Using Our Site

Are you a member of our site? Do you want to learn more about how to use the site? Do you have a question about how to do something? This page has detailed information about joining the site and using the various features.

 

Welcome Sammamish High School 1961 classmates!

If you are new to this website, you can view a quick explanation of how to join the site by clicking the First Time Visitors link, or read below for more details about how to get started and how to use various features of the site. Learn how to set up your password for future visits to the site, and how to create your profile page and personalize it by adding pictures and/or videos. Once you’ve joined the site, you will have access to other classmates’ profiles and the password-protected pages of the website.

Whether you are new or have already joined the site, information on this page will help you learn the ins and outs of using the site.

As time goes on, please remember to keep your profile up-to-date with current contact information, and enjoy using this site as a portal to reconnect with old friends.

Click on any of the following links to learn more about using the site.

How to get answers
Using the website is FREE
Should I join the site even if I may not be able to attend the reunion?

Some pages are password protected
How to get started
About your profile
Privacy choices on your profile
Contact information is confidential
Keep your contact information and profile current
How to add a guest member
Forgotten password and reset
What is "Remember Me?"
Emails to the class
Trouble with email and password log in
Change of email or snail address
How to upload photos to your profile
Master photo
How to delete a photo from your profile
Member Functions: Message Center
Member Functions: Edit Contact Info
Member Functions: Edit Profile
Member Functions: Edit/Upload Photos
Member Functions: Post Announcement
Member Functions: Profile Subscriptions
Member Functions: Change Password
Member Functions: Log Out
Instant Messaging (IM)
Instant Messaging: screen resolution
Instant Messaging: your photo
Instant Messaging: search for members
Instant Messaging: sounds
Instant Messaging: icons
Instant Messaging: tip
Instant Messaging: tool bar
Instant Messaging: private chat window
Instant Messaging: changing your status
Can I turn off my Instant Messaging feature temporarily?
Disable Instant Messaging
Can the Instant Messaging window be moved?
Can I start more than one private chat?
Will Instant Messaging work on my iPhone, iPad, or smart phone?
Live Chat

 

HOW TO GET ANSWERS: If you have questions at any time, just click on the Contact Us button in the top menu bar and we'll reply within 24 hours if at all possible.
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USING THE WEBSITE IS FREE: This website is maintained and hosted by a fellow classmate and is completely FREE to all classmates and guests of the Sammamish High School class of 1961. You will never be asked to pay for creating your profile or accessing other alumni profiles. This website considers a classmate or alumni to be anyone who was a member of the Sammamish High School class of 1961.
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SHOULD I JOIN THE SITE EVEN IF I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE REUNION? Yes! Even if you don’t think you’ll be able to attend the reunion, it is hoped that there are old friends on this site that you would like to reconnect with, and for that purpose we hope you will still join the site.
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SOME PAGES ARE PASSWORD PROTECTED: We want everyone to be comfortable with entering information and using the website to connect with others. Information on pages of the website that are not password protected will be indexed by search engines, like Google, and any information on those pages could be returned in responses to Google queries. For this reason, we are password protecting any pages with personal information on them. The exception to this is the Classmates & Guests page, which will not be protected because it needs to be available to allow people to join the website. There is no personal or contact information on that page, only our names. Remember, you have to sign in to be able to access the password-protected pages.
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HOW TO GET STARTED: Please take a few minutes to create your classmate profile. Click the Classmates & Guests link in the header at the top of the page. You will be taken to a listing of the SHS class of 1961. Scroll to find your name, click on it, and follow the instructions to create your login password, contact information, and your profile. If you cannot find your name on the Classmates & Guests page, please use the Contact Us link to have your name added. Once you create your profile, you will be able to see the profiles of your fellow classmates and interact with them. You don’t have to finish your profile all at once. Come back whenever you want to add to or update your information, or to add more photos.
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ABOUT YOUR PROFILE: We have listed your name on the Classmates & Guests page the way your name was shown in our 1961 yearbook. If you prefer to have your first name shown in a more familiar way (e.g., show a nickname that is commonly used for you, or show only your first name if the yearbook contained your first and middle names), when you fill out your profile, please change your name to however you'd like to have it shown.

Be sure to provide a valid email address in the contact section. Our class will use this site to communicate information about our classmates and about events that concern us, like future reunions.
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PRIVACY CHOICES ON YOUR PROFILE: Notice the choices on the bottom of the profile as you create it. You have the option of password protecting your personal profile, which blocks the general public and search engines from accessing your profile details. If you want to do this (recommended), check the Profile Visibility box to allow only fellow classmates to view your profile details.

To verify that you have checked the Profile Visibility box, log out and find your name on the Classmates & Guests page while you are still logged out. You should see a lock icon after your name. If you do not see the lock icon, click Edit Profile in the left-hand menu bar, and scroll down toward the bottom of your profile; then check the Profile Visibility box. Be sure to click save changes at the bottom of the page!

You also may choose to keep your personal information private, such as your street address and phone number. If you want to do this, uncheck the Contact Details box so that logged-in classmates will not see your address and phone number. When others click on your name, they will see only your city and state, and any other contact information that you choose to put on your profile. Email addresses are not displayed on the website.
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CONTACT INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL: All contact information that you enter into this website will be kept confidential. It will not be shared or distributed. Your contact information is private: your address and phone number can't be seen by other classmates unless you grant permission on your profile. Without your permission, when someone clicks on your name, all they will see of your contact information is your city and state and whatever information about yourself you choose to put in your profile.

Your email address is not viewable, although an email can be sent to you using the contact box at the bottom of your profile. Therefore, if you reply to or send a message to someone through their profile, they will see your email address so that they can respond.
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KEEP YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION AND PROFILE CURRENT: After you've created your profile, if your contact information changes (email address, street address, phone numbers) or you want to revise your profile, please update your information. Click the Edit Contact Info and/or the Edit Profile tabs under Member Functions in the menu bar on the left side of the website pages.
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HOW TO ADD A GUEST MEMBER: Guests on our site are people who have a connection either to Sammamish High School or to one of our 1961 classmates. Our teachers and administrators are guest members. Classmates can sponsor friends and family members to be guest members. Sammamish classmates who graduated in a year other than 1961 can be guest members.
 
Guest members have the same privileges as classmates, and once they are logged on, they have access to the entire site. Their names are shown on the Classmates & Guests page, with all the guests listed after all the classmates. Guest members are designated with their guest status, i.e., teacher, counselor, class of ’62, sister, child, etc. When a guest member joins the site, their name will be listed on the home page Profile Updates box to notify us that a new member has joined or that a profile has been updated.
 
If you want to sponsor someone to be a guest on our site, here's what to do:
  1. Click on the Contact Us link at the top of the page and send the website administrator an email with the name of the guest you want to sponsor and identify what the guest's relationship is to either Sammamish High School or to you, the classmate.
  2. The administrator will evaluate the request and if the proposed guest meets our criteria, will add the guest's name to the list of guests on the Classmates & Guests page and notify the sponsor that the guest is able to register on the site.
  3. Once the new guest's name has been added to the list of guests, he or she can visit the website, find their name and click on it, then follow the screen prompts to create their logon information, provide their contact information, and complete a profile.
  4. If someone wants to be a guest member and does not have a classmate sponsor, they may contact the website administrator (click the Contact Us link), explain why they want to be a guest, and the administrator will evaluate whether they meet our criteria. If so, the administrator will become their sponsor.

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FORGOTTON PASSWORD AND RESET: If you forget your password, there is a password reset feature. In the box where you log on, you will see a button labeled "Forgot Password?" If you click this button, you will be taken to a Password Help screen. Follow the prompts on that screen, and a link to reset your password will be sent to the email address you have on file in your profile. When you click that link, you will go to a screen where you can create a new password.
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WHAT IS "REMEMBER ME?" "Remember Me" is a choice you see in the log in box. We thought it would work like on other sites, i.e., so you don’t have to enter your logon information (email address and password) each time you visit. However, it doesn’t seem to work this way. As near as we can tell, it doesn’t make a difference whether you check this or not. In any case, if you logon from computers other than your home computer, you will have to enter your password.
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EMAILS TO THE CLASS: We will send periodic emails to the class from this website to notify everyone of changes to the site and to provide information about events, such as reunions. Email sent from this website will have either a from address of the website administrator or a from address of noreply@classcreator.net. To be sure you receive all emails, please add (or allow) the noreply email address to your "Safe Senders" list so that your spam blocker will allow email notifications from this website.
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TROUBLE WITH EMAIL AND PASSWORD LOG IN: If you're having trouble, your computer may not be retaining cookies. A cookie is a little piece of data stored on your hard drive and is used by Class Creator to maintain the login system. Although cookie problems are rare, when they do occur you have several resolutions. Try any of the following:

  • Make sure you are logged into your web site.
  • Upgrade your browser to the most recent browser.
  • Switch browsers. For instance if you are using Internet Explorer, try Firefox.
  • Clear your Temporary Internet Files (cache) and clear your current cookies so you are starting fresh.
  • Make sure you are doing nothing to block cookies on the web site. Our login system depends on cookies working. If you are blocking cookies in general, you need to at least permit them for this web site so you can log in.
  • Reboot your computer.

Aren't cookies bad? Answer: No. The "cookie scare" of the late 1990s was largely based on misconceptions that cookies stored on your computer's hard drive somehow violated privacy. Erroneous information regarding cookies has long since been corrected, and cookies are a common programming practice used today by some of the Internet's largest websites. There is nothing that our website does with cookies that will in any way jeopardize your privacy, store personal information about you, or submit your personal information to other websites.
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CHANGE OF EMAIL OR SNAIL MAIL ADDRESS: Please change your contact information when you get a new Internet provider or move...we don't want to lose you! We keep our Class List current by downloading your contact information from this website.
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HOW TO UPLOAD PHOTOS TO YOUR PROFILE: First you need to pay attention to the size of the photos you want to upload. Because there are some size restrictions on the Profile display, please set the size of your photo at a maximum of 1000x1000 pixels. Anything larger than this may result in the upload function not completing or other problems.

  1. You can upload .jpg, .gif, .bmp, and .png files, but not .tif. Your pictures will be automatically resized when you upload them to your profile.
  2. Be sure you are logged in on the Home Page. In the links on the left side under MEMBER FUNCTIONS, click on the link: Edit/Upload Photos.
  3. Your photo page will appear and you'll see a radio button titled: Upload New Photo. Click this button, which will take you to the Image Editor page.
  4. The Image Editor page contains all the functions to upload and modify your photo(s). Start by clicking the Browse button. A list of folders on your computer will show up. Locate the folder that holds the photo you want to add to your profile.
  5. Select the photo you want by clicking on it, and it will open in the Image Editor.
  6. If you don't want to make any adjustments, go to Step 7. But if you do want to make adjustments or add text to the photo (see Step 8 for adding captions), just click on the appropriate button for what you want to do. When you're done, click Save Changes, then go to Step 7.
  7. Close the Image Editor by clicking the X at the top right hand corner, and you will return to your photo page.
  8. If you want to add a caption to your photo, you can enter it here, before you save your photo.
  9. Click the Save All Changes button. Now you can return to your Profile page and look for your photo(s) and caption(s).
  10. If you upload multiple photos, you need to pay attention to the Sort button. The sort number controls the order in which photos display on your page. By default, your photos will appear in the order you enter them, so this isn't important for your first photo. But later if you want photo #5 to appear as #1, you will have to change the sort numbers on your photos. And if you delete a photo, the sort numbers for the remaining photos do not change (i.e., if you delete photo #2 out of 4 photos, it will show photos #1, 3, and 4).

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MASTER PHOTO: When you upload photos to your profile, you may designate one to be your master photo, by clicking the master photo box. Your master photo will be used when you send messages through the Message Center, or add posts in the Totems Talk forum. If you do not designate a master photo, your yearbook photo will be used as the default.
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HOW TO DELETE A PHOTO FROM YOUR PROFILE:

  1. Choose EDIT/UPLOAD PHOTOS under MEMBER FUNCTIONS from the left-hand navigation column. All the photos on your profile page will be displayed.
  2. Click in the DELETE box above the picture(s) you wish to delete.
  3. Choose SAVE ALL CHANGES. A pop-up box will ask, "Do you really want to delete this 1 photo."
  4. Click "OK" and the photo(s) will be removed from your Profile Page.

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MEMBER FUNCTIONS - MESSAGE CENTER: This feature lists all the emails you have received (IN BOX) as well as those you have sent (OUT BOX) through this website. Your messages will remain in their respective boxes until you delete them. A KEY at the top of both the IN BOX and OUT BOX shows symbols representing the status of an email. You will find one of these symbols to the left of each email listed. Each listed email shows:

  1. A box to check
  2. The status (opened or unopened)
  3. Either who sent it to you (IN BOX) or who you sent it to (OUT BOX)
  4. Subject and date of email, and
  5. A red "X."

In both the IN BOX and OUT BOX settings, clicking on sender’s name brings up that person’s profile page and clicking on the subject brings up the actual email. Clicking inside the box on the far left or on the red "X" on the far right, will turn the background red. This means that the email can be deleted by choosing the tab at the bottom of the page that says DELETE CHECKED THREADS.
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MEMBER FUNCTIONS - EDIT CONTACT INFORMATION: Choosing this feature will allow you to view all of the contact information you entered on your contact information page. You can change your contact info at any time. Be sure to click the SAVE CHANGES button at the bottom of the page when you have finished. 

  1. First Name
  2. Last/Maiden Name
  3. Primary Email. Enter email address. Email address also serves as site login address.
  4. Alternate Email(s). Enter 1 or more email addresses, if you would like to receive duplicate copies of emails sent through the website. If you only want 1 copy, leave these fields blank. Please note, only your primary email address can be used to log on to the website.
  5. Street Address. Your street address is visible only to the Site Administrator and is hidden from your Classmates unless you specifically choose to share this information in your Profile area.
  6. Street Address 2. Same street address privacy rules above apply to this field.
  7. City
  8. State/Province
  9. Country
  10. Zip/Postal Code
  11. Telephone. NNN-NNN-NNNN
  12. Cell Phone. NNN-NNN-NNNN
  13. Birthday

Note that we will never use personal information for anything other than contacting you regarding issues directly related to the SHS Class of 1961 website.
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MEMBER FUNCTIONS - EDIT PROFILE: Choosing this feature will allow you to change the information that shows on your profile page. Be sure to click the SAVE CHANGES button at the bottom of the page when you have finished.

You have the following controls over your profile:

  1. Profile Visibility: Allow only fellow Classmates to view my Profile details. This will block the public and search engines from accessing your Profile. Leave this box unchecked if you wish to allow the public (friends, co-workers, family members, etc.) to view your Profile details. If you decide not to check this box, be aware that search engines (like Google) will index your information and all the information on your profile may be displayed when people search the Internet.
  2. Contact Details: Allow Classmates to see my address and phone number (this information is hidden from your Classmates unless you check this box).
  3. Birthday: Allow Classmates to view my birthday. This option allows Classmates to see your date of birth in your profile and on the home page 30 days prior to your birthday.
  4. Classmate Comments: Allow Classmates to enter comments under my Profile. (Most users opt to leave this feature on. You have the ability to edit or delete any comments left under your Profile.)
  5. Instant Messages: Allow other Classmates to send you Instant Messages through the web site (recommended). 

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MEMBER FUNCTIONS - EDIT/UPLOAD PHOTOS: To add photos to your profile you must be able to locate the photo on your computer. Most of the time, it will be in the folder titled MY PICTURES. Follow the directions further up on this page for adding, deleting, and editing photos.
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MEMBER FUNCTIONS - POST ANNOUNCEMENT: When you have information you think would be of interest to classmates, you can create your own announcement. The announcement will be forwarded to the administrator who will review it, and, if approved, activate it on the Announcements page.

If you prefer, you can notify the site administrator of an announcement by cicking the Contact Us link. The administrator will take care of posting your announcement.
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MEMBER FUNCTIONS - PROFILE SUBSCRIPTIONS: Place a checkmark next to each classmate you wish to keep track of. When the classmates you have selected update their profiles you will be notified via email. It's a great way to keep track of your friends.

You can also subscribe to classmates who have not yet joined the site, which will generate an email to you when the classmate joins. Subscribing to Profiles will also notify you when a classmate has an upcoming birthday.
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MEMBER FUNCTIONS - CHANGE PASSWORD: If you wish to change your password, click on CHANGE PASSWORD under Member Functions. A page will appear with 3 sections for you to fill in.

  1. Type in your PRESENT password.
  2. Type in your NEW password.
  3. Type in your NEW password a second time.
  4. Click on SAVE button

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MEMBER FUNCTIONS - LOG OUT: When you are done viewing the website, please select the LOG OUT link to close your session. If you don’t log out, you will continue to be logged on to the website.

This is how it works: Your browser stores a login cookie for your login until you select the log out link. If you leave the site without logging out, the system understands you are no longer on the page for the purpose of live chat or instant messaging, but it will recognize you each time you come back on the same computer/browser system and you will not have to log in again.

When you LOG OUT, the next time you want to access the site, you will need to enter your email address and password. Also, if you access the site from a different computer, even if you have not logged out, the next time you use your main computer you will need to reenter your email address and password.
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Instant Messaging (IM)

Forum Etiquette: IM forums are intended for reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, sharing memories and stories, as well as current interests. So, please be courteous to everyone on our website.

In order to participate in Instant Messaging the only requirement is that you have the latest version of the Adobe Flash player. If you're having trouble with the IM feature, you should go to www.adobe.com and upgrade to the latest version of the Flash player.

The Members Online panel is positioned to the lower right of the web site. It can be expanded by clicking anywhere in the title (top bar) area. Clicking the title area again will minimize the window. To chat privately with a fellow member simply click his or her name in the Members panel. Each Member's name you click on will spawn a private messaging window as seen below. You can open up to 4 private messaging windows at any one time.

 

Chatting with another member is simple: Click your mouse anywhere in the bottom region of the window to enter your message then press enter or return to send the message. That's all there is to it — you can now easily chat with fellow members as you browse the site.
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INSTANT MESSAGING - SCREEN RESOLUTION: For best results use a screen resolution with width of 1280 pixels or greater. Any of today's wide screen monitors will have at least a 1280 resolution. At this size the Members panel will never cover any site content. If you are using a smaller screen resolution the Members panel will cover site content, but it can be easily minimized or closed completely by clicking the X in the upper right corner.
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INSTANT MESSAGING - YOUR PHOTO: Your master photo is displayed at the top of the Members panel. All messages in the chat window display your master photo. If you have not selected a master photo, you will see the default image, which is your photo from the 1961 yearbook. Your master photo cannot be set from within the Instant Messaging interface. To set your master photo click on the Edit/Upload Photos link on the web site and follow the directions on screen.
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INSTANT MESSAGING - SEARCH FOR MEMBERS: If there are many members logged in at the same time, you can quickly search for members by clicking "Search for members" in the Members Panel and entering the first few letters of the member's name.
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INSTANT MESSAGING - SOUNDS: A sound will be heard whenever a new member logs into the web site. Another sound will be heard every time a member sends you an instant message through the web site. Sounds can be disabled by clicking the speaker icon in the Members panel.
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INSTANT MESSAGING - ICONS:

  Online

  Has not typed anything for 5 or more minutes

  Member is currently typing

If you forget what the icons mean, hover your mouse pointer over them and the member's status will expand like this:

                        

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INSTANT MESSAGING - TIP: Hovering over a member's name will pop up a window allowing you to quickly jump to the member's Profile page.
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INSTANT MESSAGING - TOOL BAR: The icons on the tool bar allow you to insert emoticons, bold and/or italicize your text, change font color, and quickly jump to these help instructions. You can also start a Private Chat session.
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INSTANT MESSAGING - PRIVATE CHAT WINDOW: Clicking the "Private Chat" button in the tool bar allows you to jump to a larger private chat window that allows the sharing of photos, webcam feeds, and YouTube videos. You can also invite additional members to the private chat. You can start as many Private Chat sessions as you'd like (as long as you can keep up)!
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INSTANT MESSAGING - CHANGING YOUR STATUS: At times you may not wish for members to see you online. In the Members Panel you can change your status to any of the following:

Online: You are currently available and accepting Instant Messages.

Away: You are online, but not currently at your computer.

Do Not Disturb: You are online but wish to block incoming Instant Messages.
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Can I turn off my Instant Messaging (IM) feature temporarily? Yes. Click on the ‘X’ in the upper right hand corner of the IM Member online. You will get a pop-up saying: “You are about to turn off the Instant Messaging Feature. A new link called "Turn on IM" will appear under your Member Links if you wish to turn it back on. If you with to permanently disable Instant Messaging, you can do so under your Edit Profile link."
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DISABLE INSTANT MESSAGING: If you wish to completely turn off the Instant Messaging feature you can do so in your profile. Click the Edit Profile link and deselect "Allow other members to send me Instant Messages through the web site." If you disable the Instant Messaging feature your status will automatically be set to Invisible, no other members will see you online, and you will also no longer see any other members currently logged into the web site.
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Can the IM window be moved? No. It works best along the bottom of the screen. You can launch up to 4 IM windows at any one time. Although these windows do pop up in front of site content, they can be easily minimized or closed. You have full control over what IM windows appear and when.
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Can I start more than one private chat? Sure you can. You can be in unlimited simultaneous Private Chats; if you can keep up with it.
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Will IM work on my iPhone or Smartphone? Probably not. Most don't support Flash. At least for the moment, if you want to IM you'll need to use a regular computer. We are working on a non-flash version.
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Live Chat
Live chat is a feature somewhat like a conference call, but done online through the website. We're currently not using the live chat feature, but we may sometime in the future. With live chat, we would set up a time, and possibly a subject, for the chat. When the chat room is open, any member who has logged on can participate in the live chat by typing messages through the website. Here are the instructions, for future reference.

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LIVE CHAT INSTRUCTIONS

In order to participate in Live Chat, the only requirement is that you have the latest version of the Adobe Flash player. If you're having trouble loading Live chat, you should go to www.adobe.com and upgrade to the latest version of the Flash player.

PANELS DESCRIPTION

LEFT PANEL:

This is where conversation occurs. At the bottom of this panel is the Control Bar. The Control Bar is used for controlling various elements of your chat. Messages can be entered under the Control Bar. Pressing the Enter Key or clicking the Send button makes your message visible to all participants.

All messages in the conversation window are preceded by your "Master Photo". If you have no Master Photo you will see a default image. Your Master Photo cannot be set from within the Live Chat interface. To set your Master Photo click on the Edit/Upload Photos link on the web site and follow the directions on screen.

NOTE: New members joining the chat room will see the last 20 entries made by other participants, allowing them to quickly see the current conversation and begin participating.


UPPER RIGHT PANEL:

This is the "Media Window." Members in the chat room can use this window to share photos, YouTube videos, and live webcam feeds. These items can be shared by using the Control Bar.


LOWER RIGHT PANEL:

The Members panel shows who is in the chat room. To the right of each member's name you might see any of the following icons:

Currently participating
Has not typed anything for 5 or more minutes

Should you forget what the icons mean, hover your mouse pointer over them and the member's status will expand like this:

Member is currently typing.
Member is sharing a webcam.
Member is currently watching your webcam.

NOTE: All member names are clickable to their Profile pages. If you want to know more about the person you're chatting with, click on their name and their Profile will launch in a separate window.


 


USING THE CONTROL BAR

The Control Bar is used for sharing media and adjusting font, font size, and font color.

  Insert emoticons.
 
   
  Share a YouTube video with fellow members. To share a video, open YouTube in a separate browser window or tab. Find and play the video you wish to share. While watching the video select and copy the web address in your browser's address bar. You can also copy the "embed code" YouTube provides for sharing videos on other web sites. Return to the Live Chat window, roll over the YouTube icon, and paste the YouTube address into the white box. Click "Share" or press your Enter key to share your video with all participants in the chat room.
     
  Share a picture. You can enter the web address for any picture online you wish to share, or you can upload a picture from your own computer to share with fellow members.
 
   
 

Click the webcam icon to allow other participants to see you. If you want members to also hear you simply plug in a microphone. Whenever a participant shares a webcam, a webcam icon will appear next to their name in the Members panel. Click the icon to watch the feed. Click the webcam icon next to a different member's name to switch to a different feed. If you wish to turn your webcam off, click the "Stop Sharing" button on the monitoring window (if it's not currently open you may have to click the webcam icon on the Task Bar to open it again).

IMPORTANT: There is no 3 way or voice conferencing abilities in the Live Chat application. You can only watch 1 member's webcam feed at a time. Likewise each member can only watch 1 other member's webcam feed at a time. If you want a member to see and/or hear you, and you also want to see and/or hear that member, you must monitor the member's webcam feed, and the member must monitor your webcam feed. Pay attention to the watching icon () so you know when other members are watching your webcam feed.

Is there a way for 1 person to share audio and video with the entire chat room at once? There is. If one person (let's call this person The Presenter) wants to address the entire group of chat members, then all parties in the chat room should click on The Presenter's webcam icon. While all participants would be able to see and hear The Presenter simultaneously, everyone would need to type their responses back to the Presenter, because at most The Presenter could only see and hear one other person (because The Presenter too can only monitor one feed at a time like any other chat participant).

If you have your webcam monitoring window open while chatting you will see this symbol followed by the number of people who are currently watching your webcam.

NOTE: The webcam icon will only appear next to members' names who are sharing a webcam. If a user has not enabled a webcam, no webcam icon will be present.

     
     
    Use these font tools to select font, font size, bold, italic, and font color.
     
  Click the help icon at any time to return to these live chat instructions.
 

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT

If you want chat participants to see and hear you on webcam, you'll need a webcam and a microphone. In order to eliminate sound echo you must ensure sound emitted from your computer speakers cannot travel back through your microphone, causing a sound loop (the source of echo). Echo can be avoiding by utilizing a headset or headphones, or by using a microphone or speakerphone with echo canceling technology.

If you need a webcam or microphone compatible with this Live Chat system here's some we recommend:

WEBCAM WITH INTEGRATED MICROPHONE

 

Logitech Conferencing Starter Kit with Chat Headset

Automatically follows your movements. Everything you need to use the Live Chat system. Click for more details at Amazon.com.

 

HEADSET WITH MICROPHONE

 

Logitech Webcam Pro 9000

Includes noise-canceling microphone and in-line volume control. Great when paired with a stand-alone webcam. Click for more details at Amazon.com.

 

STAND-ALONE WEBCAM

 

Logitech 720p Webcam Pro 9000

Intelligent Face Tracking keeps you center-screen. Use with headset with microphone or echo canceling speakerphone. Click for more details at Amazon.com.

 

ECHO CANCELLING SPEAKERPHONE

 

ClearOne Chat 60

Chat without headgear or earpieces! Crystal clear audio for everyone in the room. Highly recommended. Use with stand-alone webcam. Click for more details at Amazon.com.

 

WEBCAM TROUBLESHOOTING Q&A:


Question: I clicked the webcam icon but my webcam did not come on. What should I do?

Answer: Generally, most webcams will activate when you click the webcam icon on the Control Bar. If yours does not, make sure you can see your webcam feed using the software that came with your webcam. Once you can, close down your webcam software and then try clicking the webcam icon on the Control Bar again. If you have an issues, first check to make sure the webcam is working properly. This can be done by turning off your computer, unplugging the webcam, turning your computer on and then plugging it back in. Let the system pick up the webcam, possibly reinstall or repair drivers and then see if that works. If not, chances are another problem is occurring between either the webcam or its connection.

Question: My webcam is on, I can see my feed using the software that came with my webcam, but after closing that software and then clicking the webcam icon on the Control Bar I still cannot see my feed.

While most of the time your webcam will be auto recognized, many things can affect Live Chat's ability to accurately detect your webcam, such as the age of your webcam, method by which it connects to your computer, and version of your Operating System (OS). Older operating systems are more likely to have difficulties detecting your webcam. One thing you can try is downloading Skype from www.skype.com. Skype is one of the most popular services online where webcams are frequently used. Does your webcam work with Skype? If it does not, it's a good indicator it's time to upgrade to a newer webcam.

Question: I use my webcam with other applications. Is that a problem?

Answer: Possibly. Close all software before starting a new webcam session Sometimes after you finish using the webcam in a software application, the program may not properly release the webcam for other activities in other applications, or even the same application. Sometimes you cannot use the webcam because it is being accessed by another program by default. So, if you are having a problem with your webcam, close the program you are using it in, reboot your computer, and then try using the Live Chat application again.

Question: Should I do anything with webcam drivers?

Answer: If everything else has failed, try downloading the latest drivers and updates for your webcam. Some webcams may not be recognized by the Live Chat application unless you have the most recent drivers and updates for your webcam. If you installed the webcam separately, go to the webcam manufacturer's website and download the latest drivers, updates, plug-ins, or conversion utilities for any webcam video software. TIP: Be sure to verify the webcam drivers and software are compatible with the OS version of Windows or Mac you are using!

Question: Nothing has worked. I think I need to buy a new webcam. Any other suggestions?

Answer: Sometimes new hardware is the only solution. While waiting for your new webcam to arrive, have you considered using a laptop computer with this Live Chat? Most laptops sold today come with a built-in webcam.

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