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Registration FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

Registration

• I'm having trouble registering. What do I do?
• Is registration free?
• Why register?
• What are the benefits of registration?
• How do I register?
• I am having trouble registering?

Login

• I've already registered. How do I log on?
• I have to sign in each time I return to your site. Why?
• My userid is not recognized when I try to log in.
• I've forgotten my password. How can I get this information?
• Is my password secure from other web sites or individuals?

Cookies

• What is a cookie?
• How do I change my browser settings to accept cookies?
• How do I enable cookies on Netscape Navigator?
• How do I enable cookies on Internet Explorer?
• I am an AOL user. How do I enable cookies?
• Why does roanoke.com use cookies?
• What happens if I do not accept your cookies?
• What information will you be tracking with my cookie?

Privacy

• If I register/accept cookies, will I receive unsolicited e-mail from you or any third party?
• What are you doing to protect my privacy and why is some information required on the registration form and some information optional?

Registration Form Field Descriptions

Registration

I'm having trouble registering. What do I do?
If you're having trouble signing up, please review these Frequently Asked Questions. If you don't find an answer to your particular problem, please contact us at registration.support@roanoke.com.

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Is registration free?
Yes. Registration is free of charge.

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Why register?
By requiring registration, we are able to offer free-of-charge access and are better able to determine which areas of the site are of greatest interest to our users. Please read our privacy policy if you are concerned about entering your personal information.

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What are the benefits of registration?
There are many benefits associated with registering on roanoke.com:

  • Chances to win great prizes such as tickets to movies, concerts and sporting events, or gift certificates to restaurants and shopping malls.
  • Interact with other registered users on roanoke.com through message boards, movie reviews, dining reviews and polls.
  • Submit events for both the print and online calendar
  • A free e-mail account (your user name@email.roanoke.com), when you enable it, complete with 10 MB of storage space and spam protection.
  • Subscribe to any or all e-mail newsletters offered on roanoke.com.
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How do I register?
To register, please fill out all of the fields on the registration form and click the "Create Account" button at the bottom of the page. Instructions for each item on the registration page are below. When you have successfully completed the registration form, the registration will be confirmed and you will be allowed into the site.

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Having trouble registering?
If you're having difficulty registering, please read the registration form field descriptions below, for registration. If you have further questions about registration or the site in general, contact registration.support@roanoke.com.

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Login

I've already registered. How do I log on?
If you've already registered, simply enter your user ID and password under the Current Users portion on this page. If you've forgotten your password click here, then follow the instructions and your password will be sent to you via e-mail.

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I have to sign in each time I return to your site. Why?
There are a number of possible explanations for this, most of which are related to cookies and browser behavior. Please review the list of troubleshooting suggestions below and if none address your problem, let us know.

  1. Your browser may not be set to accept cookies. You must accept cookies, or else you will have to sign in for each story. Your cookie settings should be set at Medium or lower. Find out how to enable cookies.
  2. You may have un-checked the box which keeps you signed in when you return. This box must be checked so that you don’t have to sign in each time you return to the site.
  3. Are you trying to access this site from WebTV? If so, we don’t support WebTV .
  4. Are you signing out of our site when you leave? If so, this will wipe out our ability to recognize you when you return, so you will be asked to sign in again.
  5. Are you clearing your cookies regularly? If so, this will wipe out our ability to recognize you when you return, so you will be asked to sign in again.
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My username is not recognized when I try to log in. What should I do?
Member names are case sensitive, meaning they have to be typed in exactly the same way every single time. Upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols have to be the same as when you typed them in the first time. Your member name cannot contain spaces or punctuation.

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I've forgotten my password. How can I get this information?
You do NOT need to re-register. You may retrieve your password by clicking here. Please follow the instructions and your password will be sent to you via e-mail.

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Is my password secure from other web sites or individuals?
Your password is stored in a secure database that is inaccessible to outside parties. No outside party, Web site or individual will be able to steal your password.

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Cookies

What is a cookie?
A "cookie" is a small data text file that gets entered into the memory of your browser and allows our site to recognize you each time you visit this site. Cookies are used to help web sites determine past preferences, for example, sections read during your visit.

In addition, the cookie will allow us to identify you as a registered user each time you visit the site, eliminating the need for you to type in your password each time you visit.

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How do I change my browser settings to accept cookies?
Depending on which browser you use the instructions to change your cookie settings vary. See below for specific details on the most common browser. You can also find out more about cookies online. If you use Internet Explorer, visit the Microsoft Web site. If you use a Netscape browser, visit the Netscape Web site. For other browsers, please consult the browsers' "Help" menu.


How do I enable cookies on Netscape Navigator?
For Netscape 6.2x:

  1. Go to the Edit menu
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Select Cookies under "Privacy & Security"
  4. Ensure "Enable all cookies" is selected
  5. Click OK button to register changes

For Netscape 4.77:

  1. Go to the Edit menu
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Select Advanced
  4. Ensure "Accept all cookies" is selected
  5. Uncheck "Warn me before accepting cookies"
  6. Click OK to register changes

For(Mac users) Netscape 7:

  1. Go to the Netscape menu
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Under "Privacy and Security" select cookies
  4. Select radio button for either "Enable cookies based on privacy settings" or "Enable all cookies"


How do I enable cookies on Internet Explorer?
For Internet Explorer 5.0 and below:

  1. Go to the Tools menu
  2. Select Internet Options
  3. Select the Security tab
  4. Click the "Custom Level..." button
  5. Scroll down until you see "Cookies"
  6. Make sure both selections under "Cookies" are marked "enabled"

For Internet Explorer 6.0:

  1. Go to the Tools menu
  2. Select Internet Options
  3. Select the Privacy tab
  4. Click on the "Advanced" button
  5. Click the box next to "Override automatic cookie handling"
  6. Click Accept
  7. Check the box next to "Always allow session cookies"
  8. Click OK
  9. Click OK again

For (Mac users) Internet Explorer 5.2:

  1. Go to the Explorer menu
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Under "Receiving Files" select cookies
  4. "When receiving cookies" select either "Ask for each site" or "Never Ask"

I am an AOL user. How do I enable cookies?

  1. Click on the Start menu in your task bar
  2. Select Settings
  3. Select Advanced
  4. Click on Control Panel
  5. Double click on Internet Options
  6. Click on Security Tab
  7. Click the "Custom Level" button
  8. Scroll down until you see "Cookies"
  9. Make sure both selections under "Cookies" are marked "enabled"

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Why does roanoke.com use cookies?
Cookies help identify you and your access privileges on our site. Cookies do not contain or collect any personal information that you have not already given us. Instead, they allow us to see which parts of our site you have used so that we can better serve you when you return to our site. Cookies may be used to provide you with information and special opportunities tailored to your interests.

If you choose the option to "Remember me” we use a cookie to allow you to log in to roanoke.com automatically without entering your email and password each time you visit the site. This cookie remains on your hard disk indefinitely or until you delete your cookie file.

If you use a shared computer in a library, or Internet café for example, you might want to un-check this box for privacy reasons.

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What happens if I do not accept your cookies?
If you do not accept the cookie set by roanoke.com, we will not have a way of identifying you as a registered user. As a result, you will have to login each time you revisit. Please note that we will not give out your personally identifiable information. For more information, please read our privacy policy.

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What information will you be tracking with my cookie?
The cookie will be used to authenticate you as a registered user. In addition, the cookie will track the date and time you were on the site and the pages you visit. We will be using this information to determine which areas of our site are of most interest to our readers as well as our advertisers. We will use your basic account information and site preferences in order to offer more news and information that matches your interests. We will not share any data with advertisers that are not in aggregate form. For example, we may tell an advertiser that 50 percent of our readers read stories about mobile phones last month, but nothing that personally identifies you as an individual.

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Privacy
 If I register/accept cookies, will I receive unsolicited e-mail from you or any third party?
You will not receive e-mail from Roanoke.com or our partners unless you indicated that this is your preference.

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What are you doing to protect my privacy and why is some information required on the registration form and some information optional?
Roanoke.com has a strict privacy policy and we are committed to respecting your privacy rights as our guests. We realize that you are entrusting us with personal information and we will not share this with any third party. Information about our site visitors as a whole may be aggregated and shared, but not individual information. For example, we may share with an advertiser that 65 percent of our registered users are male or 50 percent of our visitors read news stories about weight loss last month. If you have any additional concerns, please consult our privacy policy or contact us directly.

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Registration Form Field Descriptions

  • Userid – Your identification to roanoke.com. It must be at least 6 characters and no more than 25 numbers or letters. This online ID is unique to you and no two users may have the same ID. We recommend choosing something easy to remember.

  • Choose a Password - This is a 6-25 character password that, with your User ID, will give you access to roanoke.com. Your password should be something unique that could not be easily guessed by someone who knows you. Your password should not be a word found in the dictionary and must never be the same as your User ID.

  • Re-type Password - Re-type your password in this box. This is done to eliminate a possible typo in your password choice.

  • First name - Enter your first name. Your personal information is stored in our database in accordance with our privacy policy.

  • Last name - Enter your last name. Your personal information is stored in our database in accordance with our privacy policy

  • Email address: Enter your email address in the format: username@domain.com. This is the address where you will receive "News By Email", for example, or other email services in which you choose to participate. This address must be correct in order for roanoke.com services to work. If your email address changes in the future, you will be able to update it by logging into roanoke.com. This information is stored in our database in accordance with our privacy policy.
    Example Email Addresses: mary@earthlink.net, mikemartin@yahoo.com, beetles_fan23@roanokemail.com

  • Password Reminder Question - Please select one of the listed questions. We will ask you this question if you forget your roanoke.com password.
  • Password reminder answer - Please type your answer to the question you selected above. To retrieve your password, you must provide this answer exactly as you enter it here. This field is case-sensitive, meaning, that the answer "San Francisco" is not the same as "san francisco" or "SanFransisco."

  • Step Two: Tell us about yourself
    This information is used to help us understand our users and create useful services on roanoke.com. All form fields are required.

    Why are we asking for this personal information?
    Two primary reasons: If we know more about the people using our site and how they use it, we can tailor our content to meet more people's needs. Also, we can offer the site for free because it is advertiser-supported. But advertisers, rightfully so, need to know as much as they can about the people viewing their messages. Up to this time, we did not know much about our users. Advertisers will be able to reach a more targeted audience and users will receive more relevant advertising and editorial content.

    Instructions for filling out these form fields:

    Your Zip Code:
    Please enter your six digit zip code.
    Sample Zip Codes: 24141, 24010, 20164

    Birth date: Year
    Please use the pull down menus to select your birth year.

    Gender: Male, Female
    Please click the circle to indicate your gender.

    What is the highest level of education completed?
    Please click the circle that best describes your highest level of education.

    Which type of The Roanoke Times user best describes you?
    Please tell us which type of user best describes you. If you read the newspaper and use roanoke.com, please choose the one you use most.

    How often do you use the roanoke.com Web site?
    Please click the circle to indicate your frequency of roanoke.com use.

    Which one source do you rely on most for local and community news?
    Please tell us how you get your local news.

    After completing the registration form, please review your responses and click the "Create Account" button. Any information that did not meet our entry guidelines will be noted in red type next to the applicable question. Please correct this information and click the "Create Account" button.

    The registration process is complete when you see the following message:
    "Thanks for registering. Please click below to continue, login and configure your subscription options."

    You may now login to your roanoke.com account and use any available features. You can login by clicking the link on the registration confirmation page, or by visiting http://www.roanoke.com/profile.
  • Terms and conditions agreement: Please review the terms and conditions on roanoke.com and check this box to complete your registration.

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