Signing Up
1. Can I take a look around before signing up?
2. How will the information I provide about myself be used?
3. How do I retrieve my password?

Entering an Existing Assembly
1. How can I enter Assemblies that already exist?
2. How does the search engine work?
3. Are some Assemblies private?

Reading and Posting Messages
1. How do I read messages?
2. How can I post a message of my own?
3. If I make a mistake in my message, can I fix it?
4. Can several people read and post messages at the same time, like chat?
5. Can I respond to a message without posting it for everyone to see?
6. Who can read the messages I write?

Creating a New Assembly
1. Who can create an Assembly?
2. How many free Assemblies can I create?
3. What are the steps to creating an Assembly of my own?
4. Can I change the information I provided about my Assembly?
5. Who can see the information I provide about my Assembly?

Linking to a Specific Assembly
1. Is there an easy way to link my Assembly to my website?

Advertising
1. Will advertising be placed on all Assemblies?
2. Can I place an ad banner on my Assembly and/or on other Assemblies?

Signing Up

1. Can I take a look around before signing up?

Please do! You will be able to read messages in all free Assemblies, however you will not be able to post a message of your own. Browse our directory to find a Assembly discussion that interests you, or you can type Test Assembly in the Enter Existing Assembly area for a look at how the system works.

2. How will the information I provide about myself be used?

The required information you provide (your name and email address) is first used to send you your password -- we want to make sure you really exist out there! Second, we will send a small number of notices to you via email (we will try to limit these messages to three per year) to let you know about new features within Assembly and other Nerd World products. Finally, when you post messages, your name and email address appear on the message. This not only acts as mere identification, it also allows readers to contact you privately to discuss what you wrote. (In our Acceptable Use Policy, it is prohibited for mass marketers to use your email address to sell goods or services. Individuals also are required to cease contacting you if you ask them to stop.)

The optional information you provide helps us to know who is accessing our program -- your geographical location, your age group, and your sex. This information is useful when marketing the Assembly program, and it helps us to sell advertising on specific Assemblies (which is how all of this can be offered to you for free!)

3. How do I retrieve my password?

After agreeing to Assembly policy, your password is sent to the email address you provided. Our server sends the email message immediately, and most users receive their password within minutes. In some cases, the password has been delayed by a service provider (the company that stores email), but even in these cases the message was received within a half an hour.

Entering an Existing Assembly

1. How can I enter Assemblies that already exist?

There are two ways to enter existing Assemblies: first, if you know the "handle" (or short name) of the Assembly you wish to enter, you can type it in the box provided on the Assembly home page. You will be brought directly to that Assembly's main page. Second, if you don't know an Assembly's handle, you can look through our directory. You may choose to browse through our index of Assembly topics, or use our search engine to find Assemblies related to certain keywords.

2. How does the search engine work?

The search engine looks at information provided by the creator/administrator of an Assembly (title, description, keywords) as well as messages posted to an Assembly. The results of a search will bring up Assembly names, descriptions and relevant messages.

3. Are some Assemblies private?

Not yet. All free Assemblies are open to the public. Eventually, you will have the option to create a private Assembly (as well as add other features to your Assembly), however there will be a fee for this service.

Reading and Posting Messages

1. How do I read messages?

Simply double-click on the message title that appears on the front page of an Assembly. For example, if you enter the Test Assembly you can double-click on the "Welcome to Assembly" message posted by David Stein.

2. How can I post a message of my own?

In order to post messages to a bulletin board, you must first be a member of Assembly (this process is not only very simple, it's free! Go to Sign Up to become registered.) Once you're a member, you can log in from the front page of any Assembly -- just hit the "Login for Access" button, and provide your username (which is your email address) and your password (this was sent to you when you registered.)

After you have logged into Assembly, you can post messages to a bulletin board. Press the "New Topic" button if you'd like to start a new subject, or the "Post Response" button if you'd like to reply to a message you just read. In both cases, a box will come up for you to write your message. Remember to give your message a title, and press the "Post Message" button at the bottom of the box once you have finished.

3. If I make a mistake in my message, can I fix it?

Nope - so we suggest re-reading it before you hit the "Post Message" button. If you really have a problem with something you posted, you can ask the administrator of the Assembly (whose name appears at the bottom of the Assembly's front page) to delete your message.

4. Can several people read and post messages at the same time, like chat?

There is no limit to how many people can post messages at the same time, however this is not the ideal place to hold a chat session. First, the structuring that makes a bulletin board useful (its tree form, the fact that messages stay where they are, etc.) works against the rapid "talk" format needed for a good chat. Also, the free Assemblies have a limit of 100 messages. Administrators can delete old messages, however this would become quite a juggling act if a chat were running down the page.

5. Can I respond to a message without posting it for everyone to see?

Yes. If you would like to respond directly to the author of a message without posting your response to the Assembly, use the "Email Privately" button. You will see this option when you have opened a message posted to the Assembly.

6. Who can read the messages I write?

Free Assemblies are open to all users, therefore anyone can read the messages you post. If you would like to post private messages, use the "Email Privately" button.

Creating a New Assembly

1. Who can create an Assembly?

Anyone can create an Assembly. All you need to do is sign up and follow the steps outlined in the Create New Assembly area.

2. How many free Assemblies can I create?

Each member is limited to one free Assembly.

3. What are the steps to creating an Assembly of my own?

Once you have signed-up with Assembly, enter the Create New Assembly area. You will be guided through three pages of simple questions. First you will be asked for general information about yourself and your Assembly. Please note that the "handle" you provide for your Assembly should be as short and easy to remember as possible since visitors will need to type this name to enter your Assembly. The long version of your title will appear at the top of the main page of your Assembly. Next, you will be asked to provide information about those you expect to visit your Assembly (for example, if mostly adult males who work in construction will be accessing your bulletin board) and what your topic(s) of discussion are most likely to be (using the same example, this most likely would be "construction" and/or "home maintenance and improvement"). That's it! In a few minutes your Assembly will be ready.

4. Can I change the information I provided about my Assembly?

You can change all of the information you provide about your Assembly, EXCEPT your Assembly's handle. The handle is used when accessing your site from the Enter Existing Assembly area, yet it does not appear in the directory nor on the pages of your Assembly. To change any other information, press the "Change Conference Definitions" button on the front page of your Assembly (which can only be viewed by you, the administrator of the conference).

5. Who can see the information I provide about my Assembly?

All of the information provided by the creator of an Assembly (excluding your address and optional personal information) can be viewed by visitors to your site.

Linking to a Specific Assembly

1. Is there an easy way to link my Assembly to my website?

After you have created your new Assembly, you will be offered information on how to create a link from your website to your Assembly. Two small graphics are provided: one to send new visitors to the Assembly registration area (so that they will be able to post messages to your Assembly), and the second to create a direct link to the front page of your Assembly.

If you prefer to use ad banners to link to your Assembly, we have provided over thirty banners for you to use.

Advertising

1. Will advertising be placed on all Assemblies?

Yes, ad banners will be placed at the top of all free Assemblies. The revenue generated by advertising allows Nerd World to offer bulletin boards to the public at no cost.

2. Can I place an ad banner on my Assembly? on other Assemblies?

Anyone can advertise on the Assembly program. If you are interesting in purchasing ad space on Assembly or on Nerd World pages, please contact David Stein at webguru@nerdworld.com.