Copyright: Copyright © 1996 Galacticomm, Inc.
Citation: Copyright © 1996 Galacticomm, Inc.  All rights reserved.


Sign-up

In order to log onto a Worldgroup server and use its resources, you must first sign up.

If you are already signed up (have a User-ID and password) on this Worldgroup system, you do not need to sign up again.

If you have not yet signed up on this Worldgroup system, please enter your information in this window.  The information you provide during Sign-up will be visible only to the Sysop (system operator).  Other users will not have access to it.

Sysops can disable any of the following questions if they feel the information is unnecessary, so you won't always be asked the full list.

Name

Please enter your real, full name.  Again, this field is for internal recordkeeping.  The name by which you will be known to other users is your User-ID.  See below.

Company name

The name of the company you work for, if relevant.

Street address

Many Worldgroup servers operate as online shopping malls.  Be sure this address is one which can accept package deliveries from carriers other than the government mail service - that is, not a Post Office Box.

Country

If you leave this field blank, it's assumed you live in the same country in which the Worldgroup server is located.  This can be used for more detailed routing information if necessary (for example:  Saba, Netherlands Antilles).

Voice Phone

For business purposes, it's usually best to provide a daytime number.  For social purposes, an evening number is often more appropriate.

This online service may require a valid telephone number at which you can be reached before giving you access to its services.  Then again, many do not.  If you prefer not to give a number, type several zeroes in this field.  Please don't type in a fake number.

Computer type

Since you are contacting this Worldgroup server through Worldgroup Manager, you are almost certainly running it on an IBM PC or compatible.  You can also contact Worldgroup servers through text-based Telnet and modem programs from practically any ASCII-compatible terminal.

Your date of birth

This must be entered in whatever format you've set in the International section of Windows' Control Panel.  For example, 01/22/65 for January 22, 1965.

Your sex

Your gender, male or female.

User-ID

Enter the name, nickname, or "handle" by which you wish to be known to other users on this service.  All e-mail and forum messages you write will display this name in the From: field.  Teleconference will display this name as the source of any comments you contribute.

On some Worldgroups, the User-ID field will be linked to the Name field so that your name must be your User-ID.  On most systems, however, the two fields can be different.

Password

Enter a code word which you will use in future to verify that you are who you say you are when you identify yourself by User-ID.  No one apart from you, the software, and the Sysop will be able to see this password.

The characters which you type here will be obscured with ******* so that other persons within view of your screen cannot easily see what you type.

Don't use an obvious word (like "password") or one which might be easily guessed by someone who knows you (mother's maiden name, child's name, etc.).  Don't use something completely random, either, as you're likely to forget it.  A good compromise is to combine two unrelated words (like "twosun") which are easy to remember but don't mean much.

Write down this new password immediately and keep the paper in a secure location.

Re-prompt at logon

If this box is not  checked, your User-ID and password will be recorded locally within Worldgroup Manager on this PC.

If this box is  checked, the Worldgroup server will require you to type in both your User-ID and password each time you log on.

If the PC you are now using is yours alone, and there's little chance a coworker or family member might use it to log on in your name, you'll save yourself a few keystrokes at each logon by leaving the box unchecked.

If this is a public-access PC, you certainly should not  record either your User-ID or password locally, so be sure to check this box.

Once you answer all of these fields, click the OK button.  You will next be asked to verify your choice of password by typing it in a second time.


Password verification

In order to confirm that the password you typed on the main Sign-up window is one which you can easily remember and repeat, the system requires that you correctly enter the password a second time.

As with the first entry, the characters you type here will be obscured with ******* so that other persons within view of your screen cannot easily see what you type.

If you mistype the password, either the first time or during the repeat, consider that you may have the same trouble with this choice of passwords in future.  Perhaps a simpler password is more appropriate.

When you successfully repeat the password and click OK, the Sign-up information will be recorded in the Accounting area.  You can edit/update most of this information after you log on by selecting the icon labeled Account Display/Edit from the Main System Menu.  Your User-ID is not editable once entered at Sign-up, however.

The User-ID and password you declare here may also be recorded on your PC in Worldgroup Manager's Properties area for the Online Service Item (icon) you use to contact this service.  From now on, when you double-click that icon, Worldgroup Manager will use your User-ID and password to identify you to the Worldgroup server and log you on.


Please provide this additional information

This Worldgroup system may require more information than simply your name, address, and phone number.  As with the first window's questions, the answers you provide here will be seen only by the Sysop (and possibly an assistant CoSysop).

Each question can accept up to 79 characters of answer.  Both alphabetic and numeric characters are acceptable, as are most punctuation marks.

If there are more questions than can be displayed within the window, use the scroll bar to move subsequent questions into view.

When you have answered all of these questions, the OK button will become active (it is dimmed when you first arrive at this window).  Click OK to continue.