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For most people the login process goes smoothly. Occasionally there's a problem. If you're having a problem logging in, there are two "concept" things it's important to understand. Then we have a list of things to try.
Concepts first:
1. Forward Motion access runs on a special cookie. When you log in, a cookie is written to your computer wherever your browser keeps cookies. That cookie is the ticket that admits members to the private boards where members post in-progress work for critique.
3. Because we're a private membership group, not a public forum, we require verification of your email address. This is because the main work of the membership is to write for publication. Unfinished work in the process of being refined to prepare it for submission is posted for critique all over the private membership boards. This means that you don't get to pick your password when you initially sign up. Instead, your initial password is sent to the email address you give when you sign up. This is our way of verifying that you are a real person with a real email address--in short, the way that you apply to become a member of the private writing community that is Forward Motion. When you come back to log in for the first time, your username and the password you were sent must match. Otherwise we can't verify that you are you.
Okay, now on to the matter of the "standard fix" list. Usually the problem is EITHER that, for some reason your computer is not allowing the Forward Motion community server to PLACE the cookie, OR that, for some reason, your user name or password are not getting entered correctly or recognized correctly:
1. Make absolutely certain that you have entered your user name exactly as you gave it when you signed up. User names are NOT case sensitive, but if you used an underline to separate characters when you signed up, and are trying to log in with a space, or if you left a space before or after your login name when you signed up, then the spaces and underlines must be exactly as they were entered when you signed up. If you signed up as "K_House " then the server will accept "k_house " but it will not accept "k house" or "K_House" it will insist on the underline between the last name and the initial, and it will insist on the space after the last name.
3. Make absolutely certain that you have entered the password you got in your confirming email exactly as it was sent to you. The easiest way of being sure you get it right it is to cut and paste. The most common error in this situation is to enter a trailing space. There should not be a trailing space. If the password you were sent is "09877097" then you cannot log in using "09877097 " because the server will notice the space and reject the password as incorrect.
5. Temporarily, during the login process, set your browser security low enough that it will accept the cookie from the FM site. After you have successfully logged in, you can raise your browser security, but for the login process to let you into the site, FM must be able to place a cookie that allows the site server to recognize you as a person who has gone through the membership process.
7. If you are behind a firewall, disable the firewall during the login process.
9. If you are accessing via a local proxy, try turning off the proxy during the login process and set your browser to bypass the proxy for the FM site. (This is particularly applicable with Netscape Communicator.)
11. Try going to the http://fmwriters.com/community/dc/dcboard.php?az=login page to log in instead of to the www.fmwriters.com login page.
13. If your browser is a version of Opera earlier than 7, you may be logged in and not realize it. Before assuming that your attempt to log in has been unsuccessful, try refreshing the page. It may very well show that you are logged in.
15. If your browser is Opera, Version 7, set Opera to ask you whether to accept cookies or not. When it asks you whether or not to accept the Forward Motion cookie, say yes.
17. Try setting the Forward Motion site to a "trusted" site in your browser.
19. Clear out all your cookies, and try all of the above again.
21. Holler for help. Post your cry for assistance in the "Newcomer's" forum at: http://www.fmwriters.com/community/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=14 and/or in the "Computer Geek's Corner" at: http://www.fmwriters.com/community/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=84 Both of these are "public" forums, and you do not have to be logged in as a member in order to post there.
If the problem is at the server level (very unusual, but not impossible) it will take one of our wizards to fix it. Even if it's not at the server level, our wizards are pretty good at helping you either figure out the fix or figure out where to FIND a fix.
Finally, unless you are logging on from a public library or other shared terminal, save yourself the headache, and set your preferences to keep yourself logged in, as follows:
User Menu, under "Edit your Preferences" "YES" in response to the question:
Remain logged on when you return to use the forum at a later time?
Select "yes" if you want to be logged on when you return at a later time. This feature will be in effect the next time you login.
The items aren't numbered, but it's about the eighth one down. Also, the preferences don't change unless you click the "Update" button at the bottom.
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