Web Design

Newbie Central
My First Passport

These instructions are designed for non-hotmail accounts. Hotmail users automatically obtain an interconnected passport when they register for free.

To make full use of MSN Groups, you will want to invest a few minutes to obtain your own, free, Dot Net passport. Having a passport allows you to join groups and participate in member-only functions - like uploading your own pictures, files and documents, posting messages on the message boards or joining the group chatroom. If you get really ambitious, you may even start your own group.

Each free .net passport entitles you to a unique user name, the right to upload 3 megabytes of images or files and the chance to join multiple groups. A passport is separate from an email address. The two can be tied together - as with hotmail accounts/.net passports - but are nevertheless, separate entities. You will need a free email address to register for a .net passport but nothing else is required and there is no charge.

It is legal to register for as many .net passports as you can manage. Currently, you must sign into each passport once every 90 days or it may expire. Expired passports are inaccessible to the originator and the global nickname for the passport may become available for others to use.

You will need to visit .net passport services to sign up. I find it easiest just to visit a group, click the "Join Now" link and have MSN prompt me through the steps.

Click the Join Now link located at the top of the left navigation bar of any MSN Group to start the process.

You will be taken to a screen similar to this.

Click the link for "Get a .NET Passport".

This moves you to the main registration page. Please note: you should avoid giving away too many personal details on the web, it is fine to "invent a few entries" and randomize your details. If you need a new ZIP code plug in 90210. (Beverly Hills)

Enter your email address here including the @ sign. Hotmail accounts are not required to obtain a passport, any email will do. Hotmail accounts come pre-equipped with a dot net passport connected to them but you may not switch email addresses later.
Pick a password and retype it to confirm. Avoid easy to guess passwords and remember that .net passwords are case sensitive - if you type a small "a" it is different than a capital "A" so write down your important log-in details in a notepad somewhere safe.
Secret questions are used in the event you forget your password. We would suggest that you pick a secret answer which has little to do with the question. That way, no one else can gain access to your account just by chatting with you, then using your favorite pet's name with the automated retrieval system.
Your country of origin will dictate language settings and other creation details, so you might want to stick close to home.
Of course, within that country, you are free to "move around". *grins* (Dream a little)
You may pick almost any birthdate. Just be sure to make yourself at least 18 or you can not join adult rated groups.
Type the letter/number combination .net shows you as an image. This step ensures that you are a real person and not a computer. This step is not case-sensitive so you may use upper/ lowercase letters without upset.
It is important to not check either of these two boxes off. By not checking these, it keeps MSN from "sharing" your email address with 3^rd parties.
Read the contract, it is legal and binding - then click the "I Agree" button.

Your registration is now complete. You are the proud owner of a free, three megabyte, 3^rd-party email addressed, passport from .net.

Click continue.

This is the Member Services screen. You may visit it at any time at: http://memberservices
.passport.net where you will be able to alter details, change email addresses (except hotmail addresses) and even close you account in the event of abuse.

The easiest way to get back to Web Design is to type the address into your browser's address bar. Remember to include the http part, but Groups is not a "www" site.

http://groups.msn.com/webdesign

Here you will need to ensure that you are signed into your new passport.

If the "Sign In" button located at the top right of the screen is displayed, click it and enter your email address (including the @ something.com) and the password you selected for your dot net passport.

Click the "Join Now" link a second time. Since we are signed into our passport, it will take us to a different screen this time and prompt us for our joining preferences.

This is the "Join" screen of any group on MSN. For each group you join, you will be required to fill out these preferences since you may wish to have different settings at different groups.

The first time you join a group, you will be prompted to pick a global nickname by which you will be known when posting on MSN or joining in chat sessions.
Enter the email address you used to sign up with dot net passports to keep things straight. You may use a different address to receive correspondence but we caution against it since it can get confusing and once an email address is used at a group, it can not be used by a second passport/ nickname. It is very important to uncheck the box which allows your email address to be displayed to anyone. For security reasons, you want to hide that email address and only hand out a correspondence email address to those you trust.
If you do not wish your email to overflow with out-of-date, out-of-order posts by the hundreds: set it to "On the Web". You may always change it later.
Read the "CoC". You are legally accepting to be bound by it when you check off the box.
Click the "Join Now" button.

Welcome to Web Design on MSN!

If you look to the top right of your screen, you should now be showing as a signed-in member. While signed in you will be able to access tutorials stored in the member's-only documents folders and post messages of your own.

? Important Announcement The MSN Groups service will close in February 2009. You can move your group to Multiply, MSN’s partner for online groups. Learn More
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