The Blog Manager is.

Blog Limitations? Top
Although there is no limit on the number of messages that can be posted, Blog managers should realize there is a different fee schedule for High Bandwidth Blogs. It is unlikely your Blog will be classified as a High Bandwidth Blog. Less than 2% of our existing Blogs are High Bandwidth Blogs. A Blog must receive over 500 unique visitors per day to be classified as a High Bandwidth Blog. Blogs averaging over 500 unique visitors per day can not be supported on the $9.95 per month pricing plan. Blogs receiving this type of traffic should contact [email protected] to upgrade their account. A detailed description of High Bandwith Blog fees can be viewed at BulletinBoards.com/HighBandwidth

Who do I contact for technical support? Top
Send email to [email protected] or call (321) 984 9080 8am-5pm EST..
Email is answered within 24 hours.

Can I delete more than one message at a time? Top
Yes, as the Blog manager you can always delete groups of messages, by category, by date range, or selectively from a list. You can also configure your Blog to automatically Delete old messages. These functions are available via your Blog management page.

Can I set my Blog up as a "Threaded" Blog? Top
Yes, either at the time you set you set your Blog up or afterwards, by going to your management site and changing your Blog configuration to "Threaded". To see examples of each type of configuation (i.e. "Threaded vs Non-Threaded) Click Here .

Do you have a more complete list of features? Top
Yes, to view a comprehensive list of features our Blogs provide Click Here .

Questions or comments, email:
[email protected]
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