Help Videos

How do I know if I have an account or am signed in?

Joshua Stengel — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 19:08:15 GMT

In this video...

Learn how to see if you are signed in to the Community.
Learn how to see if you already have an account.
Learn how to lookup your sign in account and sign in.

Instructions

Click on the "Download" button to start the video.

Additional information

This video can be helpful if you are having trouble accessing something that you think you should be able to access.

How do I create an online poll/survey?

Joshua Stengel — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 19:11:05 GMT

In this video...

Learn how to attach a survey to a new post
See how to add/remove question from your survey
Learn how to respond to a survey
See how survey results are displayed

Instructions

Click on the "Download" button to start the video.

How do I look up my sign in name/password?

Joshua Stengel — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 19:08:25 GMT

In this video...

See what happens if you try to login with and incorrect sign in name or password
Learn where to click to recover you information
See how to request a password reset
See how the email alert look in your mailbox
Learn how to click on the recovery link and reset your password

Instructions

Click on the "Download" button to start the video.

More information

Your password is stored as encrypted text and cannot be "looked up"--only reset. This protects your identity in case someone manages to steal the database.

Tip! Most people forget their sign in name more often then their password. Make sure you try different sign in names if you are having trouble.

Still need help?

Email: CommunitySupport@nicic.org.

How do I attach files to my posts?

Joshua Stengel — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 19:02:46 GMT

In this video...

See how to attach a file to a new post
See how attachments are displayed in a post

Instructions

Click on the "Download" button to start the video.

Additional information

Attachments are only attached to the web post. They are not sent out with the email alerts so it is a good idea to let people know that a file is attached so that they will go the web post and download the file.

How do I only show forums I want to see?

Joshua Stengel — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:18:21 GMT

In this video...

Learn how to hide forums you do not want to see
See how to collapse/show groups of forums
See the difference between "Threaded" and "Flat View" discussions and how you can select one.
Learn about the advanced forum options

Instructions

Click on the "Download" button to start the video

How do I setup my email alerts?

Joshua Stengel — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 21:53:40 GMT

In this video...

Manage all of your forum email subscriptions
Manage a specific forum's subscription
Manage email alerts for a specific discussion
Setup email alerts for a blog
Make sure that your account is setup with the correct email address and settings

Instructions

Click on the "Download" button to start the video

More information

Setting up your email alerts is an easy way to stay informed. By default you only get messages for discussions that you start or are participating in. If you are in a private group, setting up email alerts is strongly recommended.

How do I upload and share a file?

Joshua Stengel — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 21:26:47 GMT

In this video...

Copy a file from your computer to the web site
Give the file a title and description.
See where the file is located
See how to comment on a file

Instructions

Click on the "Download" button to start the video

More information

Members of private groups can upload files into their designated folder. Any registered member can share a file in the "Shared files" folder.
Most safe filetypes are allowed (PDF, ZIP, DOC, etc).

How do I use the "My Stuff" section?

Joshua Stengel — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 20:09:17 GMT

In this video we will

Find things to add to "My Stuff"
Learn how to add those things to "My Stuff
Create folders to organize your information
See how to use "My Stuff"

Instructions

NOTE: In order to use the "My Stuff" page, you must be a member and must be signed in! Not a member yet? Join now.
Click on the "Download" button to start the video.

What is the "My Stuff" page?

The "My Stuff" section allows you to organize your information. You tell the system which things your want to monitor, and when you go to this page, the system will go to all the forums, blogs, and other web sites you have added to your "My Stuff" page. The "My Stuff" page acts as a news aggregator.

How it works

Some web sites publish information in a special format that lets other web sites automatically retrieve that information. In the Community, all of our blogs and forums publish this ability. Also, the NIC web site (http://nicic.org) publishes information about its training programs and new library items. Look for icons that are orange or have the letters "RSS" (Real Simple Syndication) on them. You will copy the address (URL) that these icons link to, into your "My Stuff" page. The video will show you how to do this.

New York Time: See their RSS feeds and read more about RSS