The FAQ - A work in progress

[Horton]

This FAQ is a work in progress. As I have time I will add to it. If you want to help, email me your text.

This thread is locked so it will not become a cluttered mess.

 

What does “BallOfSpray” mean?

BallOfSpray is a term that I (Horton) use to describe my own skiing. When a good skier comes down the lake you see nice smooth walls of water. When I come down the lake it looks like a big ball of spray.

 

Is BallOfSpray free speech?

This site is free speech with a few exceptions.

Angry and basically unfriendly posts are not allowed.

Posts that are negative toward water ski companies and products must be specific and written by the person who had the bad experience. Broad brush (non-specific) posts about how bad a product or service is are not allowed.

As owner of this site I reserve the right to delete anything I deem inappropriate. This happens VERY rarely.

 

How do I add my real name?

see below

 

How do I add pictures to my posts?

see below

 

How do I add video to my posts?

see below

 

How do I add a signature to my posts?

See below

Is it Ok to pick on MS?

Yes always

 

Leading Arm Vs Trailing Arm

Skiing toward 1/3/5 - moving to the skiers right the skiers left arm is the trailing arm

Skiing toward 2/4/6 – moving to the skiers left skiers right arm is the trailing arm

[Horton]

What does Baller mean?

 

[Horton]

If anyone wants to work on this.... feel free to write stuff and send it to me

[Horton]

How do I set my Profile info?

 

[Horton]

How do I set my personal forum settings and my signature settings?

 

[Horton]

This video shows how to post with an @reply and also shows what happens when I drink scotch and make FAQ videos

 

[Horton]

How to send private messages and how to not accidentally make them public

 

[Horton]

Why are these FAQ videos so bad?

 

They get out the message and I know they are bad.

[Horton]

How do points work?

 

If Admin “Promotes” your post this pushes the post to the “Best Of” section and adds 3 Points

If a user “likes” your post it is +1 point

If a user “dislikes” your post it is -1 point

If a user “off topics” your post it is -1 point

If a user “Awesome” your post it is +1 point

 

If a user “Flags” your post it as abusive or inappropriate it is -1 point. I will see this and deal with it personally. If there is noting wrong with the post or the flag is an miss click I will clear it all up.

 

The very first time you add a comment 5 points

After 100 comments you get 10 points

At every year anniversary you get some points

When you get 5 “Awesome”s you get 10 points

When you get 25 “Awesome”s you get 10 points

And so on....

 

If you get caught gaming the system you will lose all points

 

So what is the point of all this? It is let the users self-moderate the site and keep the quality of the content high. You are free to ignore all of this or when you get a like or a dislike you can take it as honest feedback. This forum is both entertainment and a water ski resource.

 

[Horton]

Ranking System

 

New Baller = 1 point

Baller = 10 point

Solid Baller = 300 point

Crazy Baller = 400 point

Mega Baller = 1000 point

 

[MattP]

Video in progress but until then

 

Apple mobile devices login trouble shoot guide. iPhone, iPad & iPod

 

Apple mobile devices login troubleshoot guide.

1. Completely close Safari by double clicking the home button twice quickly then swipe up on the Safari App.

2. Shut off you device completely then reboot.

3. Go to Settings->Safari->Block Cookies->From third parties and advertisers (you can also click never)

4. Launch Safari then go to the mobile forum. Sign in with your username and password. Click "Done" on the keyboard and make sure "Keep me signed in" then click "Sign In"

 

If your problem continues contact me and we can try to figure out a solution.

[MattP]

How to add videos to posts

 

Video in progress but until then

 

Youtube

 

- While on the Youtube page for the video you wish to embed into a post you will need to click "Share" underneath the video. Then copy and paste this link to where you would like the video to apear in your post. This link will self embed. There is no need to used the iframe code like in previous versions of the forum.

 

Vimeo

 

- While on the Vimeo page for the video you wish to embed into a post you can copy and paste the link from the address bar into the comment box in the forum and this link will self embed the video into your post.

[MattP]

Can't View Videos? or Forum not behaving properly?

If you are having trouble viewing videos in posts or other features in the forum are not behaving as they should and you are using Internet Explorer make sure you try and use another browser other than IE. IE is a dated program even IE 8. I know it is the most used browser to view this forum. Take a look at FireFox, Chrome, and Safari these are all better browsers that will work properly with every website out there. IE is the only browser that does not support all features of website coding.

 

 

[MattP]

How to use the notification center

When you receive a notification a red number appears over the world icon next to your picture under the search bar at the top of the page. If you click on the icon your current notifications will be displayed. If you click aimlessly on one of the notifications it will not take you to the desired location. You must click on the blue linked text of the discussion name to view that topic. Also the same goes for the user who is connected to the notification. You must click the blue linked text of their username to view their profile.

[Horton]

The "For Sale" section of BallOfSpray is for individuals selling a ski or gear to other individuals.

 

The "For Sale" section not for shops or individuals who buying gear to resell as a business.

[Horton]

what is the panda all about?

 

 

When a Baller says something so spectacularly ridiculous that I am dumbstruck I feel like Jody the Panda.

Panda courtesy of http://whatshouldwecallski.tumblr.com/

 

[Horton]

@"Mateo Vargas"

 

http://media.tumblr.com/fe497dd337d9af8479bb6398b9565d16/tumblr_inline_mg6n5ltl6X1rxe4lt.gif

 

 

 

[Horton]

How news gets to the BallOfSpray front page

 

Almost all content on the BallOfSpray front page is not written by BallOfSpray (John Horton). BallOfSpray is dependent on water ski companies, PR agencies, athletes and event organizers to submit the news and articles.

 

To submit an article to BallOfSpray please email text and images to Horton@BallOfSpray.com. Please allow a few days for your content to be reviewed and published. If you have time sensitive content please notify me a few days in advance. Articles in PDF format will not be accepted. Plain text or MS Word text with separate images is the preferred method of submission.

 

When I attend events almost all the content I create is photographic. I do not write reports about the events themselves. Sometimes I will write about the hospitality or the site but my primary role is not as sports reporter.

 

The only written content I consistently create is product reviews. I attempt to review skis, bindings and other gear as objectively as possible. With a few exceptions I do not literally recommend products. With a few exceptions the products sent in for review are not sold after the review. Many of the products reviewed are from companies that do not advertise with BallOfSpray and many of the current advertisers have not submitted products for review. Advertising and editorial are kept separate.

 

[Horton]

Below is video showing how to add a picture. You can down drag and drop from your PC

 

http://youtu.be/YruIFpRJOaE

 

[Horton]

The FAQ has not gotten much attention in a while. Anything I need to add?

[Drago]

Is it possible to prioritize threads I see or completely stop seeing a thread?

[Horton]

@Drago no

[Horton]

If your mobile browser suddenly seems to see the whole site all whacky... with all the banners stacked at the top of the screen - you are suck in desktop mode. There is always a link at the bottom of the page to take you back to mobile ot you can just use this link

 

Not it is also possible to have the whole site in Mobile but the forum in Desktop. Again to to the bottom of the screen to the link back to Mobile.

[Horton]

BallOfSpray is in the business of selling advertising. Companies who wish to promote products and services in this forum must be advertisers or at least consult BallOfSpray before doing so.

 

For more information about advertising please click here.

[Horton]

Non-water ski politics are specifically disallowed in this forum. No one is more passionate about politics than I am but this is not the place for it. Furthermore threads or comments that will inevitably (obviously) lead to comments about non-water ski politics are also disallowed.