Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

All About the Southwest Observer
Do you have a print edition?
No. The Southwest Observer is an online-only publication. While it's like a newspaper, it's a whole lot more. Readers who register can post their own stories in their own blogs, post events and open forum topics for discussion. And they can comment on every item in the site.

Who are you?
The editor is Michael Fielding. A native of the Southwest Side, he has spent most of his life here. A journalist for more than a decade, he received his Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University and has contributed to more than two dozen newspapers and magazines nationwide. He has received several awards and has also appeared on NBC Nightly News.

The publisher is Steve Delmont, a long time web designer, graphic designer and writer. He's published magazines, newspapers, directories, and has written columns for small daily and weekly community newspapers. He's launched dozens of websites based on the idea that the community shouldn't just be the news - it should participate in the news.

Features
What's the who's new and who's online box?
Those two boxes show the screen names of those readers who have recently registered and those who are currently online. When you register, your chosen screen name will show up there. Registered users can send e-mail or instant messages to each other by clicking on a link in those boxes once they sign in.

What are the little icons at the end of a story?
Those icons allow readers to send a story to those links if they think it's important enough. The links are for Digg.com, Newsvine.com and Google and Yahoo news sites.

What does the "Categorized under..." link mean?
The link indicates that the story you're reading has been placed in a category with stories of similar content and angles. Each of those categorized links is clickable, and, when clicked, will bring up a list of all the stories in that category. It's just another way to navigate around the stories in the site.

Discussion
What's the difference between a blog and a forum?
A blog is your own story on the site, almost like a diary without the key. Readers can comment on what you write. A forum is more public, more like a town square where you can post a question or topic for discussion and expect others to respond.
If your post is more about "What I did or what I think" then it's a blog.
If your post is more about "What do you think" then it's a forum topic.

Who watches the discussions?
The staff of the Observer monitors discussions on a constant basis - throughout the day, every day. Software has been installed to delete profanity and to prevent the constant repetition of the same comment.

What are the rules for discussions?
Simple: Be nice. As a rule of thumb, if you wouldn't feel comfortable saying it over your back fence, then don't say it here. Our End User License Agreement--the one you must read in order to participate--lays out the rules in a very specific--and boring--legal manner. Just keep in mind: no hate, no threats, no name calling. Just talk.

Also, be aware that the term libel comes into play. If you libel individuals or businesses--make a false statement that damages the reputation of a person or a business--they can sue you.

My Account
Why do you need all my personal information when I register?
We ask for your real name, address and phone number - and we absolutely guarantee that we will never give that information to anyone for any reason whatsoever. Why collect it then? If we know who you are, and you know who we are, it makes for a more respectful, friendly conversation. Anonymity breeds contempt.

Will everyone see all of my information?
No. Only site administrators are privy that information.

Will I eventually be able to put more information on my profile?
Yes. In the future we plan to make your profile more thorough so you can use the Observer site to find like-minded people in your community.

Can I change my screen name?
No. We want readers to stand by what they say, and changing your account name is an easy way to get away from what you've written. So choose carefully.

Can I delete my account?
No. Again, deleting your account name is an easy way to get away from what you've written. To prevent this site--and the Internet medium as a whole--from being abused, we want readers to stand by what they say.

I can't receive e-mail. How can I change that?
Log in.
In the user block on the right hand side, click on My Account.
Click on the Edit Tab.
Scroll down to the Contact Settings Field.
Check the box next to the Personal Contact form line. You will now be able to receive e-mails from other readers.

I'm getting all sorts of junk mail through my account. How can I change that?
Log in.
In the user block on the right hand side, click on My Account.
Click on the Edit Tab.
Scroll down to the Contact Settings Field.
Uncheck the box next to the Personal Contact form line. You will not be able to receive e-mails from other readers.

I can't receive private messages. How can I change that?
Log in.
In the user block on the right hand side, click on My Account.
Click on the Edit Tab.
Scroll down to the Private Message Settings Field.
Check the box next to the Allow Private Messages line. You will now be able to receive messages from other readers.

I don't want to get any private messages. How can I change that?
Log in.
In the user block on the right hand side, click on My Account.
Click on the Edit Tab.
Scroll down to the Private Message Settings Field.
Uncheck the box next to the Allow Private Messages line. You will now be able to receive messages from other readers.

Classifieds
Where do I submit a classified ad?
Classified ads are free to registered members. So you first need to sign up and log in. Once you've logged in, you can add a classifed ad from your control panel on the right hand side of the page. Just click, "Place a free classified ad".

Photos
Can I post my own photos?
If you'd like to have a photo gallery of your own at photos.southwestobserver.com, just e-mail us.

Can I buy photos?
All photos taken by Observer staff are for sale on our site at photos.southwestobserver.com. You can buy prints, posters and dozens of other assorted items.

Posting
How do I post a blog entry?
Log in.
In the right hand column, your user account box will appear.
Click on the Add A Blog Post link.
In the title field, enter a title.
In the blog field, enter keywords that describe the content of the blog post.
In the body field, enter the body of your post.
Click preview to make sure it looks just the way you want it.
Click Submit when you're ready to post it.

How do I post an event entry?
Log in.
In the right hand column, your user account box will appear.
Click on the Add An Event link.
Click on the calendar to enter a start date and time.
Click on the calendar to enter an end date and time.
If this is a repeating event, use the Repeat field to set that up.
In the title field, enter a title.
In the body field, enter the body of your event.
Click preview to make sure it looks just the way you want it.
Click Submit when you're ready to post it.

How do I post a forum topic?
Log in.
In the right hand column, your user account box will appear.
Click on the Add A Forum Topic link.
From the Forums pull down menu, choose a forum that you think is appropriate for your post.
In the body field, enter the body of your post.
Click preview to make sure it looks just the way you want it.
Click Submit when you're ready to post it.

How do I post photos?
Right now, registered users cannot post photos.

Contacting the Observer
How do I send a news release?
Go to http://www.southwestobserver.com/newstip

How do I send a birth announcement?
Go to http://www.southwestobserver.com/birthannouncement

How do I send a wedding announcement?
Go to http://www.southwestobserver.com/weddingannouncement

How do I send an engagement announcement?
Go to http://www.southwestobserver.com/engagementannouncement

How do I inform you of a post that's offensive?
If you find a post offensive, registered readers can just click on the
"flag as offensive" link at the bottom of the post. The editor and publisher will both be made aware immediately via e-mail, and they will review the post.

What's your phone number?
Our phone number is at the top and bottom of every page.

I have a question and want you to find the answer. What do I do?
Either call our phone number at the page bottom, or send an e-mail by filling out the form at www.southwestobserver.com/newstip

E-mail and Instant Messages
How can I send an e-mail to a fellow registered user of the Southwest Observer?
You can send e-mails to other members of the Southwest Observer by clicking on their name in any of their posts. A form will come up, you'll fill it out and they'll get your e-mail. Each member of the site automatically is set up to get e-mails, but some members turn it off. In that case, you'll click on the name, and the screen will tell you that the member in question is not accepting e-mails.

How do I send an instant message to a fellow registered user of the Southwest Observer?
Log in. Only members can send private messages.
If you want to send a message to an author, just click "Send a Private Message to Author" at the bottom of any story.

If you want to send one to another member, go to your User Account box on the right hand side of the page.
Click on My Private Messages.
When the screen loads, click on Write a New Message
In the To Field, type in the name of the member. If you can't remember it exactly, type slowly and the page will auto-complete the name for you.
Enter a subject in the subject line.
Enter a message.
Click Send Private Message.

RSS Feeds
What are they?
RSS Feeds are a simple way to keep up to date on all the content of the Southwest Observer site. Simply put, RSS feeds send all our stories to your desktop at time intervals that you specify. For more on RSS check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS.

How do I use them?
Just get an RSS reader, and install it on your desktop. Then, create a new feed for all the stories from the Observer by entering http://www.southwestobserver.com/rss.xml
To get a feed of all the comments, enter http://www.southwestobserver.com/crss
The best free feed reader out there is FeedReader available at http://feedreader.com

Advertising
I might be interested in advertising. Where can I find some information?
For advertising information, click to http://www.southwestobserver.com/advertise where you can see our latest offerings and download our latest rate card.

Legal stuff
What if I write something about someone that damages his reputation?
That's called libel. If you libel a person or a business--make a false statement that damages the reputation of a person or a business--that person or business can sue you. Even if your statement is true but out of context, you run the risk of being sued.