Community FAQ

Find the answers to all your questions about ZDNet membership

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1 - Do I have to register to use ZDNet UK? (Back to top)

Almost all areas of the site are open to any user. However, you will need to register if you want to post comments to the site, write a review, download a whitepaper, receive a newsletter or start a blog. Registering also allows you to display your personal avatar alongside your contributions and lets you create a profile page describing your interests. You'll also get access to ZDNet UK's social networking features, which let you build relationships with like-minded IT professionals.

 

2 - Why do you need my personal details?(Back to top)

To provide you with the best and most useful content and services. We use the information for four general purposes:

Please read our privacy policy for more information.

 

3 - What are usernames?(Back to top)

Usernames are used to identify you on the site. Please choose carefully; once you have set one, it cannot be changed.

 

4 - What is an avatar? What are the rules for avatars?(Back to top)

An avatar is a small image that is displayed alongside your username to identify you to other users. When you are logged in, it will also appear in the membership box at the top of each page.

You can choose one of our avatars or upload an image of your own. If you would like to upload your own image, the following rules apply:

You can change your avatar image as often as you like. However, each time you upload a new one, it will overwrite the old one -- we only store one avatar image per user.

 

5 - Why do I need to click on the link in the ‘ZDNet UK: Confirm your membership’ email?(Back to top)

Clicking on the link verifies your email address and activates your account. This helps to prevent unauthorised sign-ups.

 

6 - How can I tell if I am logged in?(Back to top)

Your ZDNet UK avatar and username will appear in the profile box on the left of the page if you are logged in. Otherwise, you will see the box headed with 'LOG IN'.

 

7 - Do I have to log in every time I visit the site?(Back to top)

No, you can choose to be logged in automatically. Next time you log on, select the `Remember me’ checkbox. After that, you will not need to type your email address and password to log in.

If you use more than one computer to visit ZDNet UK, you’ll need to do this on each one. You may not want to do this on a computer you share with other people.

 

8 - I’ve forgotten my password. What should I do?(Back to top)

When you try to log in with the wrong password, you’ll be taken to a 'My Account' page that says 'That email/password combination isn't in our system'. You'll see a box for existing members that has a ‘Forgotten your password?’ link underneath. Click this link and follow the instructions on the screen.

Alternatively, you can go straight to the 'Forgotten password' form

We’ll send you a temporary password so you can log in again. Once you’ve done that, you should update your account with a new password that you can remember more easily (see question 10 below).

 

9 - I can’t remember which email address I used when I signed up, and now I can’t log in. What should I do? (Back to top)

Please send an email to uk.customersupport@zdnet.co.uk listing all your email addresses and we’ll do our best to help.

 

10 - How can I update my personal details? (Back to top)

Once you have logged in, click your username in the member box on the left of any page to be taken to your 'Profile' -- your personal home page. Click the 'Account' tab to edit your personal information.

 

11 - Who can see my profile? (Back to top)

All visitors to ZDNet UK can see your profile, whether they are members or not. However, you can choose to restrict some of the information you display. To change your profile, log in to ZDNet UK, then click your username at the top to be taken to your Profile page. Here you can change your profile picture, decide what information to display and write a short description of yourself.

 

12 - How do I change my profile picture and avatar?(Back to top)

We use a larger version of your avatar on your profile page. To upload a new avatar picture, go to your Profile page (see question 13). Click the button under the Profile picture and follow the instructions. You can upload your own image, which must be a square JPG, GIF or PNG file.

 

13 - How do I start a blog?(Back to top)

Before you start making posts, you have to set up your blog page with a title and a description. Make sure you're logged in to ZDNet UK, then click on 'My Blog' in the member box on the left of any page. Follow the instructions to choose a name for your blog and a description of what it's about.

To change your blog title and description, return to this page and click on 'Edit Blog Settings'.

To create a post, click on the 'Add a New Post' button on your Blog page. Give your post a title and write the body, then hit preview to see what it will look like live. If it's ok, click on 'Submit' to publish the post.

 

14 - How do I add a post to a group blog?(Back to top)

Our group blogs pull posts from individual blogs and bring them together in targeted tech subject areas, such as security management or upgrading Vista.

All you have to do is create a blog post as usual. When you get to the preview screen, you'll see a list of group blogs with descriptions and boxes beside them. Check off the appropriate ones and hit 'Submit'. The post will show in your own blog page and on the group blog pages you selected. See the Group Blogs index page to see what they look like.

 

15 - Can I copy a post from my own blog elsewhere? (Back to top)

We're happy for members to replicate content from their other blogs on their ZDNet blog, as long as they aren't breaking copyright in doing so. But please don't make a posting with nothing but a link taking people to that other post.

If you want to tell people about your own web site, add a link to your Member Biography or list it in your Links section.

For more guidance on what's acceptable in the ZDNet UK community, see the Code of Conduct.

 

16 - How do I embed an image in a blog post?(Back to top)

While you can't upload images, you can embed pictures hosted elsewhere--on Flickr, for example. To do this, use this code:

<img src="URL" width="NUMBER OF PIXELS" height="NUMBER OF PIXELS" alt="DESCRIBE WHAT THE PICTURE SHOWS" />
 

17 - How do I embed a YouTube video to a blog post?(Back to top)

First, grab the URL generated by YouTube. If it's a video you've uploaded, you can find it here:
YouTube URL example

Or you can grab the link for any YouTube video in the address bar above:
YouTube URL example 2

Paste this URL into the body of your blog entry where you want it to show up. It's best not to put it near the start of the post, as it might interfere with how the post appears on ZDNet UK page listings.

NOTE: *Don't* use the embed code provided by YouTube, as we restrict the HTML we allow members to use in posts for security reasons.

 

18 - How do people get my blog by RSS?(Back to top)

Each ZDNet UK member's blog has an RSS feed. Anyone who wants to can subscribe to the feed and get links to your latest blog entries delivered to their desktop.

You'll find the RSS icon for your individual feed in the top right corner of your blog, in your profile. If a user clicks on this they'll be taken to a page where they can either subscribe to the feed via a browser or grab the feed URL for a standalone RSS reader.

 

19 - What is a Core Tech?(Back to top)

The Core Techs are ZDNet UK's expert bloggers. They are specialists in specific tech fields who track trends and keep an eye on what's new, and who have years of experience behind them. They'll help you stay on top of the subject, but they also want to hear what you have to say about it.

Look for the Core Techs badge in the member profile and on posts. Feel free to add them to your contact list, ask them questions, and give them feedback on their postings.

 

20 - How do I report bad behaviour by other users?(Back to top)

Please send an email to Community.Manager@zdnet.co.uk. If you are reporting an offensive comment, please copy the location of the page from your browser's address bar and paste it into your email.

 

21 - How do I report a problem with my account?(Back to top)

Please send an email to uk.customersupport@zdnet.co.uk describing the problem and we'll do our best to sort it out.

 

22 - Why has my post disappeared?(Back to top)

Your Talkback, comment or blog may have triggered our spam filter and gone automatically to moderation. An editor will look at the post and will push it live if this has happened in error.

Our filter is triggered if your post contains specific keywords frequently found in spam. It will also automatically block comments/Talkbacks with more than two URLs and blog posts with more than 10 URLs.

In addition, a post may be removed from the site if an editor believes it to contravene our Code of Conduct; for example, it may be deemed marketing or it may not reach our requirement that posts add something to the discussion. If you have any questions, please email community.manager@zdnet.co.uk.

 

23 - Where can I find out more about community guidelines?(Back to top)

We strive to make sure that the ZDNet UK Community is an environment where IT professionals can share useful information and ideas, and also benefit from the expertise of their peers and our staff. The guidelines in our Code of Conduct are designed to promote this.

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