Community Participation

Registration and Logging In

Browsing and Searching

Personalization

Posting Messages

Advanced Board Usage

Kudos

Blogs

Private Messenger

Tagging

For additional information or unresolved board problems, please e-mail the Administrator

How does the Community Forum work?
The Community Forum provides a place for customers to discuss support topics and learn. At its heart are the message boards, where members post questions and answers.

Guests (un-registered visitors) may browse or search the boards for information. Registered members can post messages, track discussions, and get e-mail notifications on new posting activity.

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What is my role in the Community?
You are essential to the Community. By posting questions and sharing answers, not only do you contribute to a unique, customer-built knowledge base, but you also become part of a virtual support network extending across literally hundreds of thousands of potential users.

We encourage you visit often and participate. Come with your toughest issues - the chances are someone has a solution or can point you in the right direction. If you find a solution that works, let others know, and pass on your own tips and insights - you may just have the answer someone else has been looking for!

Please remember to thank fellow users who have assisted you. Show your appreciation by rating helpful messages, posting thank-you replies, or sending positive feedback to Community management.

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What is my responsibility in the Community?
We want the Community to be appropriate, friendly, informative, and fun for all users. The Community Terms of Service sets forth Rules and Guidelines so that you know what is expected of you, and what you can expect from other participants, when using the Community.

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Why should I register?
Registration allows you to fully participate in the Community. If you register, you'll be able to:

• Post new messages
• Post responses to existing messages
• Receive e-mail notification when someone responds to a specified post or thread
• Exchange Private Messages with other members
• Personalize your experience on the boards.

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What can I do if I don't register?
Even if you don't register, you can still browse and read messages as a "guest". You just can't interact with the other members or personalize the way boards are displayed.

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How do I register?
To register, just click the Register link. On the registration page:

1. Enter a Screen Name.
   Your screen name is your Forum identity. It appears whenever you post to the message boards or send private messages. Most members create anonymous names for the sake of privacy and to help them feel more comfortable participating. Be creative, have fun with it, but choose carefully: you cannot change your screen name once registration is complete.
2. Enter a Password.
   Your password is a secret word that no one else knows. That way, no one else can pretend to be you. Your password should be something you can remember, but that no one else will guess. It's a good idea to include numbers in your password. For example, your password might be f0rh3sajgf.
   Note: Your password will be hidden by asterisks when you type it. This is to prevent someone from looking over your shoulder to see it.
   Note: Passwords are case-sensitive. When you log in to the Forum, you will need to type the letters in upper or lower case exactly the way you entered them when you registered.
3. Enter your Password again.
   This is to ensure that you typed the password the way you meant to the first time.
4. Enter your e-mail address.

Certain features of the site, such as subscriptions, will only work if you enter your real e-mail address. Also, you must validate your e-mail address by replying to an e-mail sent to the address you enter. Making sure that all users have valid e-mail addresses helps the administrators maintain a helpful community.
5. Enter your e-mail address again.
   This is to make sure you typed it correctly. (A common mistake with new registrations.)
6. If you're using a secure computer (one other people can't use), you can check the Remember Password check box.
   If this box is checked, you won't have to log in every time you come to the site.
7. Read the Terms of Service and check the I have read and accepted the terms of service check box.
8. If you want, enter your First Name and Last Name in the optional fields.
9. Make sure the Time Zone indicated matches your location.
10. Click Register.
    As soon as you receive the confirmation e-mail, click the activation link. Once you do, you'll be able to post messages. Until then, feel free to read messages posted by other users.
    Note: You must have cookies enabled in your browser to register and to log into the Forum.

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How do I log in?
Once you've registered and confirmed your registration, you can log into the boards and begin personalizing your experience.

1. At the top of any Forum page, click Login.
2. Enter your login in the Screen Name field.
3. Enter your password in the Password field.
4. Click Sign In.

If you don't want to keep having to enter your password, and you're at a computer that other people can't get to, you can check the Save My Login check box before clicking Sign In.

If you forgot your password, click the link at the bottom to have it sent to your e-mail address.

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How do I get back a lost password?
If you've forgotten your password, you can have the system send it to your e-mail address.

1. Go to the login screen.
2. Click the link at the bottom of the page.
   You'll be taken to a screen that will ask for your e-mail address. The login and password associated with that e-mail address will be sent to the given e-mail address.

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How are the message boards organized?
The community is divided up into different categories that are based on broad topics. Each category contains boards that get more specific about the topic or subject. Find the category and message board title that best describes your question or comment.

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How do I browse for information?
Many users like to get started by exploring the message boards. Choose a category that best fits your topic. Next, look over the list of boards, find one whose title pertains to your question or comment, then click on its title. Take some time to read ones that look promising by clicking the message title or subject. You can use the Previous/Next buttons to browse to other pages and messages.

Use the Jump To a Message Board pull-down menu to go directly to boards in any category of the Forum. (This menu is found near the top of most Forum pages.) If you can't find what you need by browsing, use the Search Forum tool, as described below.

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How do I search for information?
To search the Community, type keywords for your topic into the Search Community text box and click the search icon. (This text box is found near the bottom of most pages). A page of search results will be displayed. Browse the search results in the same manner you would a message board.

To perform a more in-depth search, click the Advanced link found on the left side of most pages. This search allows you to limit your query to a specific board, specific parts of the message (subject vs. body) and other advanced parameters.

You can also search for Community members by clicking the Users tab on any search results page and using the search options on this page.

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How do I change the icon next to my name?
The icon (also known as an avatar) is a way to personalize your user name a bit. You'll get one as a default, but you can change it to something you like better.

1. Login to the Community.
2. Click the My Profile link.
3. Click the Icons tab.
   A list of available icon categories will be displayed on the left side. When you click on a category, the icons in that category will display on the right.
4. Click on any icon to use it as yours. Your current icon always shows up at the top of the icons page.

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How do I create a signature for my posts?
Your signature is text that appears at the bottom of every message you post to the boards.

To create a signature for your posts: < /p>

1. Login to the Community.
2. Click the My Profile link.
3. Click on the Personal Profile tab.
4. On the Personal Profile tab, fill in the text you want for you signature in the Signature field.
   If the administrator allows it, you'll be able to use HTML in your signature. If not, you won't.
5. Click Save Changes.

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How do I tell other users about me?

1. Login to the Community.
2. Click the My Profile link.
3. Click the Personal Profile tab.
4. Find the Personal Profile section and fill in any fields you want to share.
   By default, any information you type in this section is shown to everyone. However, you can limit display to only members on your Friends List by choosing the Friends Only option in the Profile Privacy section at the bottom of the Preferences tab.

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What is my Friends List and how do I add users to it?
Your Friends List has three functions in the Forum:

If you have entered personal information on your Personal Profile page, and if you have checked the Friends Only option for Profile Privacy on your Preferences tab, then only people on your Friends List will be able to see your personal information.

Similarly, if you have checked the Friends Only option for Online Status on your Preferences tab, then only people on your Friends List will be able to see whether you are online.

When you send a message in the Private Messenger, all your friends will appear in a drop-down menu that you can select from. You can then send one of them a message without having to type their user name into the Send to field.

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How do I set my Forum viewing preferences?
There are a number of display preferences you can set for your Forum experience. These are described in the table below. To modify:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the My Profile link.
3. Click the Preferences tab.
4. Make any changes you wish, as described in the table below.
5. Click Save Changes.

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How do I post a message?
Go to the board you want to post on, and click the New Message link near the top of the message list.

On the Post Message page, you will see a Subject area and a Body area.

1. In the first field, the Subject field, type a title for your message.
   This is the only part of the message that shows up on the message listing page, so try to make it something that will be clear and concise. Use keywords about your topic.
2. In the second field, the Body field, type your message. Put details about your topic here. If you are posting on a technical topic, it is helpful to include all pertinent information regarding your inquiry in the body.
3. You can use the controls to change the fonts, colors, and other aspects of your message. You can add smiley faces using the smiley menu. And you can format the text at the character or paragraph level.
4. If you want, you can click Check Spelling to look for misspelled words, or you can click Preview Post to see what your post will look like on the boards.
5. When you are happy with your message, click the Submit Post button.
   Your message will be added to board and everyone else on the board will be able to read it.

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How do I reply to a message?
Use the Reply button in a message to write a response to a particular post. You'll see a screen similar to the Post Message screen. There are a few differences:

• When you reply to a post, the subject line will be filled in for you automatically. You can change it if you want.
• You can use the Quote Message button to paste the message to which you are replying into the body of your reply.

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What is a "thread?"
When one or more people reply to a particular message, a "thread" is created. A thread is a series of posts that go together. If you've ever heard of someone "following the thread of a conversation," you get the idea.

If you post a new message, then that starts a new thread. If you reply to an existing message, then that message becomes part of the original message's thread.

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How do I use macros?
The Macros feature allows you to create boilerplate text that you can paste into any message with the click of a mouse.

To set up a macro:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the My Profile link.
3. Click the Macros tab.
   Fields for entering up to nine (9) macros will be displayed.
4. In the Macro 1 Title field, enter a short title for your first macro.
   The title should be short because it will show up in a pull-down menu. Make sure it is distinctive enough that you will remember which title belongs with which macro.
5. In the Macro 1 field, enter the text you want to be able to paste. If your boards allow HTML, you can use HTML tags in the field.
6. Enter any other macros you wish.
7. Click Save Changes.
   Your macros will be saved to your profile in the database.

Note: If there is particular text that you wish to appear at the bottom of every message you post, put the text in a signature instead of a macro.

To use a macro

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Navigate to a board where you want to post a message.
3. Click New Message.
   (Or, you can reply to an existing message by opening that message and clicking the Reply button.
4. Once the post message window has loaded, you will see a Macros menu.
5. Click in the Body field where you want to paste your text.
   If the text is short, you could also paste it in the Subject field.
6. Click on the Macros menu to open it.
7. Select the macro you wish to paste.
   The text of your macro will paste where you have your cursor.
8. Type any other text you wish in the message body.
9. Click Submit Post.

Note: If there is particular text that you wish to appear at the bottom of every message you post, put the text in a signature instead of a macro.

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How do I use bookmarks?
Bookmarks allow you to list boards, threads, and individual messages on a special page so you can easily find them again.

To Favorite a Board:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Go to the board you want to bookmark.
3. Open the Board Options menu and click Add this board to my bookmarks.

To add a thread or message to your bookmarks:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Open the message you want to bookmark.
3. Open the Message Options menu and click Add this Thread/Message to my bookmarks

To view your bookmarks, click My Profile, and then click the Bookmarks tab.
To delete any of your Bookmarks, click My Profile, and then click the Bookmarks tab. Place a checkmark in the bookmark you want to delete from the list and click the Remove option for that section.

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How do I use subscriptions?
If you add a board, thread, or message to your subscriptions, the system will send you an e-mail every time someone posts to the board, or replies to the message or thread.

To add a board to your Subscriptions

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Go to the board to which you want to subscribe.
3. Open the Board Options menu and click Add board to my subscriptions.

Add a message to your Subscriptions

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Open the message to which you want to subscribe.
3. Open the Message Options menu and click Add this Thread to my subscriptions or Add this Message to my subscriptions.

To view or delete your Subscriptions, click My Profile, and then click the Subscriptions tab.

To delete any of your Subscriptions, click My Profile, and then click the Subscription tab. Place a checkmark in the subscription you want to delete from the list and click the Remove option for that section.

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How do I use the dashboard?
Your Dashboard is a little window that displays a lot of information. It is launched when you click your boldface screen name (link) that appears near the top of most Forum pages. The Dashboard displays:

• Your current icon.
  Click on it to choose another one.
• Your current statistics.
• A link to the Web Private Messenger.
  Click the envelope to launch the Private Messenger and reply to your messages.
• Your Subscriptions and bookmarks, including recent activity.
  Click on a Subscription or bookmark to see what's new in those areas.
• Quick links to Search, Chat, your Profile, and other things.

To launch your Dashboard, log in, then click on your username in the header bar, or click on Dashboard.

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What is RSS and how do I use it?
RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It is a way for you to get the latest content from this community, along with many other sites that you visit, all in one place. With an RSS feed reader, you subscribe to Web sites, and those sites feed you headlines so you can stay up to date. To use RSS, you'll need a feed reader, such as Bloglines, MyYahoo, or the Live Bookmarks feature of Firefox. There are many free options. Once you have your feed reader set up, you can find RSS feeds in the community by going to a board, blog, thread, or message and selecting Subscribe to RSS Feed from the options menu. There you will see a preview of the feed. Most RSS readers give you a button to click at this point. Once you click it, the RSS feed will appear in your reader, and you will see new content from that section of the community whenever it becomes available.

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What are Kudos?

Kudos is a new content rating system that lets you vote for the messages you think are the most useful or important.

When you give Kudos to a message, you are offering a thumbs up for good content and a pat on the back to its author. Your Kudos help to boost the value of certain messages and enhance the reputation of their authors.

Giving Kudos is as easy as a single click, but the impact of Kudos ripples across the community.

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How do I give Kudos?

You can give Kudos to any posts in the community, except for your own.

To give Kudos to a message and its author:

• Click the Kudos! badge on the message.

If you change your mind about the quality of the message, you can revoke your Kudos.

To revoke Kudos you've given:

• Choose Options > Revoke My Kudos from this Message.

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How can I see who's given me Kudos?

Want to know who thinks your messages are Kudo-worthy? Your Profile page is the place to start. You can also see Kudos activity for other community members on their Profile pages.

To see who's given you Kudos:

1. Click My Profile to go to your Profile page.
   Your Profile pages shows the names of community members who gave you Kudos, the messages they Kudoed, your top Kudoed messages, and the Kudos you've given.
2. To see all of your recent Kudos activity in an area, click the view all link at the bottom of the list.
   Your Kudos Activity page shows the recent Kudos you've given or received.
3. Click the tabs to see more info about your Kudos activity.

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How can I see which messages or authors have received the most Kudos?

There are usually two Kudos leaderboards—one for authors and another for messages—on the community's front page. The author’s leaderboard shows who has received the most Kudos. The message leaderboard showcases the most Kudoed messages.

Links from the front-page leaderboards take you to the full leaderboard pages.

To view the Top Kudoed Messages leaderboard:

• Click the view all link from the front page module.

To view the Top Kudoed Authors leaderboard:

• Click the view all link from the front page module.

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How can I see who else has given Kudos to a message?

Want to know who thinks a message is good? It's easy to kind out which regular community members and community experts have given Kudos to a message. Kudos that come from community experts carry more weight—literally—than those that come from brand new members.

To see who's given Kudos to a message:

1. Go to the message page.
2. Click the Kudos! total.
   The Who Kudoed this Message page shows you all the community members who've given Kudos to the message.
3. Click the Experts tab to see Kudos given by high-ranking members of the community.
   Experts are usually moderators and other users who had a Kudos weight of more than 1 when they gave the message Kudos.
4. Click the User Name or Kudos link to sort this page by the name of the user who gave Kudos or by the Kudos count.

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What is Kudos weight?

Your Kudos weight is the number of Kudos you give each time you click a Kudos! badge. If you're new in the community, you probably give Kudos one at a time (your Kudos weight is 1). More experienced community members might have a higher Kudos weight, so they could give two Kudos, ten Kudos, or more each time they click.

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Why can't I give Kudos to some messages?

There are a few reasons why you might not be able to give Kudos to a post.

• You've already given Kudos to this message (you can only give them once).
• You wrote the message (you can't Kudo your own messages).
• Your community manager wants you to give Kudos only to a message that starts a thread and not to replies.
• Your community manager has turned Kudos off for a message or a forum.
• Your community manager has frozen Kudos for this message. You can still see how many Kudos the message has received, but you can't Kudo it any more.

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Where did the Kudos number go?

Sometimes a message gets so many Kudos that we run out of space to show the number. When that happens you'll see a Hot Kudos symbol or icon instead of the Kudos count on the Kudos badge.

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What's a blog?
A blog is an online journal maintained by one or more authors. Blogs are usually presented in reverse-chronological order, so whenever you navigate to a blog you are seeing the latest article, followed by earlier articles in turn. Some blogs have comments from readers, which you read by clicking on the comments button at the bottom of each article.

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What is the Private Messenger?
The Forum Private Messenger allows you to send private notes to other members of the Forum. Private Messenger has two big advantages over e-mail:

1. You don't have to know the other member's e-mail address to send the note. (Also, you don't have to reveal yours.)
2. Private Messenger is more interactive than e-mail. It's easier to hold a quick conversation through it.

To use the Private Messenger, you have to have an account and you have to be logged in. If you're logged in, a Messages link will appear on the top of your page. If you have any new messages, a yellow envelope icon will appear next to the link and the number of new messages will be indicated.

If you click on the link, the Private Messenger window appears.

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How do I send a private message?

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the Messages Link
3. In the private messenger window, click Send a New Message.
4. If you have created a Friends List, and you want to send the message to a listed friend, select the friend from the Send to Friend pull-down menu.
5. If you want to send to someone not in your Friend List, type the person's user name in the Send to field.
6. Type the subject of your message in the Subject field.
7. Type the body of your message in the Note field.
8. Click Send Message at the bottom of the page.
   The message will be sent to the other user. The message will also appear in your Outbox.

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How do I read a private message?

1. Log into the Forum.
   If you have any new messages, a yellow envelop icon will appear next to the Messages link and the number of new messages will be indicated.
2. Click the Messages Link.
   The Private Messenger window will be displayed.
3. Click the Inbox link.
   Your Inbox will be displayed.
4. Click the Subject of the message you want to read.
   The full message will be displayed.
5. After you have read the message, you can click on links to Reply to the message or Delete the message buttons at the bottom of the page.
   You can also click on the Add User to Friends List link to add the sender to your Friends List.
   Or, if you don't want this user to send you any more messages, you can click on the Add User to Ignore List link to add the person to your Ignore List.

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How do I reply to a private message?

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the Messages Link.
3. Click the Inbox link.
   Your Inbox will be displayed.
4. Click the Subject of the message you want to read.
   The full message will be displayed.
5. Click the Reply link at the bottom of the window.
   The Send Message window will be displayed with the Send to and Subject fields pre-populated.
6. Enter your message in the Note field.
7. Click Send Message.

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How do I delete a private message?
While reading a message, you can click the Delete link at the bottom of the window to delete the current message.

While viewing your Inbox, you can delete several messages at once by checking the check boxes next to the messages you want to delete, then clicking Delete Checked.

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How do I see private messages I've sent to others?
When in the Private Messenger, click the Outbox link to see all the messages you sent to others.

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What is my Friends List and how do I add users to it?
Your Friends List has three functions in the Forum:

If you have entered personal information on your Personal Profile page, and if you have checked the Friends Only option for Profile Privacy on your Preferences tab, then only people on your Friends List will be able to see your personal information.

Similarly, if you have checked the Friends Only option for Online Status on your Preferences tab, then only people on your Friends List will be able to see whether you are online.

When you send a message in the Private Messenger, all your friends will appear in a drop-down menu that you can select from. You can then send one of them a message without having to type their user name into the Send to field.

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What is my Ignore List and how do I add users to it?
Most users in an online community get along very well. Sometimes, however, you might encounter someone you consider a nuisance. If such a user is sending you messages and won't stop when you ask them, you can tell the system to not deliver their messages to your Inbox by adding them to your Ignore List.

To add someone to your Ignore List:

1. Log into the Forum.
2. Click the Messages Link.
   The Private Messenger window will be displayed.
3. Click the Find Users link.
4. Enter the user's screen name in the Search box.
5. Click Search.
6. When the user's name is displayed, click the Add to Ignore List link on the same line as the user's name.

You can also click the Add User to Ignore List link in any message the user has sent you to add that person to your Ignore List.

To see who's on your Ignore List, click the Ignore tab in your Private Messenger. You can remove them from your Ignore List if you've changed your mind.

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What is a tag?
A tag is a single keyword applied to a post that describes a topic, theme, or category of the post. Each post may have multiple tags. For example, a post about a mouse might have the tags, mouse USB optical wireless DPI. If you enter multiple words separated by spaces you will create multiple tags, not a phrase.

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What is a tag cloud?
A tag cloud displays tags used frequently within an area of a community. Tags applied frequently will appear in a larger font. A tag cloud can give you a sense of what the hot topics are in a given area.

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What can I do with tags?
Tagging items helps other users discover interesting posts. Tagging can also help you bookmark related items.

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Why do people tag?
Some users will tag posts for their own convenience in finding them later. Other users enjoy helping categorize interesting posts for the benefit of the community. Users who tag lots of posts gain status by appearing on Tag Leaderboards.

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How do I tag?
You can use tags to bookmark, categorize, or identify a post. A well chosen tag will also help other users find interesting content.