All Newbies, Please Read

[celiac3270]

This comes up a lot, so I thought I might save everyone some time and post it here. To all newbies: when you want to make a reply to a post, do not hit the report button. That button is to be used to report material that is offensive or violates board rules. To make a new topic, scroll to the bottom of the page where there is an "add reply" button. Click that and make your post.

Another thing I might mention while I'm making this post. When you make a new topic, it will not automatically show up on the first page of the forum in which it was posted. Rather, all new topics go towards the back of the forum. When a moderator reads your topic, he or she either moves it to a different section of the board, then pins it there, or pins it where you had it. Once your topic is pinned, it will show up towards the front (topics are then sorted by date of last reply).

Finally, please read the Open Original Shared Link before posting. There is a system of warnings here........three warnings and you're banned. Everyone here is pretty tolerable with newbie mistakes, so you probably won't be warned if you accidentally post something twice or something, but it's good to be aware of the rules, anyway.

New Board Guidelines/Rules

Welcome to Celiac.com's new message board/forum! If you were already registered to use our site's old board you will need to re-register here in order to be able to make posts. Our new board uses completely new technology which greatly surpasses our old board, and we hope that you make full use of its new features, including the ability to chat directly with individual board users.

Also note that message board/forum registration is not the same as registering at Celiac.com. You must register here on the board page in order to use the boards.

Note that if your browser or firewall is set to not accept all cookies you may not be able to post on the boards.

Below are the basic rules of the board. Generally speaking users who break these rules will get two warnings, and if there is a third rule violation they will be banned from the boards. Serious board violations can result in an immediate ban. The rules are as follows:

    * Do not be abusive or otherwise out of line towards other board members. Show respect for each board member, no matter what you think of their post(s). This is not a place to quarrel.

    * Do not promote your own business, Web site or products.

    * Do not spam the boards (i.e., post the same thing in multiple topics or areas of the board to bring more attention to your post).

Please report any problems to us by sending an e-mail to the address on the left-hand side of this Web page.

To the people that have been here awhile, this is really unnecessary to remind you of, but it is confusing for people who aren't aware of how the board works. I now realize that this thread may sound sort of.........threatening or ominous.........but it's just intended to fill in those new to the board and make it easier to learn their way around. Welcome...........this is truly a great support center with knowledgable people.

-celiac3270

[gf4life]

Thank you celiac3270 for taking the time to put this valuable information up where it will be easier to find. I don't think it sounds threatening at all. You did a wonderful job with it. I'm sure it will help a lot of people to understand how the board works.

God bless,

Mariann

[Guest barbara3675]

So why are the same topics up there day after day. It seems so unncessary to have the exact discussion up there that was there the day before. I have been wondering about this and this sure seemed like the place to find out....thanks for the opportunity. Barbara

[GEF]

There may be some redundancy, but there is also the opportunity for people to find support for their situation. We do attempt to post where there is a topic already relevant, but sometimes it's difficult (especially for someone who's new) to do a detailed search prior to that.

Gretchen

[celiac3270]

Barbara,

All pinned topics are sorted by date of last post. Therefore, if one topic gets continuous replies, it stays at the front. As new topics come in and start getting more replies, the previous ones slowly drift onto the second and third pages. It works pretty well cause people get to post in a certain topic until everyone has said what they wanted to and gotten answers. Then, with no more replies, the "completed" topics move towards the back.

[strack2004]

Dear celiac3270, I think I posted a couple of messages twice by accident when I was a newbie. Does that mean that I am allowed only 1 more error. Can't find the question mark on this Spanish computer at the library! Does anyone remove these after awhile. Your post here has been helpful. Thanks, Ruth

[gf4life]

Hi Ruth,

Don't worry about it. You have not had any warnings. You can tell by your little warning level on the left side of the screen. When you get one warning it says 33% and the little red line moves to about 1/3 of the way across. Two warnings (I don't think it has happened to anyone yet!) would probably say 67%. On the third warning you are on your last leg. We try to give a member some verbal warnings first before giving them official warnings. And we are forgiving of newbies who make mistakes. Usually a reminder of the rules is enough.

God bless,

Mariann

[burdee]

THANKS, celiac3270, for posting all that. I have been posting here for a while and (sheepishly) admit I have NEVER read the board rules and guidelines. Thanks for making those VERY visable in your post. I hope I haven't broken too many of those rules. But, since I haven't received any warnings, I guess I'm doing okay. But thanks, anyway, for the reminder to be supportive and respectful of other members, no matter what they post.

BURDEE

[celiac3270]

Mariann,

I don't think warnings show up for people other than moderators. When I became a modertor, seeing the warning levels was a new thing. Mariann, one person does have two warnings and it does say 67% if you have two.

Ruth,

You would know if you were warned because a moderator would've notified you explaining that you had been warned and that if you made two more violations, you were banned. As Mariann said, you were not warned. People are only warned if they are told the rules in an unofficial warning and then it appears that they purposely violated them. Not many people on the board actually have warnings. Warnings aren't usually revoked, as it is difficult to receive one if you're not intentionally breaking one, however, there is an option that allows a moderator to lower it.

One thing I should mention not to worry about. Sometimes, if a post doesn't seem to go, you might hit the stop button and then rehit the add reply button or add new topic button. This will often result in two duplicate replies. Scott told us in some e-mail or PM certain things to look for that help you to see that the person did not intentionally post duplicate times, etc.........this isn't something you should be really concerned of.......as long as you don't post the same topic multiple times or whatever, you should be fine.

Oooh....that reminds me of another thing ...........if you post a topic about.....some food product in the coping section, or some other wrong placement of the topic, don't repost it elsewhere.............you can either contact a moderator about its mislocation or likely, they'll pick up on it on their own and move it......this one is again, not something that the regulars need to be reminded of, but something for newbies.

[gf4life]

Thanks celiac3270. I guess I just assumed everyone could see them. I was already a moderator when the warning system started, so hence I asssumed, you know what they say about what happens when you assume, right?

as long as you don't post the same topic multiple times or whatever, you should be fine.

This happens most often where people post the same thing in different forums trying to get more replies. This is against the rules and this is what we look for when we find duplicate posts. This would cause a member to get a warning.

God bless,

Mariann

[celiac3270]

Thanks celiac3270. I guess I just assumed everyone could see them. I was already a moderator when the warning system started, so hence I asssumed, you know what they say about what happens when you assume, right? 

Right......a person would know if they got one, anyway, though, since they get an e-mail notification explaining why and the whole warning procedure and policy....so even though they wouldn't see the bar on the left, they would still have heard of their warning.

[strack2004]

Thanks All for easing my mind. I guess I was operating under the notion that if I hadn't heard anything somehow the people in charge would know it was just a mistake, but I did wonder. celiac3270, your posts here have been helpful to me. I am beginning to get the hang of how this site works so I don't spend so much time wandering around looking for something I posted awhile back. Ruth

[strack2004]

celiac3270. I guess it would be hard for you to eliminate potatoes! Just an idea. I do have another question about using this site. In My Assistant I can get my last ten posts brought up. One time, quite by accident, I got all my posts even though there were more than 10. Is there a way to get all ones posts to come up ? Thanks, Ruth.

[celiac3270]

You mean, to see every post you made? Okay, you can see every post made by any member you choose if you do the following:

- Click their username: so, on the side of your post where they show your name, number of posts, join date, member #, etc., click strack2004 (or whatever member you're doing).

- This brings up a whole page of statisitics on the member of your choice (average posts per day, total posts, join date, most posts in which forum, interests, e-mail, etc. At the top of this page is the member's name. Look directly under the person's name and you'll see a little button that says "find all posts by this member. Click that button.

- From there, you get pages of the member's posts. They're sorted with the most recent posts first. They don't show the entire posts, but the beginning section, with a button to take you to that forum or another button on the right to take you to the post itself.......click on the button to take you to the post itself, if you want to see the whole post.

I hope this made sense........I think it did, but if not, tell me what part doesn't make sense and I'll try to make it more comprehensive.....hope it works!

[Guest barbara3675]

HEY, celiac3270, Thanks for clueing us in. I FINALLY get it!!!!!!! I am watching a certain topic now each day to see how others reply to one that I made a reply on. Sometimes it takes awhile for me to catch on...............there are some of us that are a little "message board challenged"....it sure does help to talk to others, though, that are having the same reaction to something that you are especially if it isn't that typical. Thanks again. Barbara

[celiac3270]

No problem .......I find that I pick up new or unfamiliar technological things really quickly (I think it's cause I've grown up with it), but my mom has tried to read the message boards at times, is confused how to get around, etc. I have tried to show her a bit, but since she doesn't have celiac disease personally and I'm here picking up new things, she has given up and let me do the reading . Haha......anyway......you're definitely not the only one.....I think I can diagnose her as "message board challenged", as well

[strack2004]

Hi, celiac3270, I finally got around to checking out your directions for getting all my posts. It worked just fine. Thanks! Ruth

P.S. I am back on track with my celiac diet. Still not seeing much result except for a day, last Tuesday when I went for my cholesterol check very early in the morning without breakfst. Had my breakfast of boiled egg, and a banana in the car and drove to Mankato to shop for shoes to accommodate my sore foot. I had enough food along for lunch, too. That was the most pain-free day I've had so far. Even my foot wasn't very sore. Didn't buy any shoes. On the way home stopped to visit grandson, his wife and my great-grandchild. They had some shoes someone had given them.. Lo and behold! one pair fit me just fine. My foot pain seems to go hand in hand with my tummy distress. I notice a number of people seem to feel that way about their arthritis-like pain. Now I am trying to work out what it was that was so much better. Maybe just getting out of town on my own? Or not eating my usual breakfast? Have to investigate the variables. Thanks again, Ruth. P.S. I hope that you are seeing some breaks in your symptoms at least sometimes. Knowing how long and hard you have been working at this and realizing how much longer my digestive tract has had to get damaged ( if , indeed, mine is celiac), I will keep on trying! R.S.

[Rikki Tikki]

I have a question that you may find silly. How long is one a newbie? What makes me a newbie? Is it the amount of questions I ask or answer? Also, how do you put a picture on the left, I see some people have little pictures of things there but I don't know how to do it. Also is it possible to spell check before you post? I am also a newbie with computers!

Thank-you

a little newbie!

[celiac3270]

I have a question that you may find silly. How long is one a newbie? What makes me a newbie? Is it the amount of questions I ask or answer? Also, how do you put a picture on the left, I see some people have little pictures of things there but I don't know how to do it. Also is it possible to spell check before you post? I am also a newbie with computers!

Thank-you

a little newbie!

Hi,

You have a posts number on the left. This number includes all questions you have asked (posts started) or posts you have answered. You are called a "newbie" when you originally come to the board. Once you reach 10 posts, you are a member and 30 posts makes you an advanced member. I just saw that you're at 11 posts, which makes you a member.

There is no spell check feature on this board. If you want spell check, you need to type your post in, for example, a word document or an e-mail, spell check it there, then copy and paste it into a post on this website.

The pictures on the left near your name are avatars. I believe you can have an avatar as early as you want, though I think you need to be an advanced member before you can import your own pictures. In the mean time, you can select from the gallery on the site. You can get an avatar from going to my controls (scroll up a bit to where they show "Logged in as:" and look at the center of the page). Then I think you say "change avatar" and then you look in the "gallery" for one you like and choose it.

As for what makes you a newbie: it's just a feature that sort of divides people into groups...for example, an advanced member has the option to import their own picture......I think you need to be an advanced member to do that.

-celiac3270

[celiac3270]

I just thought of something else....This is just something general to mention, but I decided to put it here, rather than make a whole new topic:

I had originally heard of a "Help" area, but at first I couldn't find it--then I learned my way around and forgot about it. Anyway, if you have any questions about avatars, posts, etc., the answer might be there:

Open Original Shared Link

[Guest Leidenschaft]

Are all posts pinned by a moderator, or just posts from Newbies? Some boards I've been on only "hold" your post if you are not logged in when you make the post. I've never seen one that holds all posts to be "pinned" by a moderator.

Also, one of the rules I read was that we are not allowed to promote our own business, etc... is putting my business website and a description of my business as part of my interests on my Personal Profile against the rules? I'm suspecting not since it's still there...

Thanks!

[celiac3270]

Are all posts pinned by a moderator, or just posts from Newbies? Some boards I've been on only "hold" your post if you are not logged in when you make the post. I've never seen one that holds all posts to be "pinned" by a moderator.

Also, one of the rules I read was that we are not allowed to promote our own business, etc... is putting my business website and a description of my business as part of my interests on my Personal Profile against the rules? I'm suspecting not since it's still there...

Thanks!