Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is this site about?A: The purpose of this site is to provide a forum for Monk fans to discuss the best show on Earth, in an environment that is free of ads, personal attacks, spam, and other annoyances.
Q: What are the basic DOs and DON'Ts?A: Do try to stay on topic.
A: Do make original, interesting contributions.
A: Do not harass other users.
A: Do use short quotes in the context of your contribution, if you cite the source; do not simply re-post an article without permission. Point to the source, instead.
A: Do not plagiarize. Do not violate copyright, or any other laws. When in doubt, check with me, first.
Q: Why do you require registration to post?A: Only for two reasons: 1) To keep garbage out, 2) To keep other people from posting under your user name.
Q: What is the spoilers policy?A: Before an episode airs, please be considerate to others, and keep any information critical to the enjoyment of the episode in the Spoilers thread ONLY. After an episode airs (11:00 PM Eastern), it is fair game, and it should be discussed in the appropriate season/episode thread. If you live in the wrong time zone, like I do, or missed an episode, avoid threads that may contain spoilers until you have watched the episode.
For the purpose of this site, a spoiler is a detail about an episode, such as a plot twist, that is intended to be a surprise for a first-time viewer, unless this information is common knowledge. For example, Darth Vader saying "No, I am your father" was a spoiler in 1980, but it is not a spoiler in 2005.
OK, I have read, understood and
agreed with all of the above...how do I join?1) Pick a username and password, and send them in using the Contact Form.
2) The account will be opened for you, and you will receive confirmation.
3) After receiving confirmation, you may go to the main board and start posting.
Unfortunately, we do not have an automated registration option at the moment, but you can expect a reply within 24 hours under normal circumstances. If you do not receive a reply, you may be blocking e-mail from me. Check your spam filters. Also, if your username is listed on the list of users, your account is up and running.
Q: How did this site originate?A: RandomTony suggested it. Many users missed the simplicity of the www.tvtome.com forum we had, before the site was acquired by www.tv.com. This site went online on July 1, 2005.
Q: Who runs this place?A: alex20020712. The plan is to play moderator as little as possible. If a situation calls for a moderator, he who pays the bills has the last word. That would be me.
Q: Why the weird numbers? What do they mean?A: 2002/07/12. Something very important happened on that date.
Q: What about so-called bad words? Are they banned?A: I really hate to censor, but I also have to consider the greater good. If you are talking exclusively to me, say whatever you want. If you are posting to the forum, show a little self-control. Some people might be put off by these bad words, which are not really necessary. Be creative. Use euphemisms.
Q: Hey! What about free speech?A: You are free to post anything you want on your own site, on your own time and money.
Q: Do you collect any personal information?A: NO. In fact, I have no way to verify your identity. For example, if you insinuate or claim to be a celebrity, we have no way to confirm or deny it, and you shall be treated with no more or less respect than anyone else.
Q: Does this site have any ads, or will it ever
display any ads?A: NO.
Q: Why is your site trying to send me a "cookie"?A: That is an optional feature to show you which articles are new. You can disable JavaScript and cookies, and still have full access to this site.
Q: What can I do if I forget my password?A: Contact me from the same address you used to open the account, to prevent other users from claiming to be you, and changing your password. If you have changed your address and the first one is no longer available, you will have to open a new account. You cannot get your username back. Sorry.
Q: How safe are my username and password?A: This is not a secure site. Information is transmitted without encryption. You could be using a compromised computer to log in, and have your keystrokes recorded without your permission. Who knows? Then again, you are not doing your banking here. This is simply a forum for discussing a TV show.
Q: What about my e-mail address?A: I will ONLY use it to contact you, as needed. For example, if you request a password reset. Other than that, I consider your e-mail address confidential information (unless you choose to make it public).
Q: How can I remove something I posted?A: Contact me from the same address you used to open the account, to prevent other users from claiming to be you and deleting your posts. If you changed your address and the first one is no longer available, I have no way to confirm you are the same user, so I will not be able to delete the post. Sorry.
Q: Why is the layout of this site so A: Keeping it simple and easy to use always was a very high priority.
Q: Is there a spell checker on this site?A: Unfortunately, no, but there are a few spell checkers online.
Q: Can I change my password after I register?A: Of course. Just go to Edit Profile.
Q: What if something does not work like it should?A: Please let me know.
Q: What if I have others questions?A: You can post them in the Suggestions forum (if you are registered), or you may use the contact form.
Q: Are you planning to add features or make other improvements?A: The original idea was to write the code from scratch, but that takes a lot of time. The free version of Discus, from DiscusWare, LLC works well for our purposes.