Editing BeWelcome FAQs - Check-up and Update (section)

== HELP NEEDED: '''Using the Site: Contact'''==
<div style="color:#009000">[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 18:19, 3 February 2013 (CET): I don't find the title of this section very convincing (I wouldn't know what kind of questions to expect here). The questions are a mixture of several topics: getting in touch with other members, contact information, the messaging system, spam and some others which should definitely be moved to other sections. Maybe it's also better to split this section into several: one for the messaging system, one for finding members, one for getting in touch with them, move spam to an "abuse" section, move "contact information" to the "profile" section (maybe rename that one too).<br>
My suggestions in detail:
* Rename section, for example "Communicating with other members & messaging system"
* As first question add "How can I get in touch with other members" and introduce member search, messaging system, groups and forum in the answer (with links to further FAQs about search, groups and forum).
* Keep questions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 13 in this section.
* Remove question 3 or move to a spam or abuse section but add a question about what to do about spam messages here and link to spam section for further information on spam.
* Move questions 10 and 11 to a new section about finding members.
* Move question 12 to "Bugs".
* Add a question about "folders" for messages - e.g. "Can I create folders to sort/archive my messages on BeWelcome?"</div><br>

===How can I contact another member?===
To contact another member, go to his/her profile. There, you will find a <b>"Send Message"</b> link in the left sidebar below the profile picture. Just click on it and write your message in the blank field provided and then click on "send". The member will receive your message in his BeWelcome mailbox but all messages will also be sent to his/her e-mail address.

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:[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 16:30, 23 March 2013 (CET): Updated the FAQ on the website to this version.</div><br>

===Can I display my e-mail address on my profile?===
By default, member's e-mail addresses are not displayed on the profiles. If, however, you explicitly wish to have your e-mail address visible for every member, please put your e-mail address in your profile summary. If your profile is a public profile, your e-mail will then also be visible to non-members and searchable by search engines. Please note that this will increase your chances of getting spam! An easy way to avoid spam is to publish your e-mail address like this: "name [at] mailserver [dot] whatever".

<div style="color:maroon">
:[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 16:33, 23 March 2013 (CET): Updated the FAQ on the website to this version.</div><br>

===Can I contact members in languages other than English?===
You can contact members in any language specified on the member's profile which also indicates how well that person speaks the said language. If you write to them in a language they don't understand, they won't be able to answer you.

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:Checked - [[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 11:32, 1 February 2013 (CET)
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===Do I have to provide my phone number?===
You are not required to provide your phone number at all. If you don't want people to contact you by phone, just don't provide any phone number, remove it or hide it. We generally recommend to keep your phone number hidden. To choose your preferred visibility option for your phone number go to <b>My account > [http://www.bewelcome.org/editmyprofile Edit my profile]</b> and then choose your settings in the "Contact Information" tab. Other members can always contact you by using the secure message mechanism on the website and those messages will be sent through to your e-mail address.

<div style="color:maroon">
:[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 16:39, 23 March 2013 (CET): Updated the FAQ on the website to this version.
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===REMOVED: How can I find out whether messages sent to several members were considered spam?===
You will always be notified if messages were considered spam.

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:[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 16:49, 23 March 2013 (CET): I removed this FAQ from the website because this is, as far as I know, not true in all cases. Please dorrect me if I'm wrong.
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===Where can I see the messages that I have sent through the BeWelcome website?===
To see your sent messages go to <b>My account > [http://www.bewelcome.org/messages My messages]</b> in the menu bar and then click on the "[http://www.bewelcome.org/messages/sent Messages Sent]" tab.

<div style="color:maroon">
:[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 16:49, 23 March 2013 (CET): Updated the FAQ on the website to this version.
</div><br>

===How can I delete messages from my BeWelcome inbox?===
To delete messages from your [http://www.bewelcome.org/messages BeWelcome inbox] tick the checkbox in front of the message and then click on the button "delete". Alternatively, click on the message to read it and there is a "delete" button for this message at the bottom of the page. Just click it and the message will be deleted. Please note that deleting the message from your inbox does not delete the message from the "sent messages" page of the member who sent it to you.

<div style="color:maroon">
:[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 16:49, 23 March 2013 (CET): Updated the FAQ on the website to this version.
</div><br>

===Can I stop messages from going to my e-mail account? For me it's enough to read them on the website.===
There are different types of messages on BeWelcome with different possible settings regarding the forwarding to your e-mail account:
*<b>Personal Messages</b>: These are private messages from other members, for example requests to stay with you. To make sure that you always get these messages, even without logging on to the website, these messages will always be forwarded to your e-mail account. There is no possibility to opt out from receiving such messages. The idea of BeWelcome is to bring people together in real life and we consider a working e-mail account as one link to you in real life.
*<b>BeWelcome Newsletters</b>: From time to time (usually every three months) we send out a newsletter about developments on BeWelcome and in hospitality exchange. These newsletters will only be sent to your e-mail account, not to your BeWelcome inbox. If you do not want to receive the BeWelcome newsletters, you can change your settings in your [http://www.bewelcome.org/mypreferences personal preferences] accordingly: For the setting "I want to receive periodic news about BeWelcome by mail" choose "No" and then click on "Submit form" at the bottom of the page.
*<b>Notifications about local events</b>: Sometimes, local volunteers may send out e-mails to local members about hospitality exchange events in the area. These notifications are not commercial, they are about BeWelcome events in your area or about hospitality exchange subjects. If you do not want to receive these notifications, you can change your settings in your [http://www.bewelcome.org/mypreferences personal preferences] accordingly: For the setting "Notifications about local events" choose "No" and then click on "Submit form" at the bottom of the page.
*<b>Notifications from BeWelcome groups</b>: If your are a member of one or more groups on BeWelcome, you might have chosen to receive notifications about new posts in your group(s) when you became a group member. To disable these notifications, go to the respective group page and choose "Member settings" from the sub menu below the group title. There, you can choose "No" for the setting "I want to receive e-mail updates from this group". Click on "Update member settings" to save your changes.
*<b>Notifications from the BeWelcome forum</b>: You might also receive message from the forum if you have subscribed to topics or tags. To review and change your forum subscription settings, please to to your "[http://www.bewelcome.org/forums/subscriptions subscriptions page]" and unsubscribe from the topics and tags you no longer want to be notified about (just click on the "Unsubscribe" button).

<div style="color:maroon">
:[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 17:04, 23 March 2013 (CET): Updated the FAQ on the website to this version.
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===I'm looking for travel companions. Can you help me?===
There are several options to find travel companions on BeWelcome:
*<b>The "[http://www.bewelcome.org/groups/68 Travel Companions]" group</b>: This group is specifically dedicated to bringing people together for travelling. If you are in search for a travel companion, join the group and post your travel plans there.
*<b>The "[http://www.bewelcome.org/forums/t7-Travel%20companions Travel companions]" tag in the forum</b>: We have a special tag for people looking for travel companions in our forum. By combining several tags (for example Travel companions - South America - May 2013) your post can be found easily by exactly the people who should read it. Of course you, too, are able to look for people planning to travel in the same area at the same time as you.
*<b>The "[http://www.bewelcome.org/trip Trips]" page</b>: On this page you can both search for planned trips of other members and enter your own travel plans. So this page is a good starting point for finding peolpe travelling in the same area at the same time.

<div style="color:maroon">
:[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 17:04, 23 March 2013 (CET): Updated the FAQ on the website to this version.
</div><br>

===Are there any older people using BeWelcome? How can I find them?===
Older people are not only very welcome on BeWelcome, they also already form an important part of the community. To get in touch with older members, you can, for example join the "[http://www.bewelcome.org/groups/1048 40+ travellers]" group or the "[http://www.bewelcome.org/groups/362 50+ group]" or use the "[http://www.bewelcome.org/searchmembers Advanced Search]" (click on "Advanced Search" next to the "Search" button) and enter a minimum age" for your search there.

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:[[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 17:12, 23 March 2013 (CET): Updated the FAQ on the website to this version. Not sure if the term "older people" is really quite appropriate. Any suggestions for better terms?
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===How can I find other members' e-mail addresses? ===
By default, members' e-mail addresses are not displayed on their profiles in order to protect them from getting spam.<br>
You can always contact members through the integrated messaging system. Clicking on the member's username will take you to the profile of that member. Once there,you will find a "Send Message" link in the left sidebar below the profile picture.. Just click on it and write your message in the blank field provided. Of course, you are always free to ask specific members for their personal e-mail addresses.<br>
You might also want to check if the member you want to contact has an instant messenger username such as Skype, MSN, Yahoo or ICQ on the profile.<br>

<div style="color:maroon">
:Updated to last suggestion, checked and corrected - [[User:Sitatara|Sitatara]] ([[User talk:Sitatara|talk]]) 18:19, 3 February 2013 (CET)
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