Board Guidelines
To help preserve the flow of the boards and protect our members we do have certain guidelines that we ask all to follow. We may at any time, without notice make modifications to the guidelines; it will be your responsibility to review these guidelines to keep up with such revisions. Access to amcsupport is subject to the guidelines listed below, by accessing this site you agree to these rules and guidelines.

1) Posts containing the following will not be tolerated:
-Negative remarks about our children and/or families
-Negative remarks regarding race, religion, or choice of lifestyle
-Doctor or Therapist Bashing (Others may have a totally different opinion about the same doctor/therapist)

2) Attacks on members through posts on the board, email or private messages will not be tolerated.

You may express opposing viewpoints but we want our members to feel safe from mistreatment.

3) Disruptive posts on the board, private messages, or email will not be tolerated. 

AMCSUPPORT is a supportive community. Any posts made or messages sent in an effort to upset members, or to simply be disruptive to our group cohesion, will not be tolerated.  This includes, but is not limited to, insulting or belittling others and spreading gossip or fueling arguments.

 

4) The use of foul and/or inappropriate language will not be tolerated.

5) Copying of personal information from our site or private messages is strictly not allowed!

Personal Information includes but is not limited to: the use of member’s name (username or actual name) or other private information, copy/pasting information from our site or private messages without permission from the original poster, screen shots from our site or private messages and/or use of information from our site or private messages for personal use without permission.

6) All photographs are the exclusive property of the members of AMCSUPPORT.ORG
Our photos are protected under international copyright laws. They are made available for your personal viewing and educational purposes only. The photographs may NOT be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way. All photos published by amcsupport.org are published with special permission from parent or guardian.

7) Advertisements, solicitations, and fundraising are prohibited*

The AMC support forums are not a place for commerce.

Posts that violate the guidelines will be removed and subjected to Board of Director review.  Members will be notified of violations, and repeat offenders will have their accounts suspended.

*Fundraising posts for AMCSI are allowed provided they meet the following guidelines:

The use of any letterhead or item with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita Support, Inc.(AMCSI) & or our logo (Abby’s feet prints) HAS to be approved by the AMCSI Board of Directors

Typically, states exercise regulatory authority over nonprofits based on one (or both) of two premises: the nonprofit is physically present in the state (e.g., has an office, owns real estate, or conducts program activities) or the nonprofit raises funds in the state.
Failure to register before soliciting is a violation of law and could subject the organization to substantial fines and / or sanctions.  States generally wish to encourage honest efforts to comply with registration laws and tend to employ sanctions only when enforcement officials deem it necessary. So, an organization able to demonstrate its good faith by promptly registering after discovering its obligation (albeit tardily) , stands a good chance of avoiding or minimizing sanctions.

 

The bottom line is that if you plan to solicit funds on behalf of AMCSI in any state (except Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Wyoming), you must register!  A Standardized Registration Form for Nonprofit Organizations © Under State Charitable Solicitation Laws must be completed, (usually known as a Charitable Solicitation Registration or a URS Form - actual title varies from state to state) MUST be submitted to that state's Attorney General or State Charities Official. For most states filing is required on an annual basis.

If you are planning a fund raiser for AMCSI of ANY kind Please let us know ASAP by emailing: bod@amcsupport.org (include both your member name, your real name, and your state) so that we may file the appropriate paper work &/or fees with your state (if we do not qualify for an 'exemption' to do so).

If you live in: Arkansas - Colorado - Florida - Georgia - Mississippi - North Dakota - Oklahoma - Tennessee - Utah - Washington - or West Virginia and plan to conduct a fund raiser for AMCSI contact: bod@amcsupport.org ASAP as these states require supplementary information in conjunction with their registration form.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Please report violations of the guidelines to the Board of Directors by emailing BOD@amcsupport.org

AMCSI reserves the right to restrict private and/or block access to the boards, without prior notice, for violations of the above guidelines. We will make every effort to issue warnings and solve problems before this becomes necessary.

AMCSI BOD reserves the right to ban members who repeatedly violate the above guidelines.

Any actions taken by moderators and/or board members in an effort to enforce the guidelines will be subjected to BOD review.

Lurker Notice

It is policy of this group to promote support, friendship and have fun.
We are protective of the private/sensitive information exchanged on this group and do not allow the general public to view our messages. It is essential to be interactive and maintain a good rapport with the other members. If you have 0 posts for 30 days or a month has passed since your last post- you may be considered a "lurker" and will automatically banned from the group. If you wish to remain in good-standing and maintain your membership with this group, it is requested that you post on a fairly regular basis. Update about your family, vent, tell us about a event, or just say hi!

Privacy

When posting on AMCSupport please be aware that this is a public forum. Do not post personal information about yourself (ie last name, address, phone number). If for some reason a member should choose to delete their account from AMCSUPPORT, we will not be responsible for removing any pictures, posts, or other personal information from the forums. When you register we do collect your email address and member name. You will receive our monthly newsletter via email. We may also email you periodically to announce site updates or if there is a violation of the above guidelines.

Disclaimer

AMCSI, it's Board of Directors, administrators, moderators and/or members cannot assume responsibility or liability for the content, information, links and/or other items within our site and cumulative sites linked therein. Statements or opinions expressed within the discussion boards are not necessarily those of AMCSI, it's BOD, administrators, moderators and/or members. Any material on AMCSUPPORT is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only. Material on our site should not take the place of a qualified professional.

Our discussion board is free for all to use. However, running the site does cost money; occasionally we will raise money to pay fees associated with maintaining and adding to the board (renewal for hosting the site is due April 25th. Donations are always appreciated; the Make A Donation button on the main page of amcsupport.org may be used to contribute financially to the site at any time.

We would like to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for making this site a wonderful outlet for all who join!
AMCSI Board of Directors

FAQ's about the Forum

Why can't I log in? Have you registered? Seriously, you must register in order to log in. Have you been banned from the board? If you did not make the post requirement (See board rules) you may have been deleted from the registry.   If you have registered and are not banned and you still cannot log in then check and double-check your username and password. Usually this is the problem; if not, contact the board administrator -- they may have incorrect configuration settings for the board.

Why do I need to register at all? Registration will give you access to the messages on the boards, additional features not available to guest users such as definable avatar images, private messaging, emailing to fellow users, usergroup subscription, etc. It only takes a few minutes to register so it is recommended you do so.

Why do I get logged off automatically? If you do not check the Log me in automatically box when you log in, the board will only keep you logged in for a preset time. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged in, check the box during login. This is not recommended if you access the board from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university cluster, etc.

I've lost my password! Don't panic! While your password cannot be retrieved it can be reset. To do this go to the login page and click I've forgotten my password. Follow the instructions and you should be back online in no time.

I registered but cannot log in! First check that you are entering the correct username and password. If they are okay then one of two things may have happened: if COPPA support is enabled and you clicked the I am under 13 years old link while registering then you will have to follow the instructions you received. If this is not the case then maybe your account need activating. Some boards will require all new registrations be activated, either by yourself or by the administrator before you can log on. When you registered it would have told you whether activation was required. If you were sent an email then follow the instructions; if you did not receive the email then check that your email address is valid. One reason activation is used is to reduce the possibility of rogue users abusing the board anonymously. If you are sure the email address you used is valid then try contacting the board administrator.

I registered in the past but cannot log in anymore! The most likely reasons for this are: you entered an incorrect username or password (check the email you were sent when you first registered) or the administrator has deleted your account. If it is the latter case then perhaps you did not post anything? It is usual for boards to periodically remove users who have not posted anything so as to reduce the size of the database. Try registering again and get involved in discussions.

User Preferences and settings

How do I change my settings? All your settings (if you are registered) are stored in the database. To alter them click the Profile link (generally shown at the top of pages but this may not be the case). This will allow you to change all your settings.

The times are not correct! The times are almost certainly correct; however, what you may be seeing are times displayed in a timezone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, you should change your profile setting for the timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc. Please note that changing the timezone, like most settings, can only be done by registered users. So if you are not registered, this is a good time to do so, if you pardon the pun!

I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong! If you are sure you have set the timezone correctly and the time is still different, the most likely answer is daylight savings time (or summer time as it is known in the UK and other places). The board is not designed to handle the changeovers between standard and daylight time so during summer months the time may be an hour different from the real local time.

My language is not in the list! The most likely reasons for this are either the administrator did not install your language or someone has not translated this board into your language. Try asking the board administrator if they can install the language pack you need or if it does not exist, please feel free to create a new translation. More information can be found at the phpBB Group website (see link at bottom of pages)

How do I show an image below my username? There may be two images below a username when viewing posts. The first is an image associated with your rank; generally these take the form of stars or blocks indicating how many posts you have made or your status on the forums. Below this may be a larger image known as an avatar; this is generally unique or personal to each user. It is up to the board administrator to enable avatars and they have a choice over the way in which avatars can be made available. If you are unable to use avatars then this is the decision of the board admin and you should ask them their reasons (we're sure they'll be good!)

When I click the email link for a user it asks me to log in. Sorry, but only registered users can send email to people via the built-in email form (if the admin has enabled this feature). This is to prevent malicious use of the email system by anonymous users.

Posting Issues

How do I post a topic in a forum? Easy -- click the relevant button on either the forum or topic screens. You may need to register before you can post a message. The facilities available to you are listed at the bottom of the forum and topic screens (the You can post new topics, You can vote in polls, etc. list)

How do I edit or delete a post? Unless you are the board admin or forum moderator you can only edit or delete your own posts. You can edit a post (sometimes for only a limited time after it was made) by clicking the edit button for the relevant post. If someone has already replied to the post, you will find a small piece of text output below the post when you return to the topic that lists the number of times you edited it. This will only appear if no one has replied; it also will not appear if moderators or administrators edit the post (they should leave a message saying what they altered and why). Please note that normal users cannot delete a post once someone has replied.

How do I add a signature to my post? To add a signature to a post you must first create one; this is done via your profile. Once created you can check the Add Signature box on the posting form to add your signature. You can also add a signature by default to all your posts by checking the appropriate radio box in your profile. You can still prevent a signature being added to individual posts by un-checking the add signature box on the posting form.

How do I create a poll? Creating a poll is easy -- when you post a new topic (or edit the first post of a topic, if you have permission) you should see a Add Poll form below the main posting box. If you cannot see this then you probably do not have rights to create polls. You should enter a title for the poll and then at least two options -- to set an option type in the poll question and click the Add option button. You can also set a time limit for the poll, 0 being an infinite amount. There will be a limit to the number of options you can list, which is set by the board administrator

How do I edit or delete a poll? As with posts, polls can only be edited by the original poster, a moderator, or board administrator. To edit a poll, click the first post in the topic, which always has the poll associated with it. If no one has cast a vote then users can delete the poll or edit any poll option. However, if people have already placed votes only moderators or administrators can edit or delete it; this is to prevent people rigging polls by changing options mid-way through a poll

Why can't I access a forum? Some forums may be limited to certain users or groups. To view, read, post, etc. you may need special authorization which only the forum moderator and board administrator can grant, so you should contact them.

Why can't I vote in polls? Only registered users can vote in polls so as to prevent spoofing of results. If you have registered and still cannot vote then you probably do not have appropriate access rights.

Formatting and Topic Types

What is BBCode? BBCode is a special implementation of HTML. Whether you can use BBCode is determined by the administrator. You can also disable it on a per post basis from the posting form. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML: tags are enclosed in square braces [ and ] rather than < and > and it offers greater control over what and how something is displayed. For more information on BBCode see the guide which can be accessed from the posting page.

Can I use HTML? That depends on whether the administrator allows you to; they have complete control over it. If you are allowed to use it, you will probably find only certain tags work. This is a safety feature to prevent people from abusing the board by using tags which may destroy the layout or cause other problems. If HTML is enabled you can disable it on a per post basis from the posting form.

What are Smileys? Smileys, or Emoticons, are small graphical images which can be used to express some feeling using a short code, e.g. :) means happy, :( means sad. The full list of emoticons can be seen via the posting form. Try not to overuse smileys, though, as they can quickly render a post unreadable and a moderator may decide to edit them out or remove the post altogether.

Can I post Images? Images can indeed be shown in your posts. However, there is no facility at present for uploading images directly to this board. Therefore you must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. http://www.photobucket.com/my-picture.gif. You cannot link to pictures stored on your own PC (unless it is a publicly accessible server) nor to images stored behind authentication mechanisms such as Hotmail or Yahoo mailboxes, password-protected sites, etc. To display the image use either the BBCode [img] tag or appropriate HTML (if allowed).

What are Announcements? Announcements often contain important information and you should read them as soon as possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the forum to which they are posted. Whether or not you can post an announcement depends on the permissions required, which are set by the administrator. Back to top

What are Sticky topics? Sticky topics appear below any announcements in viewforum and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them where possible. As with announcements the board administrator determines what permissions are required to post sticky topics in each forum. Back to top

What are Locked topics? Locked topics are set this way by either the forum moderator or board administrator. You cannot reply to locked topics and any poll contained inside is automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons.

Private Messaging

I cannot send private messages! There are three reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on, the board administrator has disabled private messaging for the entire board, or the board administrator has prevented you individually from sending messages. If it is the latter case you should try asking the administrator why.

I keep getting unwanted private messages! In the future we will be adding an ignore list to the private messaging system. For now, though, if you keep receiving unwanted private messages from someone, inform the board administrator -- they have the power to prevent a user from sending private messages at all.

I have received a spamming or abusive email from someone on this board! We are sorry to hear that. The email form feature of this board includes safeguards to try to track users who send such posts. You should email the board administrator with a full copy of the email you received and it is very important this include the headers (these list details of the user that sent the email). They can then take action.