FAQ

GENERAL

Is the site free to use?

Yes, the site is completely free to use.

What can I do on the website?

Meet people! Learn Something. Share your knowledge... Develop your profile and your page. Add your pictures. Upload instructional videos you encountered. Participate in groups. Contribute to discussions. Start a blog, comment on someone else’s blog. Comment on someone else's page. Make new friends.

What are the guidelines for using the website?

Honor the people and goals of this community. Be respectful and positive. Share yourselves openly. Respect the privacy of others. Add your photo and edit your profile so people know who you are!

How do I add or change my profile picture?

Click on "Change my photo" on your page underneath your profile photo - or - click on "My Settings" on the top right of any page. Browse and select a new photo. Click “Save” on the bottom of the page.

How do I edit my profile?

Click on "My Settings" in the upper right hand corner of each page. Click "About me" on the top left. Edit profile answers and click "Save".

How do I invite new friends on Taboan?

Click on the "Add as friend" link underneath profile photos. Wait for your invitation to be accepted.

Where do I check my friend requests?

Click on the friend icon on top of the screen. A panel will pop down with 4 sections: "My Friends," "Received," "Sent," and "Blocked." Click on "Received" to approve or deny friend requests that have been sent to you.

How do I send someone a private message?

You can send a private message to your 'friends' on the network. Click on 'Send a message' underneath your friend's profile photo to send a private message. In order to send another member a message, you'll need to ask them to be your friend first.

Where do I read and reply to my private messages?

Click on the envelope icon on top of the screen. A panel will then drop down where you can compose messages and read messages you've received. Your options underneath the message will be to delete, save, reply, forward or close the message.

Who can send me a private message on Taboan?

To protect your privacy, only your friends can send you private messages on the platform. The Network Creator and Administrators can send you messages and you can message them back. Further, if you belong to any groups, the Group Creator and Administrator can get in touch with you.

How do I write and read my messages?

Click on the envelope icon on top of the screen. A panel will then drop down where you can compose messages and read messages you've received.

How can I send private messages to more than one friend at once?

Click on the "My Friends" link in the right hand column of the network. Next, click the link to "Send message to friends." You'll be able to select friends from your address book and write them messages from this page.

How do I manage my email notifications?

Click on "My Profile Settings" on the right of the screen. Click on "Email" on left. Select the most suitable settings.

INVITE

How do I invite someone to join Taboan?

Click on the ‘Invite’ tab up above.

Can I use my address book or contacts to invite people to Taboan?

Yes. Sign in to Taboan. Click on “Add from Address Book” on the ‘Invite’ page, then click on people you wish to invite. Click on “import more addresses” to invite people from your address book at GMail, Yahoo! Mail, MSN Hotmail, and AOL Mail.

I sent invitations to my friends but they say they haven't received them. What should I do?

It is possible that your invitations were flagged as spam. Please ask your friends to check their spam filters. If the invitation is not there, send it once more.

MY PAGE

What is a Comment Wall?

A wall on your page where people can leave you a message

How do I write a message on someone’s comment wall?

Click on someone’s picture or name to go to their page. Leave a comment in inside their white comment box. Alternatively, click on “Comment Back” at the bottom of a comment someone left for you.

MEMBERS

How do I find a particular member on Taboan?

Click on the ‘Members’ tab at the top of the screen. Type any part of their name or Ning ID into the ‘Search Members’ text box.

FORUM

How can I start a forum discussion?

To start a discussion, click on the "Forum" tab and then on the "Start a New Discussion Link"

How can I contribute to a discussion?

Click on a discussion that interests you. Clicking on "Reply to this" and add your reply in the white box. Then click on "Add your reply".

How can I stay informed of new postings on discussions or blogs?

Click on "Follow - Email me when people reply" on the bottom of the post and you will receive an email with a link to the new posting. You can return to the page and click on "Stop Following - Don't email when people reply" at anytime.

Why does it say I have 15 minutes to edit posts?

To maintain the integrity of discussions and replies, we allow fifteen minutes for members to edit posts. We do, however, let members delete their own posts at any time.

Can I subscribe to a network's forum posts?

Yes. Go to the main page of the network you wish to subscribe to and click on the RSS link in the bottom left hand corner of the forum section.

GROUPS

What are groups?

Groups are communities within Taboan.

BLOGS

Where can I find blogs on Taboan?

Click on 'Blogs' to see our peacemakers' blogs. We also feature blog posts on the home page. Find links to other blogs on peace on our 'Links' page. And of course, you can find our peacemakers blogs on their personal page. You are welcomed also to start a blog of your own.

How do I start a blog?

Click on "My Page" tab. On your page, click on "Add Blog Post" (on the bottom of 'My Blog' on top of your 'comment wall').

How do I delete one of my blog posts?

Click on ‘Manage Blog’ on your profile page. Check the box next to the post you want to delete. Click the "Delete" button.

Can I upload documents to a blog post?

Yes. Click on the blue disk icon in the WYSIWYG editor. Select the files you wish to attach.

Can I have my blog show up on other websites?

Yes. Click on the bottom of your blog on RSS and add it to other websites. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication a simple way of providing news feeds from websites.

CHAT

Why doesn't chat seem to work?

Our chat feature is still in 'beta'. It works in principle. Chat works best when you invite someone you know to chat with you in real time.

PHOTOS

How do I add photos?

Click on the ‘Photos’ tab at the top. Upload photos from your computer, mobile phone or email account.

How do I delete a photo?

Click on the photo you want to delete to go to that photo's detail page. Click on ‘Delete’ link below the photo.

How do I create my photo album?

Click on ‘My Albums’ and then click on ‘Create an Album’. Add your photos and click "save" to see your photo album.

How do I change the order photos show up in a slideshow?

Create a photo album (see above). Inside your photo album choose the specific order of the photos. Click “save” to see your photo album. Click "view this slideshow" to see it full screen. You can also click the "Embed" button to receive code to put your slideshow on your blog or MySpace page.

VIDEOS

How do I upload a video?

Click on the ‘Video’ tab above and then click ‘Add a video’. Add videos from your computer, cell phone, email account, or any service that provides video embed code like YouTube or Google Video.

What video formats can I upload?

We support .mov, .mp4, .mpg, .avi, .3gp and .wmv video formats.

I just uploaded my video. Why does it say it is "converting"?

Your video is converted to Flash so that your visitors can watch it without needing to install any additional software. This process usually takes up to 20 minutes, depending on the length of your video.

How do I delete a video?

Click on the video to go to its detail page. Click on ‘Delete’ underneath the video.

OTHER

How can I search for information on the site?

Enter a keyword you are looking for in the Search Box in the upper right hand corner of any page.

What can I do with the text boxes?

Add text, text links, photos, slideshows, and videos.

How can I help the site grow?

There are several things members can do to help the site grow which include: - Invite your friends to join. - Provide feedback and suggestions for how to Improve the site. - Create a Link on Other Websites - You are encouraged to add a link to Tinker Tech on other sites. - Share your success stories. For example, if you made a new contact or were otherwise inspired, share a brief summary of the experience by clicking on feedback.