Jim gave us a back-up forum called nosacredcows, but I have been unable to access it for weeks. That won't do us much good when Lusenet goes down! So I created a new EZBoard forum -- which I used because I'm familiar with them. I'm sorry, I don't know how to replace it on the BTS portal, so you will just have to bookmark it.

Here it is: Where the Sidewalks End

You WILL have to register to use it. So, you might want to register now and play with it, or else you can wait until Lusenet crashes again and try it out then. If you do go play with it, let me know what you think!

If anyone finds another free bulletin board service that they think is better, feel free to let me know! This EZBoard does have banners and annoying pop up ads. If we use this forum a lot, I will sign up for the low contribution to get them removed, but since it's only a back up at this time, I'll just leave it "as is".

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

Answers

I had to check before I posted this. You can register as either a global user or a local user. For this board, I registered as a local user, as I have a different name for my global user account. This is something you might want to consider when you register. I wanted to have a sign-on that you would all recognize!

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

I got on without registering?

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

It must like you better Earthmama. I can read the posts but it won't let me reply to them without registering.

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2001

EM, are you already registered on OTHER EZBoards? That would explain it! Well, I just looked at it and you all show up as unregistered users! Perhaps there is a setting to "disallow" unregistered users that is not turned on. For now, I will leave it "off", but I know these forums can be passworded, if that is something we need in the future. Just remember to bookmark the URL.

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2001

Well, I went in an looked, and all of you should be able to post without registering, because that is the option that is checked. You might try it again, Sherri, if you like.

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2001

I just went there and had to close the register box that opened and went ahead and posted with out a problem. They ask you for information like a pass word and I just typed in none. I just got one of those really annoying pop up registration boxes as I was typing HERE on this board. I hope it was just dragged over from EZ board somehow!!!

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2001

The first time I didn't type in any password and it didn't like that. This time I tried Diane's trick of using "none" for the password and it worked fine. I guess you just have to be smarter than the technology! :)

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2001

I can't even sign in, it tells me I am not an authorized user and doesn't recognize the pass word of "none".

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2001

Oops, some how got sent too soon...... Joy, or someone who is computer literate, can you please tell me how to sign in in a simple step by step manner?

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2001

I registered, etc., but what a bunch of marketing junk to have to wade through. YUCK! But Joy, you are a saint to set this up. Thanks!!

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2001

Well, Annie, I'm registered there, so I'm not sure this will be right, but give it a shot:

Go to the site: http://pub33.ezboard.com/bwherethesidewalksend

Near the top, under the title where the Sidewalks End, click on the "Register Your Free Account".

That will take you to a screen that says "Your Registration Choices". Read through them and decide which you want. I suggest Local Account. I have a global acct. under a different moniker, but for this board I created a local acct. so that it would say JoyF, so you could recognize me! :-) Maybe I should have used Guido? [snicker]

Okay, once you've chosen which kind of account you want, click on that choice near the bottom, which will take you to a screen that wants your information, fill that out, and you should be registered. I'm not sure, but I think you could put in an alias, but be sure to use a working email address, and you'll probably want to UNcheck all the stuff they want to send you!

Let me know, Annie, if it works, and anyone else who is having trouble.

****************

Sheepish, the pop-ups are really annoying aren't they?! Used to be, you only had to put up with their distracting banners. IF we start using that forum a lot at some point in the future (such as if Greenspun goes to cyber-heaven), then I'll pay them the fee to get rid of that crap. It's pretty cheap, but I'm not going to pay it until and unless we're really USING the forum. Coz I'M cheap too!

Right now, the back up forum is open. This means that anyone that stumbles upon it can read it, and register too. I did make it so that it doesn't show up in any of their searches. There are higher security levels that can be set, including passwording, so that is also a future option.

For funzies, I can change the colors of the backgrounds, the icons we see, etc. I just went with one of their pre-programmed "themes", though. Seems nice and unobtrusive, i.e. not annoying! There's lots of other ins and outs, like changing the color of the text, but I'm not going to bother with any of that for a back-up forum. BTW, the solid dot next to a thread means that there have been more replies since you last looked at the forum. I can make that into some other kind of icon if you all want something different.

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2001

Bumping this up so that anyone who missed it before can find it.

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2001

Bumping up again!

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2002

Thank you Joy.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2002