|
|
Frequently Asked Questions
 Generally, how does it work?Generally, how does it work? In the most basic sense people are joining a mailing list to receive information related to the community.
1) Members of the community register an e-mail address to receive automated e-mails containing information about local organizations (churches, schools, sports, government and other types of organizations) and businesses.
2) Community members create Project Pages for calendar events, news and announcements, business specials and coupons, etc. and associate them with an organization in the directory.
3) An automated system scans the community database for information to distribute to the community. Community members control the frequency in which they receive automated information.
Distributing local information without relying on people actually visiting a web-site is tremendously powerful. The harsh reality is, most web-site's don't get much traffic. Were not asking the community to visit the site each time they want info about what's going on (although many do). We are asking people to "review" an e-mail. The word review is used because automated e-mails are designed for quick "scanning", most of us don't have time to read three page document about the town ;-). Every informational e-mail that is sent is formatted the same way for consistency. I forgot my Screen Name or password, what should I do?I forgot my Screen Name or password, what should I do? Use the Forgot Password screen.
A link is at the top right of the screen that reads "forgot", click this to show the forgot password screen. You will be asked to enter your e-mail address. Your log-in information will be sent to you via e-mail. How do I delete or remove a Project?How do I delete or remove a Project? For calendar event type Project Pages: The page will be removed from the database a few weeks after the event. An automated system purges old events to save database storage space. If you don't want the page removed, change the event date to the future. This is a quick way to "re-create" a calendar event.
For NON calendar event type Project Pages: You won't find a link to Remove or Delete a Project Page. This is by design. If you want us to remove a Project Page, use the contact us form and tell us what page to remove. Make sure and include some contact information, under almost every circumstance we will need to contact you before removing the page.
If we remove a page, it cannot be recovered! How do I get more help?How do I get more help? The best way to get more help is to visit the list of projects then find the projectPG.org listing. After displaying the projectpg.org listing, click Project Pages. A list of pages will display.
The Project Pages we have created are designed to help you gain an understanding of the system.
We are always adding new "help" pages to our project. Let us know if there is a topic that needs better coverage. I own a business and I want to send an e-mail to everyone in town, can I?I own a business and I want to send an e-mail to everyone in town, can I? No. The system is not designed to allow people in the community to mass mail others. This doesn't mean you can't get a message included in outgoing e-mails. The community understands how important the success of LOCAL business is and we want to support you.
We recommend that LOCAL businesses get in the directory. Next, associate keywords to your directory listing related to your industry. Example: Joes Real Estate might enter Real Estate, Rentals, Loans as keywords. This will allow people to learn about you and your products and services.
Next, create Project Pages with coupons, special offers, news and other business announcements. The automated system will include information about your business in outgoing e-mails to the community. Do businesses and professionals advertise on the site?Do businesses and professionals advertise on the site? Generally No. Members of the community receive automated e-mails about information in the community. Many of the outgoing e-mails contain promotional information about LOCAL businesses. This is different than advertising "on the site".
The success of most communities relies on the success of local business, ours is no different. We work hard to allow LOCAL businesses to distribute their message in a consistent, predictable way.
In our opinion community members WANT TO HEAR what local businesses have to say but don't want to be confused by a ton of ads. Additionally, community members typically do a poor job of finding local business web-sites (for many reasons), this site allows local businesses to get involved in a centralized database that makes finding their information easier. How many emails will I receive? I want to stay informed but I don't want an e-mail everyday.How many emails will I receive? I want to stay informed but I don't want an e-mail everyday. The frequency in which you receive information is dependent on some basic choices you make. Some people choose daily while others choose weekly.
To change the frequency of automated messages to you, click the "e-mail preferences" link at the bottom of an automated e-mail you receive - follow the onscreen instructions.
Project administrators don't send e-mails directly and never see your e-mail address. The system compiles community related information and summarizes it in an e-mail message. Next, it sends the summary to people who want it.
Example: A local baseball league has an announcement and posts it in their Project (you have no idea this happened yet). You would see this new information in the next automated e-mail you receive. Again, you control the frequency of the e-mails you receive. Who can add organizations to the community database?Who can add organizations to the community database? Anyone with a Screen Name can add organizations and businesses to the community database.
To add a new organization the the database..
1) Log in
2) Visit the Projects screen
3) Scroll to the bottom and click "Add Organization to the Database"
4) Follow the onscreen instructions Who can change or update existing Project Pages?Who can change or update existing Project Pages? a) If you entered the organization into the directory, or someone on your Buddy List entered the organization into the directory; you can remove or change any Project Page associated with the organization. You can also change the organizational information displayed on the Project Home page and on the left side of every Project Page associated with the organization.
b) If you DID NOT enter the organization into the directory and the person that did is NOT on your Buddy List, you can change or update Project Pages only if you created them. You cannot update the organizational information on the Project Home page or the organization details displayed on the left of every Project Page associated with the organization.
Who can add Project Pages to existing organizations?
For community organizations, anyone with a Screen Name that is logged in. For business organizations, only the person that originally entered the business into the directory and people on their Buddy List.
If you operate a business, enter your business into the directory..then add your employees or associates to your Buddy List to allow them to manage your business listing and create Project Pages associated with your organization. How do I turn on the volunteer star next to our organizations name?How do I turn on the volunteer star next to our organizations name? If your organization has any Project Pages that "need volunteers" you can turn on the volunteer start by checking the "Needs volunteers" checkbox. To do this..
a) Log In
b) Visit your organzation
c) Click Project Pages on the left.
d) Click the Project Page that needs volunteers
e) Click "Update Page Details", this link is located towards the top of the screen, under the pages title. It is used to change an existing Project Page.
f) Check the "needs volunteers" checkbox, submit.
The Project Page itself show the volunteer star and the organization shows the volunteer star. The organization will show the start if ANY Project Pages need volunteers. It will NOT show the start if ALL Project Pages do not need volunteers. Who can add Project Pages to existing organizations?Who can add Project Pages to existing organizations? For community organizations (schools, churches, government, etc) anyone with a Screen Name that is logged in. For business organizations, only the person that originally entered the business into the directory and people on their Buddy List.
If you are associated with a community organization, it helps to allow community members to create Project Pages. Generally, community members willing to do this FOR YOU are only going to create Calendar Events associated with your organization.
If you operate a business, enter your business into the directory..then add your employees or associates to your Buddy List to allow them to manage your business listing and create Project Pages associated with your organization.
Who can change or update existing Project Pages?
a) If you entered the organization into the directory, or someone on your Buddy List entered the organization into the directory; you can remove or change any Project Page associated with the organization. You can also change the organizational information displayed on the Project Home page and on the left side of every Project Page associated with the organization.
b) If you DID NOT enter the organization into the directory and the person that did is NOT on your Buddy List, you can change or update Project Pages only if you created them. You cannot update the organizational information on the Project Home page or the organization details displayed on the left of every Project Page associated with the organization. How do I add something to the community calendar?How do I add something to the community calendar? 1) Log in (you will need a Screen Name to log-in)
2) Find the organization on the Project list (add it if it doesn't exist).
3) Click to see the organizations Project Home page.
4) Click Add Project Page on the left. Choose Community Event for the type of page
5) Complete the web-based form
To make changes to the new project page...visit it while logged in and look for the "admin" options on the left. How does the site prevent fraudulent, non-community related, unappropriate projects?How does the site prevent fraudulent, non-community related, unappropriate projects? Community members police the site then report abuse. Every project has a Report Abuse link on the left side.
Generally abuse is not a problem but does sometimes occur. When a Project is flagged for abuse several times it is removed automatically.
Please do your part and participate in the abuse reporting policy. If you see something questionable...by-all-means...REPORT IT. How safe is my e-mail address, what about SPAM?How safe is my e-mail address, what about SPAM? E-mail addresses are never displayed on the site and are never disclosed to anyone, period!
When you join the community mailing list your e-mail address is ecrypted and rendered un-readable by a human before it is stored in the community database. Site developers can't even determine who's on the list. Sophisticated software is used to reverse the encryption when sending outgoing e-mails to the community. The process is 100% automated.
We cannot tell you if your e-mail is on the list. If your not sure...try to join the list again (home page), if it already exists...the system will show you a message. What happens when I create a new Project Page?What happens when I create a new Project Page? When someone visits the organizations Project Home page, then clicks Project Pages..it will be displayed. Also, new Project Pages are promoted in outgoing e-mails to the community. I created a new project but don't see it on the list?I created a new project but don't see it on the list? Find the organization in the list of projects, click it to display it's Project Home page. On the left, click "Project Pages".
All project pages associated with the organization are displayed. I can't log in, help!I can't log in, help! Logging in requires a Screen Name and a Password. Creating a Screen Name is different than joining the community mailing list.
To create a Screen Name...visit the home page then click "Create new Screen Name". The system will send you an e-mail with instructions on how to log-in.
The log-in form is at the top right side of every screen. If you have a Screen Name you should log-in whenever you visit the site. If you forget your log-in information, use the Forgot Password link under the log-in form (top right). The system will e-mail you your log-in information. How is this site different than a typical internet forum?How is this site different than a typical internet forum? This site is not a place to go to "chat" online. It's a place to organize information, documents, flyers, handouts, and other stuff related to our community. The automated e-mail system works full-time to keep community members informed about local events and businesses.
Typical internet forums are designed to "converse" with others topic-by-topic. Additionally, typical web-sites require people to actually visit the site to get information, this site sends it to them on a pre-determined basis.
If you have time to chat online in a forum, congratulations! Most of us don't! Who pays for this site?Who pays for this site? Great Question! The site was developed and is maintained by a local citizen. He works as a professional database administrator and software developer. Yes, it costs him money to keep the database server, web-server, internet connection and other infrastucture running and available. No, he doesn't earn money from the site. He is sincerely interested in helping the community.
If the community takes advantage of this tremendous asset, we all stand to benefit. If our hunches are correct, we'll look up your-buddies-town USA in a year-or-two and help him make his town a little more like our town (no way, PG ROCKS!).
cheers. Why do I need to confirm my e-mail address before I can receive community e-mails?Why do I need to confirm my e-mail address before I can receive community e-mails? Lot's of reasons. Mostly because we need to verify your e-mail address is an e-mail address someone is checking. Typos happen. Plus, what would happen if someone else entered YOUR e-mail address and YOU started getting e-mails without ever requesting them? That's called SPAM, spam's no good (even the psuedo meat kind, trust me, I've tried it).
If we allowed people to simply enter an e-mail address (without verifying it) we would quickly have THOUSANDS of bogus e-mails addresses and spend hundreds and hundreds of dollards sending e-mails that ultimately bounce back. If you are a member of the community and want to recieve communtiy related information, we think clicking a link in a confirmation is reasonable. Can anyone register? Do I have to live in town to use the site?Can anyone register? Do I have to live in town to use the site? Yes, anyone can register to receive community related information. The sign-up process needs to be completed if you want to create a log-in to then create Project Pages. The sign-up does not need to be completed to get automated e-mails.
Project Pages are the source of the community information. Please review the terms and conditions before creating new Projects. What's this automated e-mail thing all about? What e-mails will I receive?What's this automated e-mail thing all about? What e-mails will I receive? Automated e-mails keep people informed.
The frequency in which you receive information is dependent on some basic choices you make. To control the frequency of your information emails click the "e-mail preferences" link at the bottom of e-mails you receive from the system.
Project administrators don't send e-mails directly and never see your e-mail address. The system compiles community related information and summarizes it in an e-mail message. Next, it sends the summary to people who want it.
Example: A local baseball league has an announcement and posts it in their Project (you have no idea this happened yet). You would see this new information in the next automated e-mail you receive. Again, you control the frequency of the e-mails you receive. Why do I need to be logged in to create projects?Why do I need to be logged in to create projects? Because logging in is the only way we can identify your account. If we let anyone create new Projects (without going through the sign-up process) we would quickly have a mess of useless information! What is a Screen Name?What is a Screen Name? Screen Names are used to identify community members and are used to log-into the system. |
Getting started with the Community Database.