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   Author  Thread: Registration - a reminder for new members  (Read 16679 times)
S J Birkill
MV Administrator
*****



just a sensible reserve



Posts: 847
Registration - a reminder for new members
« : 27.10.09 at 11:45 »
Quote

Signing up as a member of MV is a quick and easy process. Most of the time it works without a hitch, but perhaps one in ten prospective members needs help. Some never make it. Here's a reminder of how it goes:
 
Registration:
 
Click the 'Register' item on the menu bar.
 
Fill in the form. You need to choose a Username not already on the system. This will be your permanent ID on MV, but you'll have the option to mask it with a nom de guerre once you have joined.
 
You must enter a valid e-mail address, twice. If you get it wrong you will not be able to join. The forum software checks that the address is correctly formed, is not already in use and that the two entries are identical. It cannot detect a mistakenly-remembered address (.co.uk instead of .com, or a punctuation error or misspelling).
 
Answer the simple anti-spam question. Anyone with the most remote familiarity with Pete Atkin's work will know the answer, but 'spambot' software will not.
 
Agree to the terms and conditions.
 
Hit the 'Register' button at the end of the form.
 
You will be thanked for registering and advised that an automatic e-mail has been sent to the address you gave.
 
Collect your e-mail and open the message titled 'Welcome to Midnight Voices'. You will note that it asks you to reply to the message to confirm your application. This is a further necessary anti-spam step, to confirm your address is real and that you are human, not machine. Do not modify the message or begin a new one -- simply hit 'Reply' and 'Send'.
 
From this point I am in the loop. Your reply comes to me, along with the Forum's message alerting me to your application and advising me of your initial password. In my turn, which is usually within the hour but seldom subject to more than a 24-hour delay, I will mail you your log-in details. Keep checking your mail for a message entitled 'Re: Welcome to Midnight Voices'.
 
Login
 
On receiving this, click the 'Login' item on the Forum's menu bar and enter the username and password supplied, exactly as in the e-mail. This completes your membership activation.
 
Profile
 
You may now set up your profile. Click the 'Profile' menu item, or follow the link included with my e-mail. You may add as much or as little information as you wish, but I recommend you alter the 'Name' and 'Password' fields.  
 
By default 'Name' is the Username you chose, but you may alter it to anything you wish. We're not some cloak-and-dagger hacking or gaming community, so I suggest you use your real name. You can also correct punctuation and capitalization at this stage.
 
'Password' is the awkward machine-generated character string you were given in my e-mail. You should change this to something you can easily remember.
 
While logged in, read a few recent posts. This will verify to me that you have completed the log-in process successfully. You don't need to log out -- next time you refresh the Forum page you will be recognized automatically.
 
Problems
 
If you do not complete the registration process within seven days of application, your incomplete registration will be deleted and you'll have to begin again. A surprising number of people have failed to complete. Principal reasons are:
 
1. A frivolous attempt at joining, perhaps with the intention of spamming the Forum, but discouraged by our security measures. A wacky username often accompanies such an attempt.
 
2. A genuine attempt to join, but discouraged by our security measures. Don't be shy!
 
3. An incorrectly entered e-mail address: you never receive your Welcome message.
 
4. An overzealous spam filter: you never see your Welcome message. Whitelist 'Midnight Voices' and 'peteatkin.com'.
 
5. Failure to reply to your Welcome message within seven days.
 
6. You unaccountably change your mind about joining.
 
Solution
 
Mail me and ask for help! sjb(at)peteatkin(dot)com.
 
Please...
 
If you've already joined, but lost or forgotten your username or password, please don't register again under another name. Just e-mail me and ask! sjb(at)peteatkin(dot)com.
 
Stephen J Birkill
 
Administrator, Midnight Voices
Webmaster, Smash Flops
    https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1256640326&start=0#0   copy 

Stephen J Birkill
S J Birkill
MV Administrator
*****



just a sensible reserve



Posts: 847
Re: Registration - a reminder for new members
« Reply #1: 03.06.12 at 10:36 »
Quote

I'm refreshing this thread because we are still encountering the occasional unfulfilled membership registration. I'm not talking about spambots or anything -- these are real people genuinely wishing to become a Voice, but failing to reply to the automated confirmatory e-mail. The result is that they are unable to log in to the Forum, and their attempted registration is deleted after one week.
 
Every new applicant, on clicking Register, is immediately directed to an MV web page which states "Thank you for registering as a member of the Midnight Voices Forum. An automatic e-mail has been sent to the address you gave. In order to confirm your application and receive your password you must reply to this e-mail within the next seven days. You may change the password after you log in to the Forum for the first time."
 
There are various reasons you might not respond to this, including a change of mind, but the usual cause is non-receipt, or non-recognition, of the automated e-mail. This is a plain text mail, always sent from <mvforum(at)peteatkin(dot)com> and always titled "Welcome to Midnight Voices". If your spam filter rejects this, it is set far too tight! See the previous message in this thread for more detail on what can go wrong. And remember, it's you ignoring us, not we you!
 
I have two such unfulfilled registration requests pending, one of which expires today and one on Wednesday. I shall extend the grace period for both until next weekend to give their authors chance to respond. Please don't use the address quoted above for any other communication -- it won't work. Instead write to me, <sjb(at)peteatkin(dot)com> if you have any problems.
 
On a similar subject, will newsletter subscribers please note that any "replies" to the newsletter <From:> address will go unread. Instead use one of the contact methods given in the signature block at the end of every one of Pete's newsletters.
 
Thank you
 
S J Birkill
Administrator, Midnight Voices
    https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1256640326&start=1#1   copy 

Stephen J Birkill
S J Birkill
MV Administrator
*****



just a sensible reserve



Posts: 847
Another reminder for new registrants
« Reply #2: 20.01.13 at 14:51 »
Quote

With apologies to those already with us, I feel it necessary once again to remind those attempting to join MV of the need to verify their email addresses with us. We have recently had a few applicants who have ignored (or not even bothered to read) the instructions on the Registration Welcome page and/or the automated email, and as a result have had their membership applications cancelled at the end of the 7-day waiting period.
 
Replying to the automated email is an anti-spam measure for our forum and a necessary part of the registration process. Without it you will not receive your password, you will not have access to posting or archive privileges and you are not a member!
 
This applies to you, Paul ******, Steve ******* and Patrick ******!  
 
Our newest successful registrant was David ******* on January 8th, and before that Glynis ***** on December 2nd. If you think you've joined in the intervening period, you're mistaken. 'Paul' and 'Steve' still have a few days remaining in which to respond. Note that the 'Latest/Newest Member' boxes on both sites will show the latest applicant's name, whether confirmed or not, but it will disappear after seven days if registration is not completed (or sooner if overwritten by a newer applicant).
 
The welcome mail goes out immediately you complete the registration form, and it goes to the exact email address you give on the form. The web page asks you to check your mail immediately, including your spam dump -- if you have a spam filter set to reject plain text messages addressed to you from someone not in your address book, then it's set too strict.
 
My earlier posts in this thread give more detail. If you're having any difficulty, please drop me a line at the personal address you'll find there.
 
Stephen J Birkill
 
Administrator, 'Midnight Voices'
Webmaster, 'Smash Flops'
    https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1256640326&start=2#2   copy 

Stephen J Birkill
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