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FAQ: GENERAL
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to the DogsOnAcid FAQ Section, here you can find informative articles to help you get your head around everything to do with DogsOnAcid.
If you have any queries not taken care of in these FAQs or things that you think should be in them please use the comments system on each article to let us know how the FAQs could be improved.
GENERAL
Who runs this site?
A team of people; you can find out our roles on the Contact Page linked at the top.
Who maintains this FAQ?
XO and Mag.
How do I get in touch with you guys?
You can find out details on the Contact page. Please do not send general board enquiries here as they will probably be ignored. You can also contact the staff through the private message system.
What do I do if I can't find the answer I'm looking for here?
First up, it's worth using the "Search" button in the top right to see if anyone else has had the same question. Try and be creative with the key words you are looking for. Chances are that if it's a question such as "what does AFK stand for" or "what is a dubplate", you are best off searching on www.google.com as well: these are not questions limited in scope to Dogs On Acid. If you still can't find what you are looking for then please don't hesitate to post a question on The Board. For extra brownie points it's worth mentioning that you tried (and failed) to use the search and google to find the answer first.
If these hints are inappropriate for your query and you need some information from the staff.
TECHNICAL
So now that I'm here, how do I use this thing?
Please read our guide for new members.
Why can't I post anything? Why can't I use the search?
This could be for one of several reasons:
- You are not registered
- You are registered, not logged in
- You are logged in but not yet confirmed
- You WERE confirmed, but you changed your email address recently and have not re-confirmed
- You are logged in but banned
- You are experiencing some trouble since our relaunch (see question "Since your relaunch, I can't seem to stay logged in!")
Being logged in but not confirmed is the single most common cause of technical support emails, so please read the next answer to understand what happened.
How do I register? How do I confirm/re-confirm my registration?
Click on the "register" button on the front page of the site. You must fill in all of the required details. Many of these details - such as 'sex' - will not be visible to other users, we just use them to generate statistics so that we can make sure we're providing you with the best service.
Please note that you MUST use a valid, real email address that you can check.
Once you have filled in the form, chosen a unique user name and filled in a valid, unique email address, you will be emailed a confirmation email, that looks something like this:
quote:
Subject: Action Required to Activate Membership for Dogs On Acid !
Dear username,
Thank you for registering for the Dogs On Acid forums. Before we can activate your account one last step must be taken to complete your registration!
Please note - you must complete this last step to become a registered member. You will only need to click on the link once, and your account will be updated.
To complete your registration, click on the link below:
http://www.dogsonacid.com/register.php?a=act&u=nnnnn&i=nnnnnnnn
<a href="http://www.dogsonacid.com/register.php?a=act&u=nnnnn&i=nnnnnnnn">AOL Users click Here to be Activated</a>
**** Does The Above Link Not Work? ****
If the above link does not work, please use your Web browser to go to: http://www.dogsonacid.com/register.php?a=ver
Please to be sure not to add extra spaces. You will need to type in your username and activation number on the page that appears when you click on our copy the above link in your browser.
Your Username is: username
Your Activation ID is: nnnnnnnn
I am quite shocked by the number of people who can't follow those instructions, but here they are: Click on the link. Any link you see in that email will do. Sometimes the link wont work because it has been word-wrapped and messed up, in which case please visit http://www.dogsonacid.com/register.php?a=ver and type in your activation ID, much like it says to do in the email. After this has happened you will be able to post! But not before!!
Please also bear in mind that if you change your registered email address, you will have to do this process again using the NEW details that were sent to your NEW email address, or you will be unable to post.
Since your relaunch, I can't seem to stay logged in!
You need to clear all the cookies in your browser, and then log in again. This should fix the problem.
Why am I banned? How can I be unbanned?
If you really are banned, then it's because you didn't read the guidelines. Go back and read them. And then go back and read them again. If you're still not sure what you did wrong, contact a member of staff and we'll be happy to inform you. We'll probably be willing to give you a second chance, if you are on good behaviour, but we're unlikely to give you a third.
What's a Dog Tag, and what do I do with it? Where did the User CP go?
DogTag is our amusing and cute name for what was formerly known as the User Control Panel (or User CP). You can access your private messages and change your options through this panel. There's a lot there but most of it is self explanatory. It's worth giving the once over.
How do I check my private messages?
Click on "DogTag" at the top.
How do I stop the board from sending me emails?
Edit your options in the DogTag as explained in The DogTag guide.
What's a sig / signature? Can I have one? Why do some people have images and information under every post?
A signature is a block of text and images that appears underneath your posts every time you post. Signatures work in a very similar way to any other post you make on the board. You can read more about them in the DogTag guide.
Can I turn other people's signatures off?
Yes, it's an option in the "DogTag" (User Control Panel) section.
What's an avatar? Why do some people have images under their name? Can I have one?
An Avatar is an icon which appears underneath your name when you post. There are 2 kinds of avatars: "rank" avatars, as explained in the DogTag guide, which also explains how you can change them / activate them / disable them. There are also "custom" avatars, which can only be assigned by admin staff to people. Custom avatars are generally used as a sign that somebody on the board genuinely represents who they say they do, because we do background checks on the celebrities and other characters that ask for them. Please do not ask us for an avatar unless you represent a body that is reasonably well known inside the scene, or your request will be ignored. There are some exceptions to this. Members with extremely high post counts, or who have done us favours, or given the board dedicated service, will generally get to pick their own avatars.
Be warned that we have quite a dark sense of humour towards people who ask us for avatars anyway, and so if you bug us hard enough we will probably give you that avatar - but not the one you asked for, it'll be something stupid instead. We call these Avatards. And we laugh at you. And so does everyone else. Tee-hee.
Can I turn other people's avatars off?
Yes. Go to the Dog Tag and switch it off in your options.
Why did all the links on the board suddenly come up in a horrible oldskool blue flavour?
Your browser didnt load the stylesheet for some reason. Hit refresh.
I'm having terrible trouble trying to log out.
Try doing the logout using the "Who's Online?" link under the banner ad. This page has a logout box in the bottom right, which should work under any circumstances. Also please be aware that the front page of the site can be cached by your browser, "Ctrl-F5" usually updates it to display the latest information.
CULTURAL
Your board scrolls by so fast... how can I possibly cope???
Drink more coffee. No seriously. Ok... well maybe we can give you some hints to cope:
- If you post a thread try to make the topic informative and relevant to the content. This increases the chance that someone will read it! There are so many threads here as you can see, people often ignore ones which dont look interesting.
- If you leave the board for a day, your thread will probably be languishing somewhere on page 3 or 4! But fear not, a useful trick is to go to "Search" in the top right and search for posts by your own username. This is a good way to check if anyone has replied to you. If they haven't, you can try bumping your thread by posting a reply to yourself. This will put it back at the top of page one.
- If you don't get a reply, try posting at a different time of day when the question might be relevant to different people. We are a 24 hour board with members from all over the world, so it makes sense to post threads relevant to the UK during, say, lunchtime monday to friday when people are at work and reading the board, and not at 5 in the morning when the Aussies are up.
Where can I find the definitive list of "Dos and Don'ts" for this board? What is against the rules here?
Read the Guidelines here.
What is "being flamed"? What is netiquette and why should I care?
Being flamed - or "shot down in flames" - is what it feels like when you get the heat from other members on the board for making something of a faux pas, or otherwise being stupid. Netiquette - or Network Etiquette - is an idea that originated on Usenet, the oldest internet message board, which has been around for over 15 years. Basically, be polite and people will be polite back. And don't take anything anyone else says too seriously... those of our members who act like dicks on a regular basis get told this. Daily. By everyone else. Stick around and you'll learn who to trust and who to ignore, just like in any other community, and you yourself will earn some respect too.
Why do the people who post on your board seem so elitist / unhelpful / full of themselves / hateful towards newcomers?
It's common for newcomers (or "newbies") on any message board, not just ours, to put a foot or two wrong when they jump in at the deep end without reading the rules. Common offences include:
- Posting a question that's been asked a million times (as these are all answered in the FAQ, which you should have read!)
- Really awful spelling, like you were Ali G or some shit. It's not clever, it just makes your posts hard to read, which, in turn, means that people won't be bothered to read them. *cough* Winternet Crew *cough*
- Posting all in CAPITAL LETTERS LIKE YOU WERE SHOUTING (because that's how it will be read).
- Asking an easy or stupid or obvious question without searching for the answer first. The "search" button in the top right and also www.google.com are your friend here. Granted you might not know that your question is easy/stupid/obvious, so just don't take it to heart when you get a little fire, it's all good.
You must understand that many of the people on the board use it day-in and day-out from work, and so it's like you're stepping a foot into their home, however much or little that means to you. Of course they don't really live here, they're just squatting, and I get to kick them out when I want my space back. In the mean time though you're all welcome, as long as you don't break the rules. Also be sure to have a look at the question below about obscure / weird in-jokes.
What's a moderator? What's an administrator? What's the difference? Who does which?
A moderator is somebody who has power to edit other people's posts, close threads, and move or delete them. They are a carefully chosen bunch of individuals that we trust to be helpful and available for your needs!
An administrator is someone who has complete control over every aspect of the board; that currently means XO and Timid. We are "the staff" if you will.
A complete list of Forum Leaders can be found here
What's a troll? What's an alias?
A Troll is a poster who has decided to deliberately post something inflammatory, unpopular, argumentative or controversial just to stir up trouble and get some attention. They are best ignored if you can spot one. If the topic looks too over the top, or somebody else has already said what you have to say, it may not be worth replying to one...
An Alias is a member who has signed up to the board twice, but the second time under a secret name. Aliases are commonly used to stir trouble. We don't approve of aliasing used in this manner... you can't hide from us admins anyway, it's not hard for us to figure out who you are if you're going to cause trouble.
Somebody posted something that makes me seriously unhappy. What can I do about it?
Use the "Report This Post" button beneath the post, and include a detailed description of what it is that has caused you grievance. Frivolous reports will be ignored, but if the post has broken the rules it will be dealt with.
You guys have some seriously obscure / weird in-jokes, and I don't get it.
Yes, we do. Welcome to the Internet! Some of them are not so much DOAisms as general flavour-of-the-month Internetisms that have found their way here. Don't worry about them, if you don't get them just ask - or ignore them. There are probably at least 10 other people here who are just as confused as you... if not 11 or 12! ;)
We have a lot of members who wile away the hours at their (presumably quite boring) jobs by posting on DogsOnAcid all day. That's what makes the board so lively, but it also means that trends might develop during the day without you even noticing. Often, these obscure trends won't last into the evening; other times they last a whole month before being forgotten.
Here's a selection of some of the most recent and memorable trends (my commentary in italics):
- Posting a "cheese" option when you post a poll (somewhat of a tradition now)
- Posting "Let's get this thread to 1 billion replies and Submarines will be released!!!" (-- No it won't. Now stop taking the piss out of the Mutations thread, which reached 1000 replies, and did actually get the tune released).
- Posting the exact opposite question to another thread on the board and not actually caring if anyone replies to it
- Posting a thread that's the same as someone elses but with one word changed (boy, these can go on all day, and they get pretty tiring)
- Photoshopping pictures using other board members' heads (particularly Hastey, Habit or Chrissy ;o)
- "Clownstep" - a term that had been floating around for a while which was popularised by Dylan to jokingly describe how "Swing-beat" tunes like Bodyrock made him think of clowns. Watch out for that killer photograph of a step, painted with clown colours and stuff. It's worth a good 10 minutes of laughter alone.
- Posting threads about how amazing / crap / interesting / boring / original / old hat / anything that Ram Trilogy's "Bodyrock" is.
- Posting appreciation threads about random topics
- Posting the first reply to a new thread immediately after it was created, with the word "first!", and no other useful information. This is so old so old so OLD - and the only person who could do it right was the user "first!" anyway. But keep playing
- Posting "shut up man." to everything that everyone else says.
- The Rice Girl / The Squatter Girl / The busted teef' smiley / the slayer / badgers / dancing bananas / the death star ... pretty much everything which made it into the smiley-selection started off as some sort of obscure running joke, and most of them have been forgotten now, although if you do a search you might be able to enlighten yourself as to their origins! Each one has its own unique story, not that you even care!
- The words "Spee", "teh", "n00b", "pwned", etc etc ... most of these are not even DOA jokes. "pwned" and "n00b" are sort of hacker jokes, "teh" is a common typo - that some people absolutely love to do on purpose - and I dont know what the hell "spee" is, I must have been asleep that week.
The list is endless. Have fun!!
What the hell is "Clownstep" and why does it come up as ********* when I type it?
The true origins of the word are many and varied. It would seem a few people came up with the term on their own to describe the same thing. Keaton appears to be the precursor to Dylan saying Clownstep whilst Mag recalls that someone said the word in regards to Bodyrock in a chatroom of people listening to an Andy C set the first time Bodyrock was ever played out. However, since Dylan used it, the term has been grabbed by many and now shifted more to describe a different style of tunes otherwise known as "Nu Jump-Up." It also now has negative connotations for many people even though the term really started out as more of a harmelss joke. Regardless, the phrase has been well and truly rinsed. But it's still not dead.
Phazeone put the word on the "banned words" list because it's derisory and we've had enough of it.
-- XO(+Mag) |
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Dogs On Acid > Comments > FAQ
11-19-2003 10:45 PM
I make music only other Freaks Can hear!! 
What he said
