Problems with Registration? Please Read..
The most common problem reported to us is lost registrations
and having to continually register, over and over. We recognize this frustration
but there is no way to personalize the Bowsite without requiring either registration
or some form of ID and Password. We have put together this brief FAQ on this
subject to help educate and assist you.
Why must I register with Bowsite.com?
Actually, you don't have to for 90% of the site. Registration is a tool we
use to make your visit here more enjoyable. By "remembering" your
preferences we are able to customize the main menu for your state's information,
it also saves you time and effort when using our interactive features. Most
of our features allow you to use them without registration.
I've registered several times, and it keeps telling me I'm not registered.
What's wrong with your system?
Nothing. The problem is on your end and it is because your individual
PC is having a difficult time retaining cookies. Cookies are small text files
which are placed in your browser by our servers. There are many reasons why
you can not retain your cookie files which are explained below:
Reasons for not retaining cookies/registration
- You have cookies disabled or turned off
- You are manually deleting your cookie files
- You are running a program which automatically deletes cookie files (guarddog,
anti-virus programs, etc.)
- You are visiting from a different machine than the one you registered
on
- You are visiting from work, and your systems administrator has disabled
cookie transmission through your firewall
- You are cleaning out your "temporary Internet files" which is
deleting your cookies
I found out that my anti-virus program is deleting my cookies. But isn't
it dangerous to turn off my anti-virus program?
Yes, and we don't recommend it. However there should be a configuration setting
which allows you to continue safeguarding your PC from virus' without wiping
out your cookies - check the manual or call technical support for your program.
Isn't there another way to personalize without using cookies?
Not without some intervention, but we now have a PIN code feature which can
be used on our conferences. You will need to enter your pin number at the
beginning of each session and it should be retained for the duration of that
session. If you forget your pin it can be e-mail'd back to you by filling
out a simple form located here.
Do you provide support for registration issues?
Unfortunately no, we would have no way of knowing the endless configurations
available for the thousands of users that visit us each day. My suggestion
is to contact a Technical support person or call a local service technician
for assistance on your PC.
I like Bowsite.com, but my privacy is more important than your website -
why should I turn on cookies just to visit here?
Good question, and it's obviously your personal choice. However Bowsite.com
is not the only site which relies on cookies. The simple truth is that most
major websites use cookies and your experience at those sites will be compromised
as well. Yahoo.com, Amazon.com, Disney.com, MSNBC.com, CNN.com, all use cookies.
In fact, these sites use cookies much more extensively than we do.
I've heard that cookies can introduce a virus, they can also exploit your
privacy - is this true?
Since cookies are simply tiny text files, they can not introduce a virus
(virus' are spread by executable programs and scripts). As for exploiting
privacy, the only thing a website can do is to track your movements through
their website. This is to enable the website operators to deliver the content
that you are interested in and hopefully enrich your experience on their site.
Cookies can not be read by sites other than the one which placed the cookie
on your machine. Bowsite.com has no way of reading a Yahoo.com cookie - or
even knowing if it exists. The most common usage of cookies are in advertising
where the site delivers a new, and different, ad to you.
I'm curious and want to learn more about cookies - where can I go?
I would suggest a website called whatis.com
where you would look up the keyword of "cookie" if you want to get
a bit more technical, you can visit cookiecentral.com
which goes into detail on cookies and standards for using cookies in computer
programming.
I want to register, and I'm no longer falling for the fear-propaganda by
the privacy advocates. What do I need to do?
The best thing is to download a new version of your browser. If the problem
persists check to be sure your cookies are enabled (See instructions below)
if the problem still persists, you are likely deleting your files some other
way - check the "reasons for not retaining cookies" list above or
contact a technician.
In Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
(Click to download the new version)
Click on Tools in the menu bar, then choose
Internet Options
Choose the Security Tab
Click on Custom
Scroll down the list and check off the buttons for "enable
cookies stored on your computer"
Also check off the button for "enable cookies
stored on your computer"
Click OK
In Netscape Navigator (Click
to download the new version)
Click on Edit then Preferences
Find and click on the Advanced Category
Check off "Accept All Cookies"
Click OK
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