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How To Use TVWB |
Last updated:
03/16/2008 |
In this topic:
Navigating The Web
Site
At the top of
all TVWB pages, you'll see a series of clickable
links. Each link represents a different section of the Web site:
- The
Home link takes you to the Web site
homepage. This page is updated monthly to feature a new article, a
contest drawing, or other information of interest to readers.
- The
Product Info link contains detailed
photographs and technical specifications about the Weber Smokey Mountain
Cooker, including assembly, parts troubleshooting information, and WSM
history.
- The
Cooking Topics link contains articles about
different types of foods that can be prepared using the WSM. They're
sort of like recipes, but with a lot more detail and commentary. You'll
also find reference articles related to cooking—for example, articles
about how to choose a brisket, which smoke woods go best with which
meats, and why it's important to let meat rest after cooking.
- The
Operating Tips & Mods link contains articles about
how to operate and modify the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, including
articles on how to fire-up the WSM, how to install a thermometer, how to
troubleshoot operating problems, and a FAQ page.
- The
Videos link
features a collection of how-to barbecue videos on YouTube.
- The
Resources link features a list of
important resource information that I think is helpful to WSM owners,
including contact information for Weber Customer Support, where to buy
smoke wood, barbecue videos and magazines, and more.
- The
Forums link leads to
The
Virtual Weber Bulletin Board. This online community is "the place" for WSM
owners (and future owners) to discuss this fabulous cooker in a
friendly, supportive environment. You'll find over 30 forums dedicated
to barbecuing,
grilling, competitions, WSM modifications, recipes, and more.
- The
Shopping link features the best
barbecue products, books, and accessories available from
Amazon.com,
selected by me especially for you, the Weber Bullet owner. All
purchases help to defray the cost of bringing you this Web site. See
Support The Virtual Weber Bullet for more
details.
When you click on a
section link, the background turns orange, indicating
that you're now in that section. If you click on an article in that
section, the background stays orange to remind you that you're still in
that section.
To see an overview of all
Web site content, take a look at the
site map.
Searching The Web Site
The content of the Web
site is divided into two parts, and each part has its own search
engine.
- On any page in the Home,
Product Info, Cooking, Tips & Mods, Resources,
and Shopping sections, enter your search into the field at the
top right of the page.
- On any page in the Forums
section, click the "Find" button and enter your search.
Doing a search in one
part of the Web site does not return results from the other part of the site.
For example, if you
search on the word "brisket" in the Forums, you will only get a
list of bulletin board posts
having to do with brisket—not results about brisket articles in other
sections of the Web site.
Registering For The
Discussion Forums
You must register using a
confirmed e-mail address in order to post on
The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board.
Here's the process:
1) Click the "Login/Join"
link on the right side of the page.
2) Complete the
Groupee registration page.
Groupee is a central
registration service that manages your bulletin board e-mail address and
password.
- Click "I do not
have a Groupee Account".
- Enter your valid e-mail
address and a password.
- Review the Groupee
Terms of Service, then click "I Agree..."
- Click the "Join"
button.
3) Accept the
discussion forums Terms Of Service
- Read the The Virtual
Weber Bulletin Board's
Terms of Service, then click "I Agree..."
- Click the "Continue"
button.
4) Fill-out your
bulletin board profile
- The only required field is Display Name.
You must use a version of your real name. If you do not, your
registration will not be approved.
We use real names on the bulletin board
because it keeps the discussion more personal and friendly.
For example, you may use
any of the following name formats:
- Joe Smith
- Joe S.
- J. Smith
- J.T. Smith
- Joe Smith (Nickname or
Handle)
- Click the "Submit"
button.
4) Confirm your
Groupee e-mail address and await approval of your membership
After filling-out your
profile, you'll see the page shown below. You must verify your Groupee
e-mail address and await approval of your membership (based upon a review
of the Display Name in your profile).
- Open your e-mail
program.
- Open the Groupee
confirmation e-mail message.
- Click the "Confirm
email address" link in the message.
- You will receive a
separate e-mail stating that your membership has been approved or
deleted by the Site Administrator. Your membership will
not be approved if you did not use a real name in your
profile Display Name.
- Go to
The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board and login
using your Groupee e-mail address and password.
Rules & Terms Of Service For Discussion Forums
Your participation in the discussion
forums is subject to the conditions set forth on the
Legal Information & Privacy Statement page and the
discussion forum
Terms of Service page.
Please take a few minutes to read and understand the information contained
in these pages, which spell-out proper etiquette for posting and prohibited actions or
behaviors. When
I see a minor rule violation on the bulletin board, I will usually post a
message bringing the violation to the member's attention, rather than send
an e-mail to the member. I don't do this to embarrass people. I do it
because it's much faster for me to post a message than to send an e-mail;
because some people register using e-mail accounts that are checked
infrequently; and because members can learn from each other's mistakes. So
please don't take it personally if I bring a violation to your attention
in a post...it's nothing to be embarrassed about.
Adding Photos To Discussion Forum Posts
To add a photo to a
discussion forum post, it must first be hosted somewhere on the Internet. The bulletin board does not
have the ability to upload and store your photos.
Most Internet
Service Providers give you free storage space where you can upload
photos or host a personal Web site; contact your provider for details.
You can also sign-up for free photo hosting services on the Web through
MSN, Yahoo!, Photobucket.com,
ImageShack,
All You Can Upload,
Webshots, or other such sites.
In consideration
for people with slow Internet connections,
try to keep photos to 640x480 pixels and less than 64KB in file size.
Once your photo is
hosted on the Internet, there are two options for adding it to your
bulletin board post:
-
Post The Photo
As A Link
This is the
preferred method because it allows readers to decide if they want to
download and view your photo. This is especially
important for people with slow Internet connections.
There are two ways to link to your photo:
1) Paste the photo's URL into your message. The bulletin board will
automatically convert it to a clickable link like this:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brisket1_photos/brisket11.jpg
or
2) Click the "URL" button located above the box where you type-in your
message. Paste the photo's URL and type a description into the pop-up box and
you'll get a clickable link like this:
My awesome brisket!
-
Post The Photo
Inline
This method displays your photo on-screen as part of your message. It is
discouraged because of the performance impact it has on readers
with slow Internet connections.
When using this method, do not exceed 64KB worth of photos per post.
This means you can post one 64KB normal-sized photo, or 16 4KB
thumbnail-sized photos, or some other combination in between, as long as
the total does not exceed 64KB.
All photos larger than 64KB must be posted using the linking
method described in the previous bullet point.
To add an inline photo to a post, click the "Display Image" button
located above the box where you type-in your message. (This button has a
picture of green mountains on it.) Paste the photo's URL into the pop-up
box, and it will appear along with your message text as part of your
post.
Changing Your Discussion Forums E-Mail Address Or Password
Your discussion forums e-mail address
and password are managed by the Groupee central registration service.
Follow these steps to change these items:
-
On the login page,
click "I have a Groupee Account", enter your old e-mail address and
password, and click the "Login" button.
-
Once you're logged
in, enter and confirm
your new e-mail address and/or password, then click the "Submit" button.
If your changed
your e-mail address:
- Open
your e-mail program.
- Open the Groupee
confirmation e-mail message.
- Click the "Confirm
email address" link in the message.
- Go to
The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board and login
using your Groupee e-mail address and password.
Supporting TVWB
The Virtual Weber Bullet is
presented free of charge for your enjoyment and education, but it does
cost money to produce and maintain the Web site. If you appreciate the
quality and usefulness of information provided by TVWB, see
Support The Virtual Weber Bullet for
information about how you can help.
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