| Login and Registration Issues |
Why can't I log in?
Have you registered? Seriously, you must register in order to log in. Have you been banned from the board? (A message will be displayed if you have.) If so, you should contact the webmaster or board administrator to find out why. If you have registered and are not banned and you still cannot log in then check and double-check your username and password. Usually this is the problem; if not, contact the board administrator -- they may have incorrect configuration settings for the board.
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Why do I need to register at all?
You may not have to -- it is up to the administrator of the board as to whether you need to register in order to post messages. However, registration will give you access to additional features not available to guest users such as definable avatar images, private messaging, emailing to fellow users, usergroup subscription etc. You can also keep track of which posts you have not seen, watch certain topics of interest and even choose to ignore posts by certain members. It literally takes seconds to register (esp. if you only complete the required sections at the top of the registration form) so it is recommended you do so.
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Why do I get logged off automatically?
If you do not check the Log me in automatically box when you log in, the board will only keep you logged in for a preset time. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged in, check the box during login. This is not recommended if you access the board from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university cluster, etc.
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How do I prevent my username from appearing in the online user listings?
In your profile you will find an option Hide your online status; if you switch this on you'll only appear to board administrators or to yourself. You will be counted as a hidden user.
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I've lost my password!
Don't panic! While your password cannot be retrieved it can be reset. To do this go to the login page and click I've forgotten my password. Follow the instructions and you should be back online in no time.
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I registered but cannot log in!
First check that you are entering the correct username and password. If they are okay then maybe your account need activating. Some boards will require all new registrations be activated, either by yourself or by the administrator before you can log on. When you registered it would have told you whether activation was required. If you were sent an email then follow the instructions; if you did not receive the email then check that your email address is valid. One reason activation is used is to reduce the possibility of rogue users abusing the board anonymously. If you are sure the email address you used is valid then try contacting the board administrator.
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I registered in the past but cannot log in anymore!
The most likely reasons for this are: you entered an incorrect username or password (check the email you were sent when you first registered) or your account has been deactivated for some reason. You can request an email reminder of your password in the login screen.
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| User Preferences and settings |
How do I change my settings?
All your settings (if you are registered) are stored in the database. To alter them click the Profile link (generally shown at the top of pages but this may not be the case). This will allow you to change all your settings.
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The times are not correct!
The times are almost certainly correct; however, what you may be seeing are times displayed in a timezone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, you should change your profile setting for the timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc. Please note that changing the timezone, like most settings, can only be done by registered users. So if you are not registered, this is a good time to do so, if you pardon the pun!
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Seriously dude, I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong!
If you are sure you have set the timezone correctly and the time is still different, the most likely answer is daylight savings time (or summer time as it is known in the UK and other places). The board is not designed to handle the changeovers between standard and daylight time so during summer months the time may be an hour different from the real local time. Does it REALLY matter? Jeez.
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My language is not in the list!
Sorry man, its a UK page so we just do it in English I'm afraid. Otherwise we gotta change all the buttons and custom text to have different languages. Its not Canada y'know.
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How do I show an image next to my name?
Towards the bottom of the profile page is a section to upload your own 'avatar', a cheery pic that will greet you as you sign in and attach itself to all your posts so no other frothers need bother reading your name (it will also appear in archived board discussions). For bandwidth reasons the images might be more restrictive than you are used to (16x16 GIF or JPG, no more than 2kB), thats cos we would rather see pictures of frother stuff. There is also a fine selection of themed avatars in the gallery (also accessed from the profile page).
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How do I change my rank?
In general you cannot directly change the wording of any rank (ranks appear below your username in topics and on your profile depending on the style used). Moderators and administrators have a special rank so you know who to blame when things go wrong (great power, great responsibility sort of thing), Committee Members have a special rank cos they pay for the site and it makes them feel important. If you want to become an Associate Member you need to earn it - volunteer for moderation duties or submit some frother articles and you'll be on your way.
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When I click the email link for a user it asks me to log in.
Sorry, but only registered users can send email to people via the built-in email form. This is to prevent malicious use of the email system by anonymous users.
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How do I work my buddies and ignore lists?
Contacts can be accessed through the 'Contact Management' section of the main menu. This has its own FAQ to help you.
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| Posting Issues |
How do I post a topic in a forum?
Easy -- click the relevant button on either the forum or topic screens. You may need to register before you can post a message. The facilities available to you are listed at the bottom of the forum and topic screens (the You can post new topics, You can vote in polls, etc. list)
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How do I edit or delete a post?
Unless you are the board admin or forum moderator you can only edit or delete your own posts. You can edit a post (sometimes for only a limited time after it was made) by clicking the edit button for the relevant post. If someone has already replied to the post, you will find a small piece of text output below the post when you return to the topic that lists the number of times you edited it. This will only appear if no one has replied; it also will not appear if moderators or administrators edit the post (they should leave a message saying what they altered and why). Please note that normal users cannot delete a post once someone has replied.
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How do I add a signature to my post?
To add a signature to a post you must first create one; this is done via your profile. Once created you can check the Add Signature box on the posting form to add your signature. You can also add a signature by default to all your posts by checking the appropriate radio box in your profile. You can still prevent a signature being added to individual posts by un-checking the add signature box on the posting form. Try to avoid making it long and tedious, if you can.
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How do I create a poll?
Creating a poll is easy -- when you post a new topic (or edit the first post of a topic, if you have permission) you should see a Add Poll form below the main posting box. If you cannot see this then you probably do not have rights to create polls. You should enter a title for the poll and then at least two options -- to set an option type in the poll question and click the Add option button. You can also set a time limit for the poll, 0 being an infinite amount. There will be a limit to the number of options you can list, which is set by the board administrator
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How do I edit or delete a poll?
As with posts, polls can only be edited by the original poster, a moderator, or board administrator. To edit a poll, click the first post in the topic, which always has the poll associated with it. If no one has cast a vote then users can delete the poll or edit any poll option. However, if people have already placed votes only moderators or administrators can edit or delete it; this is to prevent people rigging polls by changing options mid-way through a poll
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Why can't I access a forum?
Some forums may be limited to certain users or groups. To view, read, post, etc. you may need special authorization which only the forum moderator and board administrator can grant, so you should contact them.
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Why can't I vote in polls?
Only registered users can vote in polls so as to prevent spoofing of results. If you have registered and still cannot vote then you probably do not have appropriate access rights.
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| Formatting and Topic Types |
What is BBCode?
BBCode is a special implementation of HTML. Whether you can use BBCode is determined by the administrator. You can also disable it on a per post basis from the posting form. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML: tags are enclosed in square braces [ and ] rather than < and > and it offers greater control over what and how something is displayed. For more information on BBCode see the guide which can be accessed from the posting page.
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Can I use HTML?
No, that would be nuts. We spend hours plugging any gaps in the code that allows hackers to f*** up the site and then let anyone and his Uncle Larry post html straight to the page?
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What are Smileys?
Smileys, or Emoticons, are small graphical images which can be used to express some feeling using a short code, e.g. :) means happy, :( means sad. The full list of emoticons can be seen via the posting form- click 'View more Emoticons' to see the full selection. Don't go too mad though, filling a page with pictures just cos you can is a bit like when a 3 year old scribbles in crayon all over a colouring book y'know?
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Can I request a new Smiley?
What is it, a lightsaber duel? You ought to be able to express most ideas with the existing emoticons, or combinations of them. If you are really stuck you could try expressing yourself using words, in any case there are plenty already and we aren't going to continually expand the emoticon board to accomodate every tacky novelty smiley as it comes into fashion.
Try saying 'fuck' instead, its a lot more cathartic. If you have a new smiley you would really like to see there is a thread in the Feedback Box I believe.
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Can I post Images?
Images can indeed be shown in your posts. However, there is no facility at present for uploading images directly to this board. Therefore you must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. http://www.some-unknown-place.net/my-picture.gif. You cannot link to pictures stored on your own PC (unless it is a publicly accessible server) nor to images stored behind authentication mechanisms such as Hotmail or Yahoo mailboxes, password-protected sites, etc. To display the image use either the BBCode [img] tag or appropriate HTML (if allowed).
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So why aren't the images appearing?
We post a lot of pics onto our own server, and tend to end up directly linking to a lot of pics on other servers too, so to conserve the bandwidth pulled by loading each pic every time you look at the page, we replace it with a link text instead. Its better for the environment, honestly.
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What are Announcements?
Announcements often contain important information and you should read them as soon as possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the forum to which they are posted. Whether or not you can post an announcement depends on the permissions required, which are set by the administrator.
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What are Sticky topics?
Sticky topics appear below any announcements in viewforum and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them where possible. As with announcements the board administrator determines what permissions are required to post sticky topics in each forum.
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What are Locked topics?
Locked topics are set this way by either the forum moderator or board administrator. You cannot reply to locked topics and any poll contained inside is automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons, though its pretty rare around here.
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| User Levels and Groups |
What are Administrators?
Administrators are people assigned the highest level of control over the entire board. These people can control all facets of board operation which include setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or moderators, etc. They also have full moderator capabilities in all the forums.
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What are Moderators?
Moderators are individuals (or groups of individuals) whose job it is to look after the running of the forums from day to day. They have the power to edit or delete posts and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the forum they moderate. Generally moderators are there to prevent people going off-topic or posting abusive or offensive material.
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What are Usergroups?
Usergroups are a way in which board administrators can group users. Each user can belong to several groups (this differs from most other boards) and each group can be assigned individual access rights. This makes it easy for administrators to set up several users as moderators of a forum, or to give them access to a private forum, etc.
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How do I join a Usergroup?
To join a usergroup click the usergroup link on the page header (dependent on template design) and you can then view all usergroups. Not all groups are open access -- some are closed and some may even have hidden memberships. If the board is open then you can request to join it by clicking the appropriate button. The user group moderator will need to approve your request; they may ask why you want to join the group. Please do not pester a group moderator if they turn your request down -- they will have their reasons.
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How do I become a Usergroup Moderator?
Usergroups are initially created by the board administrator who also assigns a board moderator. If you are interested in creating a usergroup then your first point of contact should be the administrator, so try dropping them a private message.
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| Private Messaging |
I cannot send private messages!
There are three reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on, the board administrator has disabled private messaging for the entire board, or the board administrator has prevented you individually from sending messages. If it is the latter case you should try asking the administrator why.
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I keep getting unwanted private messages!
If they are all from one or two people you can simply add the reprobates to your "No Mail / Disallow Contact" list using the 'Contact Management' section. If they are from a wide range of enemies that you have built up over the years, I can only suggest you work on your people skills.
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I have received a spamming or abusive email from someone on this board!
We are sorry to hear that. The email form feature of this board includes safeguards to try to track users who send such posts. You should email the board administrator with a full copy of the email you received and it is very important this include the headers (these list details of the user that sent the email). They can then take action. Again, you can use the using the 'Contact Management' section to prevent certain members from contacting you through the board
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| Frothers Unite! UK Issues |
Help, someone said some rude words!
Someone said poo again, in a public forum? Dash it all to high heaven.
Seriously, FU!UK is a place for everyone to kick back and relax, away from the heavy moderation and careful diplomacy of some other, more
'professional' websites. Say what you feel, rant, rave and abuse each other because the moderators here will assume you are all grown up enough
that you don't need protecting from rude words (and frankly don't give a fuck in any case). If you take serious offence at a post someone has made,
it may be that the moderator will need to step in and take charge... or it may be that you need to take a step back and lighten up a bit.
This might not suit everyone but there you are. In general, if you don't like what someone has said to you then you can either ignore them, or call them a cunt. Either works.
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OK but this is really inappropriate material.
Porn and spam we will act on of course, please report these to a moderator who will delete the post. We do sometimes get rogue spambots peppering the boards with their evil Russian crap,
just be sensible and remember not to click any links in a post that makes no sense, and don't reply to any spam posts as it just makes the cleanup job harder.
Registered members can now opt to ignore all posts made by their mortal enemies, if these are really spoiling their enjoyment of the site, using the using the 'Contact Management' system.
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Where is the registration agreement then? Or code of conduct?
Code of conduct? Hahaha! Oh sorry, you were being serious. #kof#
OK so we took it down cos the default one wasn't really relevant to what we do here and we haven't
really established a new one... one noble contributor (DemonEtrigan) supplied this draft which is quite well favoured and might serve as a good stopgap:
"'Beware, by registering on this site you agree to the fact that you are at least the physical age to be considered an adult wherever the hell you come from. Unfortunately we can't (and don't want) to enforce a set of stupid rules that anybody who can live in normal society should already know. Just so you understand, people in here swear, take the lords name in vain, insult people, argue, swear, make reference to bodily functions and occasionally post links to disreputable sites....If any of that is likely to offend you, get the hell back to where you came from.
By registering on this site you give up all rights to complain about being hurt, or offended by anything you read....Grow up!' "
Thanks for that DemonE. Oh and we don't need a COPPA agreement because we aren't US based. If you don't know what that is then don't worry about looking it up, its very dull.
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Are there no rules at all then?
There is one exception to our laissez-faire attitude to moderation. Frothers want a secure and relaxed environment where they are free to abuse each other without impediment, so to preserve our sanctum of anarchy we will take action against anyone abusing the forum itself.
In addition to the aforementioned spam and porn posts this includes creating spoof accounts (where it is not obvious that the account is a spoof), hijacking usernames or accounts, posting a rude word 400,000 times without spaces to fuck up the page formatting and anything else that gives everyone (especially the moderators) a massive headache without being in the least bit funny.
Having a larf is fine, and if you are pushing the limits our first action will be a gentle nudge, but deliberate and repeated abuse will result in the webmaster sending his fighting uruk-monkeys to your house to move all of your furniture around while you are out.
No doubt some of you excellent creative types will find new and ingenious ways to spoil everyone's
enjoyment of the site to the extent that more rules will need to be grudgingly knocked together in
the future and applied by the unpaid servants of the site. Just be aware that people who do such things on purpose are known, in the vernacular, as shit-licking zombie-fiddlers, have no friends, and never will.
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I am a miniatures/rpg/ccg/wargames company, can I post here?
Well of course you can. There are certain important things to bear in mind though.
- Frothers Unite! UK is home to a wide range of professionals and experts who like to chill out after/during/instead of a hard days work.
However it is chiefly a consumer site and they are mostly here in their role as consumers, with all the other schmoes, albeit as ones with an eye for different details. If you are lucky they will lend you the benefit of
their wisdom (if you are really lucky they will stop after a while).
- You are welcome to post news items on the appropriate forums, but do bear in mind that any comments in response will not be filtered or
censored. Its a discussion board not a free advertising service. Sometimes its better to give us an idea and point us to the advertising blurb, if this is very long and likely to challenge
attention spans- you don't want people to be tired
and irritable when they get to the bottom of your post, 'cos thats where the 'reply' button is.
- You are welcome to come and post as yourself, on any topic and in any vein, and kick back with the rest of us. Do bear in mind it is easy to get carried away in the atmosphere engendered by our laissez-faire, devil-may-care attitude to web etiquette
and the anarchic crowd it seems to attract.
Be sensible - if you are posting under your professional name then don't post anything that you wouldn't want associated with your business. By all means maintain separate identities for professional and
personal posting... its ok if everyone knows that 'jamesF' is head of Tangent Figures Ltd but if he posted 'fuckarsepoo hahahaha' under his 'Tangent Figures' login then the investors might not be too pleased.
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My livelihood is threatened by posters on your board giving a poor review to my products!
Oh fuck off. Sorry but this isn't a fanboy site like you might be used to, you aren't supporting us with advertising revenue
and there are no rules here about toning down an honest review to pass some sanitation test. Our tips to deal with such 'threats' to your livelihood:
- Take it on the chin - the criticism might be a lot harsher than you are used to, this is partly because we do not censor reader comments (see above) and partly
because coming up with a great insult for a mediocre product is often better sport than providing balanced review. Yes we might get carried away sometimes but you will certainly get a more positive
response by acknowledging criticism in good humour than by whinging. Mi casa, mis reglas.
- If, under any hyperbole, there is a genuine misconception about your product, point this out and show us how wrong we are (a bad picture, for example, can lead people to believe a product line is worse than it actually is).
Before you say it, no, holding a product in your hand is not neccessary to pointing out that it looks rubbish, but if bad pictures lead us to think so then we are doing you a favour by
pointing that out. Its called public service bitching.
- If, under any hyberbole, there is no reasoned critcism of your product at all, you could just ignore it or you could point out the failing. Sometimes people need a big nudge to articulate what they dislike about something
and sometimes they are unable to get beyond 'don't like it', in which case simply pointing this out demonstrates that the criticism is just down to a personal taste and is unlikely to sway other punters.
- If your product is genuinely shit I'm afraid you are better off finding this out before you invest any more money in it. Anyway we've got no
sympathy, you should have done some consumer testing before you launched.
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What is a sock puppet?
An identity set up by someone to promote a view as if it were an actual person, most notably company staff posting praise as pretend consumers.
Severely frowned upon in many discussion boards, falls more into the 'don't give a fuck' category here (but expect a severe ribbing if you do get caught).
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What is a waxfive?
A wax carver #5 is a dentist's tool that a number of professional miniatures sculptors swear by as their primary sculpting tool. Its also the frother name of Seth Nash,
the sculptor responsible for 'Dave' the FU!UK Orc (still available from the FU!UK shop),
though 'wax5', 'wax carver #5' and 'wacks five' are still available if you can't think of anything else.
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What is a cloaker?
A cloaker is a very poor miniature that has been jizzed out by some apprentice and then released by a cynical/stupid company boss. The original cloaker is here.
You'll notice you could probably do better with some tin foil and a biro.
You might notice a few people even have cloaker avatars- these are available from the FU!UK giftshop (on your right as you come in, and obscuring the exit on your way out). For free.
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Do you have a vendetta against Urban Mammoth, formerly i-Kore?
No. Why?
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Honestly?
Serious. Just another miniatures company as far as we are concerned.
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| phpBB 2 Issues |
Who wrote this bulletin board?
This software (in its unmodified form) is produced, released and is copyrighted phpBB Group. It is made available under the GNU General Public License and may be freely distributed; see link for more details
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Why isn't X feature available?
This software was written by and licensed through phpBB Group. If you believe a feature needs to be added then please visit the phpbb.com website and see what the phpBB Group has to say. Please do not post feature requests to the board at phpbb.com, as the Group uses sourceforge to handle tasking of new features. Please read through the forums and see what, if any, our position may already be for features and then follow the procedure given there.
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Whom do I contact about abusive and/or legal matters related to this board?
You should contact one of the forum moderators and ask them to resolve any issues relating to posts on the forums, or contact the administrator of this board for more general issues - bearing in mind the caveats regarding the board's 'low intervention, no censorship' policy (above). If you still get no response (after a reasonable delay) you should contact
the domain hosts (1and1.co.uk), but bear in mind that their first course will be to contact the site administrator to reach an amicable solution.
Please note that phpBB Group has absolutely no control and cannot in any way be held liable over how, where or by whom this board is used. It is absolutely pointless contacting phpBB Group in relation to any legal (cease and desist, liable, defamatory comment, etc.) matter not directly related to the phpbb.com website or the discrete software of phpBB itself. If you do email phpBB Group about any third party use of this software then you should expect a terse response or no response at all.
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