1
Graphics / Banner sizes explanation
« on: September 06, 2009, 09:03:16 am »
this a thread for the members to make it easier for them to tell what the size of their banner or signature they would like
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2
General Discussion / Forum Reviews(only topic)
« on: September 05, 2009, 09:09:27 am »
this is a topic for you if you want your forum to be reviewed by me,, i am still waiting for confirmation of the admin if he will add a forum reviews board,, so if you like your forum reviwed post it here
Categories to be reviewed
Here you will be able to request an analysis of your forum according to the different criteria. Our team of analysts will try to reply as best as they can, and we ask you accept their comments and the time taken to provide them.
The different criteria
Graphics
Design/Layout
Language
General
Other
Graphics:
The first thing one notices when on a a web page are the graphics. Starting with the banner and the navigation menu. It is therefore favorable for a forum to have a reasonable design that also matches its theme. There's no point in having a flashy light design for a vampire forum for instance.
Design/Layout:
The design and layout give an impression of the site as a whole. If the categories are well placed or not make more of a difference then one would first think.
Design and Layout also takes into account several other variants such as the permission settings for instance. Permissions serve to choose who goes where and what stays private, hence a good use of these can thus enhance and/or simplify your forum management
Language:
Contrary to popular belief, a good use of language is a vital key. Whether it be in reality or in a virtual community.
SMS language or other variants are a prime example of a bad use of language and have a tendancy to be a 'push' factor within a virtual community.
The use of good language also involves the restrainement of cetain words said to be vulgar. An interesting variant to check on the use of the censor option.
General:
This aspect involves the forum as a whole.
This criteria involves certain aspects such as:
-The concordance of the site's theme and the graphical themes,
-The Staff as an undividual unit and in correlation with the members,
-The general ambiance within the virtual community amongst others things that the analyst seems worthy of mentioning
Others:
This criteria differs imensly between different forums. It englobes the specificty of each forum.
For example:
-In a graphics forum, it could envolve the graphics levels of the administration team and the eventual graphics team.
-In a RPG forum, it could involve the game play methods
This criteria also takes not of a certain degree of originality.
How to submit an Analysis Request?
Simply fill in the following form:
Code:
Name of the Forum:
Address:
What categories would you like the reviewer to review?
Pick what area's you want the review team to review.
Theses are the minimum requirements you must have to get a review.
=> Full Review- You will need 75 members atleast 200 messages
=> Choose up to three area's from above at least 45 users with 200 messages
=> Choose up to two differnet areas from above atleast 30 users with 200 messages
=> If you want one area to get reviewed you will need 15 users with 40 messages
=>All forum will need to be English as this forum is a English Support Forum.
If you also want to provide an account that the analyser will be able to use, please provide it with its password within the hide tags
In desired, fill in the different categories in which you'd like your forum to be analysied in. If it's all, simply ask for a full analysis.
In the suggestions, you can choose wheather you want extra comments from the analyser as well as suggestions wich could enhance your forum. (Note that the analyser isn't obliged to give any)
Categories to be reviewed
Here you will be able to request an analysis of your forum according to the different criteria. Our team of analysts will try to reply as best as they can, and we ask you accept their comments and the time taken to provide them.
The different criteria
Graphics
Design/Layout
Language
General
Other
Graphics:
The first thing one notices when on a a web page are the graphics. Starting with the banner and the navigation menu. It is therefore favorable for a forum to have a reasonable design that also matches its theme. There's no point in having a flashy light design for a vampire forum for instance.
Design/Layout:
The design and layout give an impression of the site as a whole. If the categories are well placed or not make more of a difference then one would first think.
Design and Layout also takes into account several other variants such as the permission settings for instance. Permissions serve to choose who goes where and what stays private, hence a good use of these can thus enhance and/or simplify your forum management
Language:
Contrary to popular belief, a good use of language is a vital key. Whether it be in reality or in a virtual community.
SMS language or other variants are a prime example of a bad use of language and have a tendancy to be a 'push' factor within a virtual community.
The use of good language also involves the restrainement of cetain words said to be vulgar. An interesting variant to check on the use of the censor option.
General:
This aspect involves the forum as a whole.
This criteria involves certain aspects such as:
-The concordance of the site's theme and the graphical themes,
-The Staff as an undividual unit and in correlation with the members,
-The general ambiance within the virtual community amongst others things that the analyst seems worthy of mentioning
Others:
This criteria differs imensly between different forums. It englobes the specificty of each forum.
For example:
-In a graphics forum, it could envolve the graphics levels of the administration team and the eventual graphics team.
-In a RPG forum, it could involve the game play methods
This criteria also takes not of a certain degree of originality.
How to submit an Analysis Request?
Simply fill in the following form:
Code:
Name of the Forum:
Address:
What categories would you like the reviewer to review?
Pick what area's you want the review team to review.
Theses are the minimum requirements you must have to get a review.
=> Full Review- You will need 75 members atleast 200 messages
=> Choose up to three area's from above at least 45 users with 200 messages
=> Choose up to two differnet areas from above atleast 30 users with 200 messages
=> If you want one area to get reviewed you will need 15 users with 40 messages
=>All forum will need to be English as this forum is a English Support Forum.
If you also want to provide an account that the analyser will be able to use, please provide it with its password within the hide tags
In desired, fill in the different categories in which you'd like your forum to be analysied in. If it's all, simply ask for a full analysis.
In the suggestions, you can choose wheather you want extra comments from the analyser as well as suggestions wich could enhance your forum. (Note that the analyser isn't obliged to give any)
3
Guides and Tutorials / [guide]clearing your browser cache for log in purposes
« on: September 05, 2009, 06:36:39 am »
Clearing the browsers cache can solve a bunch of display or login-problems. Browsers store the content of a website in their cache, to avoid loading images or other content again the next time you visit this site. This is speeding up your web browsing, but can sometimes lead to "obsolete" pages (when the browser still prefers accessing content from the cache instead of loading updated content). Clearing the cache would force a browser to download the content again to display an up-to-date page.
Below are some instructions on how to clear the cache in Firefox and Internet Explorer. If you are using another browser, search in the help files or browse through the options or settings. If you have some experience with a yet unlisted browser, you are invited to write a short tutorial for it so we could update this thread.
Firefox
Two methods are available here, the first one being the most simple and the fastest one to clear your entire cache. Just hit "Ctrl + Shift + Del" on your keyboard. A window will appear that allows you to clear private browser data. One of the options you can select here is "Cache", so be sure you have marked this box before confirming the deletion. This option is also available in the "Tools" tab in your main menu (clear private data). If you have a site opened while doing this, don't forget to refresh it.
The next option is very easy as well, just refresh the page with "Ctrl + F5". This method, however, does not clear the entire cache, but only for the current active page.
Internet Explorer
In the main menu, select "Tools" and then "Internet Options".
Stay on the General-tab and click the button "Delete" in the section "Browsing History" - as seen in the screenshot above. You will now see a list with options to delete private and temporary data. Click the button on the very top - Temporary Internet Files - and confirm the deletion afterwards.
submitted by Jalokim
Below are some instructions on how to clear the cache in Firefox and Internet Explorer. If you are using another browser, search in the help files or browse through the options or settings. If you have some experience with a yet unlisted browser, you are invited to write a short tutorial for it so we could update this thread.
Firefox
Two methods are available here, the first one being the most simple and the fastest one to clear your entire cache. Just hit "Ctrl + Shift + Del" on your keyboard. A window will appear that allows you to clear private browser data. One of the options you can select here is "Cache", so be sure you have marked this box before confirming the deletion. This option is also available in the "Tools" tab in your main menu (clear private data). If you have a site opened while doing this, don't forget to refresh it.
The next option is very easy as well, just refresh the page with "Ctrl + F5". This method, however, does not clear the entire cache, but only for the current active page.
Internet Explorer
In the main menu, select "Tools" and then "Internet Options".
Stay on the General-tab and click the button "Delete" in the section "Browsing History" - as seen in the screenshot above. You will now see a list with options to delete private and temporary data. Click the button on the very top - Temporary Internet Files - and confirm the deletion afterwards.
submitted by Jalokim
4
Guides and Tutorials / [guide]Forum Glossary/Definitions
« on: September 05, 2009, 06:03:38 am »
- Administrator : This is the highest permission level for a member. He can manage the whole baord by creating/organizing categories and sections, setting up permissions, changing the board's design, managing the users, etc.
- Announcement : Topic which always stays at the top of the topic list even if this topic is old. It appears at every page of a forum. They are generally used for board rules.
- Avatar : Personal image which is shown below the username in posts. The avatar is choosen by the user and it usually reflects a personality trait, a passion or a mood.
- Category : A group of forums (section). They can't contain topics directly.
- Flood : From the original definition of the word, this term is used to talk about the action of mass-posting only to raise the member's rank, to put a forum out of order or anything else. It may be posts which are extremely short. On Forumotion, this kind of post penalize forums in their position in the Forumotion directory.
- Fora : Latin plural for "Forum"
- Forum : Two definitions
1) Website or dynamic website part which allows written expression of its members. Also called "board", "message board" or "bulletin board"
2) A group which contains topics (or threads), also called "section"
- Founder : The administrator who created the board. He has rights the other admins haven't, such as modifying his own profile, changing the board's address or deleting his board. He also has access to the restoration tools (utilities).
- Guest : User who's not logged in to your board
- Hidden user : Registered user who have chosen to hide their online status. It can be done by setting "Hide your online status" to YES when you edit your profile. Administrators and moderators can still see them, their names appear in italic.
- Moderator : A member who's charged to ensure a nice ambiance in a section or in a group of sections. For this, he has tools simple member don't have, such as moving, locking, unlocking, deleting, splitting, merging topics, editing or deleting posts, banning troublesome members
- Post : Part of a topic which contains what a member wrote. It also contains the avatar and the informative links about the same member. It is synonym of "message"
- Private message : As the name means, it's a message you send to a single member who will be the only one to read it. This is useful for transmitting confidential information (ex : abuse report). Also called PM.
- SMS : Kind of writing which is often used in textual messages exchanged between mobile phones. This writing has the characteristic to be very abbreviated by using a single letter or number for a sound (ex : "U" for "you", "2" for "to", "sk8" for "skate"). this kind of writing MUST be avoided on this board because it's hard to read!
- Sticky : A topîc that always stays at the top of the topic list, below annoucements (if there is one), even if this topic is old. It appears only on the first page of a forum. They are generally used to display useful content which must stays visible for everyone.
- Topic : A series of posts. Also called "thread"
- Troll : Message or poster aimed to engage in controversy at an excessive level. It harms the forum ambiance because it annoys members, it's not very appreciated.
submitted by Jalokim
- Announcement : Topic which always stays at the top of the topic list even if this topic is old. It appears at every page of a forum. They are generally used for board rules.
- Avatar : Personal image which is shown below the username in posts. The avatar is choosen by the user and it usually reflects a personality trait, a passion or a mood.
- Category : A group of forums (section). They can't contain topics directly.
- Flood : From the original definition of the word, this term is used to talk about the action of mass-posting only to raise the member's rank, to put a forum out of order or anything else. It may be posts which are extremely short. On Forumotion, this kind of post penalize forums in their position in the Forumotion directory.
- Fora : Latin plural for "Forum"
- Forum : Two definitions
1) Website or dynamic website part which allows written expression of its members. Also called "board", "message board" or "bulletin board"
2) A group which contains topics (or threads), also called "section"
- Founder : The administrator who created the board. He has rights the other admins haven't, such as modifying his own profile, changing the board's address or deleting his board. He also has access to the restoration tools (utilities).
- Guest : User who's not logged in to your board
- Hidden user : Registered user who have chosen to hide their online status. It can be done by setting "Hide your online status" to YES when you edit your profile. Administrators and moderators can still see them, their names appear in italic.
- Moderator : A member who's charged to ensure a nice ambiance in a section or in a group of sections. For this, he has tools simple member don't have, such as moving, locking, unlocking, deleting, splitting, merging topics, editing or deleting posts, banning troublesome members
- Post : Part of a topic which contains what a member wrote. It also contains the avatar and the informative links about the same member. It is synonym of "message"
- Private message : As the name means, it's a message you send to a single member who will be the only one to read it. This is useful for transmitting confidential information (ex : abuse report). Also called PM.
- SMS : Kind of writing which is often used in textual messages exchanged between mobile phones. This writing has the characteristic to be very abbreviated by using a single letter or number for a sound (ex : "U" for "you", "2" for "to", "sk8" for "skate"). this kind of writing MUST be avoided on this board because it's hard to read!
- Sticky : A topîc that always stays at the top of the topic list, below annoucements (if there is one), even if this topic is old. It appears only on the first page of a forum. They are generally used to display useful content which must stays visible for everyone.
- Topic : A series of posts. Also called "thread"
- Troll : Message or poster aimed to engage in controversy at an excessive level. It harms the forum ambiance because it annoys members, it's not very appreciated.
submitted by Jalokim
5
Guides and Tutorials / [Guide]How to take screenshot on your forum and other
« on: September 05, 2009, 05:50:45 am »
How to take a Screen Shot
In this quick tutorial, I'll explain how to take a screen shot as well as detail a few of its uses.
I. What is a Screen Shot?
A screen shot is, in short, a picture of your screen. It can be used as a presentation or act as a guideline for a path route to take. Screen shots can also be used to authenticate something such as an image or post.
II. How do I do a Screen Shot?
First of all, you need some sort of image software ( MS paint should prove more than sufficiant Wink)
The next step is to find the right key to press on your keyboard. Indeed, there's a button which when you press it will instantly copy your screen (as an image) into your clipboard. The letters are Prt Scr - or on some keyboards Prt Sc.
Now, on your image software you paste what is on your clipboard.
Once this is done, you'll need to save it and have it hosted somewhere (ex: Serivmg or Imageshack)
Now that that's done, you'll be wanting to take the Thumbnail version (a clickable one is preferable) and there you go Smile
III. One last little thing
Say you were to do a Forum Overview for instance. You'll quickly notice that one screen isn't enough to see the whole forum...
What I advise doing, rather than making many different screens, is to merge them all into a big one. You can always simply retouch the image to keep only the necessary (the forum) and wipe out the rest (elements of your screen), and add the next part underneath Wink
If you are using Firefox you can also use this add-on to capture the whole page of any site you are viewing.
III. b) For Users of Windows Vista
Open "Snipping Tool" Screenshotting
Another way to take a screenshot is to Navigate in your Start menu, and find the accessory named "Snipping Tool" :
Navigate to your Start menu >
All Programs tab >
Accessories >
Click on Snipping Tool.
Using "Snipping Tool"
Once you have your Snipping Tool activated, your screen sppear a fadish white.
To screenshot a selected section on your computer screen, just simply drag your cursor over the selected area you want screenshotted. Once you let go of your cursor, there is then a pop up preview of the selected are you dragged your cursor over. To save your select screenshot image, Navigate :
File >> Save As >> *Name the selected image
submitted by Jalokim
In this quick tutorial, I'll explain how to take a screen shot as well as detail a few of its uses.
I. What is a Screen Shot?
A screen shot is, in short, a picture of your screen. It can be used as a presentation or act as a guideline for a path route to take. Screen shots can also be used to authenticate something such as an image or post.
II. How do I do a Screen Shot?
First of all, you need some sort of image software ( MS paint should prove more than sufficiant Wink)
The next step is to find the right key to press on your keyboard. Indeed, there's a button which when you press it will instantly copy your screen (as an image) into your clipboard. The letters are Prt Scr - or on some keyboards Prt Sc.
Now, on your image software you paste what is on your clipboard.
Once this is done, you'll need to save it and have it hosted somewhere (ex: Serivmg or Imageshack)
Now that that's done, you'll be wanting to take the Thumbnail version (a clickable one is preferable) and there you go Smile
III. One last little thing
Say you were to do a Forum Overview for instance. You'll quickly notice that one screen isn't enough to see the whole forum...
What I advise doing, rather than making many different screens, is to merge them all into a big one. You can always simply retouch the image to keep only the necessary (the forum) and wipe out the rest (elements of your screen), and add the next part underneath Wink
If you are using Firefox you can also use this add-on to capture the whole page of any site you are viewing.
III. b) For Users of Windows Vista
Open "Snipping Tool" Screenshotting
Another way to take a screenshot is to Navigate in your Start menu, and find the accessory named "Snipping Tool" :
Navigate to your Start menu >
All Programs tab >
Accessories >
Click on Snipping Tool.
Using "Snipping Tool"
Once you have your Snipping Tool activated, your screen sppear a fadish white.
To screenshot a selected section on your computer screen, just simply drag your cursor over the selected area you want screenshotted. Once you let go of your cursor, there is then a pop up preview of the selected are you dragged your cursor over. To save your select screenshot image, Navigate :
File >> Save As >> *Name the selected image
submitted by Jalokim
6
Suggestions / subforums and allow members to update what's currently happening on their forum?
« on: September 05, 2009, 04:20:39 am »
hello smfforfree staff!
1st suggestion: i would like to suggest you to have subforum on advertise your board/blog(forum) like music, computers and internets, games and rpg, sports and hobbies, graphics, etc.. members will post their forum on the correct section so that the guests finding forums will not be annyed in classifying forums if they are music,graphics, computers and internets,, the guests will be have the time to navigate easily,,
2nd suggestion: i also suggest you to allow members to post the latest updates on their forum for every 24 hours,, well,, this is not called a bumping... if they bump without any reason,, lock their topics,, they can post about the latest news and changes so that the guests will know that the forum they are finding are still active.. just have a rules about it.. besides i think 90% percent of the forum created here are dying because guests doesn't know if the forum they will look is active ,you might help your members with this and they will be going back and back on smfforfree support forum ,you should also do this if you approved the 1st suggestion...
Jalokim
1st suggestion: i would like to suggest you to have subforum on advertise your board/blog(forum) like music, computers and internets, games and rpg, sports and hobbies, graphics, etc.. members will post their forum on the correct section so that the guests finding forums will not be annyed in classifying forums if they are music,graphics, computers and internets,, the guests will be have the time to navigate easily,,
2nd suggestion: i also suggest you to allow members to post the latest updates on their forum for every 24 hours,, well,, this is not called a bumping... if they bump without any reason,, lock their topics,, they can post about the latest news and changes so that the guests will know that the forum they are finding are still active.. just have a rules about it.. besides i think 90% percent of the forum created here are dying because guests doesn't know if the forum they will look is active ,you might help your members with this and they will be going back and back on smfforfree support forum ,you should also do this if you approved the 1st suggestion...
Jalokim
7
Graphics / star files by jalokim
« on: September 05, 2009, 01:20:01 am »
i will post more when i'm with the others, enjoy!
- Administrator/Founder
- Global Moderator/Super Moderator
- Asst. Moderator/Support Moderator
- Moderator
- Graphic Designer
- other staff postions
you are free to use them
- Administrator/Founder - Global Moderator/Super Moderator - Asst. Moderator/Support Moderator - Moderator - Graphic Designer - other staff postionsyou are free to use them
8
General Discussion / Topic to express your heartfelt thank to smfforfree.com
« on: September 05, 2009, 01:07:42 am »
well,, this is a topic for yo to thank smfforfree.com fo it gives you best quality forum and free service! and also to staff members with teir help 
,, i'm usually a guest here for a long time and reading guides and help,, thank you smfforfree!
,, i'm usually a guest here for a long time and reading guides and help,, thank you smfforfree!
9
Suggestions / [suggestion]forum reviews
« on: September 05, 2009, 12:58:39 am »
well,, i think we should have a board/forum for forum reviews in which members will post there and a forum reviewer will review it,, the forum reviewers will give suggestions, postive and negative comments/feedbacks about their forum and members will be able to improve more their forum because of these...
about the review.. a member might request any categories for review example,, he would like only to review the Graphics of his forum in which the forum reviewer will analyse the graphics of the requester and give them feedbacks on how to improve it more.
about the Forum Reviewer- you might add this rank as a staff member,, you might hire a member who likes it and has skills about reviewing,,.. but i have experience on reviewing a forum on other forum hostings, i like to help the forums of the members here.
pls note a reply if you liked this suggestions
Jalokim
about the review.. a member might request any categories for review example,, he would like only to review the Graphics of his forum in which the forum reviewer will analyse the graphics of the requester and give them feedbacks on how to improve it more.
about the Forum Reviewer- you might add this rank as a staff member,, you might hire a member who likes it and has skills about reviewing,,.. but i have experience on reviewing a forum on other forum hostings, i like to help the forums of the members here.
pls note a reply if you liked this suggestions
Jalokim
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