P4E online community FAQ

[People for Education]

You can contribute to our online community in many ways! First become a member using the sign in box in the top right hand corner.

There's lots to do.
- create your own page (My Page) and post pictures, blogs, receive comments back on your comment wall;
- view photos or add photos to our albums; view videos or add them;
- join a discussion by posting your comments, asking questions, giving feedback, or by making a request;
- join a group!

Discussions
You'll probably want to jump right into one of our discussions, but before you do, take a peak at our discussion netiquette (just click here).
Once you write a post, you'll see that you have 15 minutes to edit posts, that way if you see a typo, you can correct it.
To maintain the integrity of discussions and replies, we only allow members to edit posts for 15 minutes. We think this is enough time to correct a typo, while ensuring that people don't "rewrite history." We do, however, let members delete their own posts at any time.

Join a Group
When you join a "Group" those discussions are contained entirely within that group, so people with a common interest can focus. These discussion stay within the "group" don't appear on the discussion page of People for Education's Online Community. You can read the discussions in any group, but to make a post of your own, you must join the group.

Can I subscribe to a group's forum posts?
Yes. Go to that group's page and click on the RSS link at the bottom of the forum section.

Messages
How do I check my messages?
You can check messages by clicking on the envelope icon located on the thin gray strip that appears at the top of the page. A panel will then drop down where you can compose messages and read messages you've received.

How do I manage email notifications?
You can manage your email settings by clicking on the "My Settings" link in the right column.

My Page
How do I change the theme of my page on a network?
When you join the network, a profile page on that network is created for you. You can edit your page's theme by logging in and clicking the My Page tab. Follow the link at the top of the page to "Edit Profile Appearance." You can choose a theme for your page, entirely separate from the network's theme, and customize the color of each item on the page.

What is a text box? What can I put in my text box?
A text box is a box to which you can add a variety of content. It's just another way to make your page your own! Simply click the "Edit" button in the top right corner of the text box on your My Page to get started. You can add the following to the text box on your page:

Text
HTML (code for making webpages)
Pictures
Widgets

How do I change my profile photo?
Log in to the site and click the "My Settings" link on the right side of the page. Click the "Browse" button under the Profile Photo field to locate an image on your computer. When you upload a new photo, the old one will be deleted. New profile photos can take up to thirty minutes to show up, so don't worry if your new photo doesn't appear immediately.

Photos
How do I add photos?
You can add photos by clicking on the Photos tab that appears at the top of the page. You can upload them from your computer, mobile phone, Flickr, or email account.

How do I delete a photo?
To delete a photo, go to that photo's detail page. In the toolbar to the right of the photo, locate the red X with a link to "Delete Photo." Click on this link.

How do I see a specific person's photos?
You can view a member's photos page by clicking on their name next to a photo, or by selecting the "View Photos" link under their name on the photo's detail page.


How do I crop a photo without software?
While most computers come with image-editing software now capable of cropping (Preview for the Mac, Paint for Windows), there's also another web-based solution.
http://www.easycropper.com offers a fairly easy-to-use cropping system. You can just upload the large image you want to crop, set your desired size and it'll do the rest. For reference, our recommended width for header background images is 955px. Height can vary so experiment for the best results.

Blog
Do I have a blog? Where is it?
Every member of the P4E Online Community has his or her own page on the site, including a blog. To get to your blog, click on the My Page tab. Find the "My Blog" box in the middle column of the page. You can add a blog post by clicking on the "Write your first entry!" link. Once you write the first entry in your blog, this link will disappear. A link prompting you to "Create a new blog post" will now appear at the bottom of your blog on your page.

A special thank you to the Knitpicks Community for this FAQ and for their inspiration for this site!