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FAQs Please make sure you've read these FAQs before you email us about a problem... Troubleshooting General Logging
On Messages Profile
Photos Settings and other advanced
stuff Is my Browser (e.g. AOL's browser) compatible with the site? The site is designed to run on Internet Explorer (v5 and higher) and Netscape Navigator (v5 and higher). There may be issues with other browsers (Opera, AOL's inbuilt browser) that means our site doesn't work properly with other browsers. We're really sorry but we cannot guarantee funtionality with other browsers - it takes all our resources to keep our Explorer/Navigator compatibility up to speed. Explorer/Navigator account for 95% of the browser market and are free to download. We know that there are issues with AOL's inbuilt browser not storing our cookies correctly that means AOL users need to use Internet Explorer (or Navigator) instead. Of course you still connect to the net via AOL - you just use Internet Explorer once you're connected.
Will my
free membership expire and my profile be
deleted? However, If you don't use our site for absolutely ages (several months) then we may archive and eventually delete your details to save space. We'd try to email you notification and give you plenty of time to reactivate your account before this happenned, though.
No - we hate spam mail too. Even if you are too poor/mean/whatever to pay up and become a Full member we will treat your private details (e.g. email) with the same respect.
This can occasionally happen to people that have a problem with their browser. Usually it's a 'caching' issue whereby your browser is - incorrectly - retrieving some old pages from your local computer's hard drive that you once viewed when a free member as opposed to going to our site for fresh pages every time as it should. To fix this on Internet Explorer so that your browser always checks for new pages as it should:
Your browser is now purged of all old pages and will definitely check for new pages when you visit the site. Browsers should 'automatically' do this anyway but automatic detection of new pages doesn't always work in practice for everyone. Make sure you next log in from the main entrance to the site http://www.loveandfriends.com/q.asp. NOT from any other links on emails or your favourites. This may have contributed to the problem in the first place. *If you've an older version of Internet Explorer then look for something called 'Options' as opposed to 'Internet Options'. If you're on Netscape Navigator look for 'Preferences' then the setting for 'Temporary Internet Files'. If this doesn't work it may be that your browser is corrupted/flaky. We suggest you reinstall/upgrade it. Don't worry - browsers are free:
On the login screen press the link for "Forgotten
your password?" and you can have your password reminder displayed or your
password emailed to you. Make sure you haven't accidentally put CAPS LOCK
on. If there is still a problem then email us from the email address that
you specified when you joined up with loveandfriends quoting your
username. The site doesn't work/ I can't log in Over 90% or people that report that our site "is not working" turn out to have a problem with their ISP or with their browser. So, 1. Make sure that you can access other Internet
sites OK. If still a problem then remember to state explicitly on your email exactly what happens when you try to log in and exactly what the error message says not just "can't log in - please help!" or "site doesn't work - what's up?"
How do I know if someone has sent me a message? The message will be forwarded to the email address you gave when you filled in your profile. Don't worry, the person who sent the message can't see this address! Also when you log in you can check your 'Messages received' from the 'Messages' page. You can change the address to which email is forwarded on page 1 of your profile. See "How do I edit my own profile?" How do I send someone a message? Press 'Messages' on the main menu then press the 'Review and Send' icon or 'Simple Send' (Free members). Now enter the Username of the person to whom you want to send a message, a title for the message and the message text. Alternatively, you can press a shortcut button from the person's profile or mini-profile and you will be automatically taken to the 'Send Message' page.
How do I know if my message has been sent? When you send someone a message it is logged in our system and we try to send a notification email straight away. You should see a confirmation message telling you that the message has been logged and an email sent. If you do not wait for the confirmation message e.g. if you are impatient and decide to go to another part of the site - then you can't be sure that your message has been correctly processed! If it takes a long time to display your message confirmation then this usually means we are having problems with the member's mailserver. Occasionally problems with the member's mailserver mean we can't deliver the notification email at that point in time. Your confirmation message will tell you this. In this case the message is still logged on our system and we try to deliver the email later. So don't keep pressing 'Back' on your browser and sending it again as this will queue up many copies of the same message. If you go to 'Messages' (main menu) then 'Messages Sent' and you can see your message it has been logged OK and the recipient can also access it. There is no need to send the message again.
How do I know if someone has read my message? Use our "Read Receipt" feature on the Send Message page. This sends an email alert to the person but not your message itself, thereby forcing them to visit the site to read your message. Once they do this you'll see a tick next to the message on your 'Messages Received' Page. You should also be sent an email telling you of this. Of course not sending a copy of your message via email is less convenient for the recipient - so use this feature with discretion.
How do I verify my email address? When you first joined our computer automatically emailed you a registration email. You simply click on the email validation link and you should be taken to our site and all this sorted automatically. If this doesn't work note the validation code given on your registration email and go to 'Options' (main menu) then 'Email Settings' (side menu) where you can enter it manually. If the email never arrived go to 'Options' (main menu) then 'Email Settings' (side menu) where you can request another registration email to be sent or correct your email address if you entered it incorrectly. How do I look up someone's profile? Press Search' on the main menu then press the 'Search by Username' button. Now enter the Username of the person whose details you would like to see.
What do the badges on top of members' profiles mean? These are the member's
'Credentials'. 'ID Checked' Badge =
member has been in to see us for an ID check - so we've seen some
proof they are who they say they are and where they live. ID checked
members are likely to be more reliable/genuine.
Press
'Profile' on
the main menu
then choose which page of your profile you would like to edit. Make sure you
press 'Save and Proceed' to save changes. How do I change my email address? Press 'Profile' on the main menu then press '1.
Private Info'
Press 'Profile' on the main menu then press '1. Private Info'
Press 'Profile' on the main menu then the 'Change Username' icon on the side menu. How do I add my photo? Members have the facility to upload your own photos to our website. Press 'Profile' from the main menu then press the 'Upload Photo' icon where full instructions are given. Paying members can email or snailmail (post) a photo in to us and we'll sort it out for you - details are given on the 'MY MAIN PHOTO' page.
What else can I do with Photos? Members can upload more than one photo - press 'Profile' (on the
main menu) then 'Upload New Photo'.
FULL members have loads of extra facilities to do with Photos that Free members don't have, they can:
Can I send someone my photo without having to display it publicly? Yes! First upload your photo as explained in 'How do I add my Photo?'.
Why don't line breaks show up in my profile? Whilst editing your description, if you press the Return key on your keyboard although it makes a new line in the textbox it does not store a new line in our database. This means that when your profile is displayed there are no paragraphs and all the text runs together. Don't blame us - it's just the way the Internet works! The good news is you can, however, add paragraphs by adding <BR><BR> to your profile where you want a new paragraph. When your profile is displayed you do not see the hidden HTML code <BR><BR> instead this is translated by your Internet browser into 2 new lines! So remember to sprinkle <BR><BR> judiciously around your profile to make it more readable.
How else can I jazz up the formatting of my profile? You can also enter all sorts of other HTML codes to jazz up your profile. Anything written inside of HTML brackets <> does not get displayed as text - rather as formatting info about how to display surrounding text. Itallics I'm <EM>really</EM> into snowboarding
I'm <STRONG>really</STRONG> into wine tasting
I'm a <Font color = red>colourful</Font> character< /FONT >
My changes don't appear to be saved! This is nearly always down to "Caching"... When you retrieve a page from the Internet your browser usually checks your hard drive to see if you've loaded this page before. If so it retrieves the page from your hard drive because it's quicker than getting a fresh copy from the Internet. The problem with caching is if the page has changed since the last time you viewed it - you may end up being shown an outdated page from your hard drive if your browser does not check for updates. Your browser may be setup not to check for updates - to establish this on Internet Explorer... 'Tools' menu, select 'Internet Options' then in the Temporary Internet Files section select 'Settings' and make sure it is set to 'Automatic' or 'Every visit to a page'
How do I start searching for members? Press 'Search' on the main menu and you will be taken to the Speedy Search Page. From the final option that says 'Show me' you can choose whether to see mini profiles or just a one line descriptions. You can also choose how many members per page you get to see. If you have a slow connection to the internet then it will take a long time to display 25 mini-profiles on a single page - so bear this in mind when selecting how to display your search results. With a slow connection viewing 10 single line descriptions should be quicker. Each time you carry out a search the search page automatically remembers what criteria values you entered. This means if you leave the page and return to it later (even if you also leave our site) you don't have to have to set up all the search criteria again.
These are set from 'Profile' (main menu) then
'Essential Criteria' and 'Desired Criteria' I want to do a more detailed
search - what options are there? Alternatively go to 'Search' on the main menu then press the 'Detailed Search' icon. You can now search for precise values on all searchable fields. Detailed search doesn't allow you to have as many combinations as a Matching Search but it includes more fields to choose from and can be quicker. If you want to look for a 60 - 70 year old, 6ft tall Buddhist with red hair living in Wales...good luck!
What is my 'Favourite' search? This is a special search that is saved in our database's memory. You can save a 'Favourite Search' by pressing the 'Save' button on the Detailed Search page. You can then retrieve this search criteria by pressing the 'Load' button on the Detailed Search page.
How do I put my membership on hold? Whilst 'on hold' you will not show up in search results and members cannot look at your profile. You can stay on hold for as long as you like. Members typically go on hold if they are busy, going on a long holiday or have met someone who they like and don't want any new introductions. Press 'Options' on the main menu then press the 'Suspend/Reactivate' button. Now choose what you wish to do. If you have good news or feedback - we'd love yo hear it and a form is provided on this page. It's up to you whether you still wish to keep email forwarding open. You may wish to do this if you are expecting email from people you have previously made contact with. If you decide to block email then anyone that tries to send a message will be notified that you are on hold and are not receiveing emails
I need a break - how can I put stop appearing on the site for a while? You should place your membership on hold - see above.
How do I opt out of email newsletter and other emailings? Log in, press 'Options' on the main menu then press the 'Email Settings' button. There is an option to opt out of our email newsletter and other emailings on this page. This is easy to do, so we expect members to do this rather than emailing us saying 'UNSUBSCRIBE' (or similar) and expect us to sort this out. Loveandfriends is a self service system!Also, you need your password to log in to loveandfriends, which gives you a safeguard against people tampering with your account. If you can't log in then please explain on an email to us why this is and we'll happily go to the trouble of sorting this out and stopping any unwanted emails.
How do I permanently terminate my membership? Firstly, are you sure it wouldn't be better to just go 'on hold'? If you're on hold then people can't see your details or send you email. However, you can re-activate whenever you wish. If you terminate your membership then all your profile details are permanently erased. To terminate your membership press 'Options' on the main menu then press the 'Suspend/Reactivate' button. Now confirm in the text box that you want your membership terminated and press the button at the bottom of the screen. This is easy to do, so we expect members to do this rather than emailing us saying 'Stop my membership' (or similar) and expect us to sort this out. Loveandfriends is a self service system! Also, you need your password to log in to loveandfriends, which gives you a safeguard against people deleting your account by simply sending a bogus email to us. If you can't log in then please explain on an email to us why this is and we'll happily go to the trouble of sorting this out.
How do I adjust other settings of my account? e.g. Privacy, Email stuff, etc. Go to 'Options' on the main menu and have a look round. We've included lots of options so you can fine tune your account to how you want it to work. For example you can decide if it's:
These are members who you have tagged whilst looking at their profiles. We include this facility because it's useful to browse through search results and mark members you are intersted in then easily revist these members' details later. To add someon to you 'Favourites' list simply press the 'add to favourites' button on their profile. To review your favourites press the 'View Favourites' button on the Home page. From your Favourites list you can easily send messages to selected members or delete them from your list.
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