Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ might be useful to you if you are new to fanlistings, if you have a specific question or if you wondering why your url is not listed with your name. Normally you do not need to read any of this before joining or at all.
- What is a fanlisting?
- What do you need to join this listing?
- Is your e-mail safe with me?
- Why do you need to give your e-mail?
- What e-mails you receive when joining
- What other e-mails might be sent
- Manual changes to your member info
- Manual edit of (nick-)names
- Reasons for a missing url in your entry
- How does the update process work?
- Issues with SPAM
- Can you contribute to this fanlisting?
- What is an affiliate?
- More questions you might have
What is a fanlisting?
A fanlisting is, as the name suggests, an online list of fans for a certain subject.
Some people who have websites take one of the buttons or codes in their prefered size and put them up with a link back to the fanlisting. Thus creating a nice graphic overview of the things they like. It's obviously never complete as many fanlistings doesn't exist yet or anymore.
But even non-website owners like to join and show their support for the things they like, which is especially cool when it comes down to older fandoms or relatively unknown subjects. People browse by the fanlisting and can see that they not alone, even though they might not know anyone in real-life who shares their particular interest.
The fanlistings are all listed at www.thefanlistings.org, the idea itself is from Janine.
What do you need to join this listing?
All that is required is your (nick)name, a valid e-mail and your country.
On the join form you can check or uncheck the option whether you want to have your e-mail shown, this is something I, as the owner, can not influence.
Is your e-mail safe with me?
Yes, it is - your e-mail will be stored into the database and only used for fanlisting related business. Meaning you never will receive an e-mail from me that is not related to the fanlisting. If you are worried about people fetching it from the member's list hide it to begin with or use the update form to hide it later.
Why do you need to give your e-mail?
For once a unique e-mail is necessary for the script to work, but secondly and more important it limits the fake joiners. Spammers nearly always have fake addresses and people who just sign up to leave nasty remarks usually, too.
What e-mails you receive when joining
The script sents out an initial e-mail which confirms that you have joined succesfully, if you wish to avoid this simply uncheck the "Yes, send me my account information" box before joining.
An e-mail you can not avoid is the actual e-mail that informs you about being moved from pending to the actual members list. Normally that is the only e-mail you receive from this listing.
What other e-mails might be sent
In the rare case that the fanlisting is open for adoption, moved to a new location or is closed you receive an e-mail, so you can edit your links and so on. That is the sum of the unprompted e-mails you might be getting.
Other e-mails will only be sent to you if you request them - like if you need an update, then a new e-mail telling you that you have been added back to the member's list will reach you. Or if you request a new password.
Manual changes to your member info
Sometimes it is necessary for me to edit the info a member provided in their join form. I think basic manners and standards should be upheld even on the internet. If you wondering why your entry has been changed or maybe because you want to clear things up front, you should read the next two question and replies.
Manual edit of (nick-)names
I prefer to edit as little as possible, but the database doesn't handle special characters very well. Often letters from non-english alphabets show up weird and distort your name - so I have to edit them.
Another thing are numbers and signs, although some parents today try to name their kids 4ever, they are not part of names and in the rarest cases someone will call you lullababe44. So unless the numbers are part of your internet persona I will remove letters and * ~ + or what ever cute things you attach to letters.
UPPERCASE typing and sTicKy letters will be edited to normal.
Reasons for a missing url in your entry
First of all listing your url on the member's list isn't mandatory for me and as I strongly believe in the "you link me - I link you" philosophy you might find that I de-actived your url. That or you have a site that annoys the visitor with automatic music playing, pop-ups or have the nasty habit of direct-linking form other pages.
If your site is downright nasty to the unsuspecting visitor or a friend's locked myspace or what ever site, I am afraid there is little you can do to get me to link back. Sorry, but I am not knowingly linking back to a site that might crash someone's browser with adds, disrupt the music they are listening to or that causes eye damage from blazing color schemes.
Sometimes, especially if I approve you fast, I give you time to add the link back, but some time later I will perform a link check and if the site is gone or not linking back, I will remove it. You are welcome to update and add your link back if you finally have put up a link or told me where on your page you have hidden the link back.
How does the update process work?
In the join form you had the option to set a password, which you can use together with your e-mail addy to update your info via the update form. You will then be returned to the pending list and I will get a notice about your update request. I'll then check your info (to see if you have been naughty or maybe mistyped the url) and then add you back to the member's list.
If I adopted the listing or you haven't set a password, you will need your e-mail addy to receive the password mail, via the lost password page. That can lead to potential problems. Some providers love to block fanlisting e-mail - like hotmail or comcast, although occastionally they let e-mails go through. Should that happen or your old e-mail is dead for some reason, you will find instructions on the lost password page on how to contact me - I will then add the info manually for you.
Issues with SPAM
You have the option to hide your e-mail addy, that means there is no risk at all if you join this fanlisting properly with your own valid e-mail addy.
I know the pain in the ass SPAM is and get quite a lot on my on e-mail addies and on the join forms, which is why I am so persistent on the valid e-mail addy (I have the right to remove SPAM joiners from the listing).
On occasion if you mistyped your e-mail or joined with strange numbers and a fake e-mail that bounces back to me I might mistake you for a spammer, please join again with a valid e-mail and while you are at it a number free name.
Can you contribute to this fanlisting?
I always welcome assistance and will credit you with a link of your choice, if you have one. Especially code donations are welcome, but if you have related fanart or written a fanfic connected to the subject, I'd be happy to put it up or set a link to it. Corrections of factual mistakes, spelling and grammar errors are greatly appreciated.
If you feel like it, you can write reviews, a short essay why you like the subject, background info, provide quotes, promo pictures that I missed - while I like to keep the fanlisting part and the ftp info to myself, I will be happy to list you on the front page, along with my name for any major contributions you make. Please not a single picture and some short text aren't major contributions.
What is an affiliate?
An affiliate is a site with related content where the owner has agreed to a link exchange. What is still considered related is up to the people running the sites. Unless someone is asking for affiliation without listing a site or with his personal un-related webspace/photobucket etc I will always reply to your requests. So please feel free to re-sent requests, I'm really not that picky!
More questions you might have
If you still unsure about certain processes or specifics of the fanlisting - feel free to e-mail me.