The Midwest Portal is simple to use. You can find the basic instructions by following this link.
Most help related questions concerning portal use are related to screen size, sponsorship, policies, link quality, and how you get your site listed. Below we will cover some of these questions. For all others please write the webmaster, Graeme Gibson, at: graeme@homebbs.com.
A. This system is specifically designed for screen resolutions of 800 by 600 pixels, and you most likely have your screen set to 640 by 480 pixels, the lowest setting. To find out, on your desktop pick an area not covered by programs or icons and right click, go down to properties, and then select settings. There you will find your screen adjustments for screen size. Most monitors and video cards today support 800 by 600 and we recommend that setting. If you normally display at higher resolutions, these also will work well.
A. Browsers are a matter of personal taste. All pages are checked with several different browser versions, and with AOL. The webmaster personally uses Netscape, followed by Internet Explorer. If you have a problem with a particular browser, please let us know, and include the version number. Also, include the machine type, and operating system you use. If your version number is older than 3.0 we highly recommend that you upgrade, as that is the oldest version we proof with.
A. The Blue Ridge Bank is our founding sponsor, and much of the idea and initial content of the site was suggested as a community service based on meetings held at the bank when working out the design of their new website. The Bank wanted to bring a convenience to their many clients and to the community. But they didn't want to have the responsibility of the continuing maintenance. As such, the Midwest Portal is actually owned by the ISP that hosts the banks web pages, Computer Training Corporation (CTC). It is CTC that runs and maintains the portal.
A. Absolutely not. This site is run as a community service, and provided as a convenience to you by our sponsors. Please mention it to them, if this site proves helpful to you.
A. Follow this link for the Blue Ridge Bank Privacy Policy. CTC also follows this general policy as it regards Midwest Portal; however, we also have hundreds of other sites hosted here and each will generally have their own privacy policy. Check on the home page of individual sites to determine individual privacy policies.
A. The Midwest Portal is designed to make people's lives simpler by allowing the launch of hundreds of useful websites with just a few clicks of the mouse. Heavy weight was given to the most popular sites on the Internet, with a strong local presence. It was composed primarily from traffic logs showing popularity and the suggestions of the many people who helped design the bank's website.
A. If you know of a particularly useful site on the Internet, by all means let us know what it is. Write the webmaster, Graeme Gibson, at: graeme@homebbs.com. Please include the URL, and why you would like to see the site added. Also include your e-mail address, and let us know if you run the site in question. Be aware that we do have a review process, and links will be evaluated before addition.
A. Most portals are based on search engines; this one is based on quick navigation links. Instead of having to type the name of your favorite sites, you can go directly to several hundred of the most popular Internet sites. This portal is also based on local content--our local newspapers, schools, government offices, and businesses. We believe in our local communities and want to see them prosper. By including links to area websites we can help our communities grow. It also has links to our local area organizations and charities. Think of it as a community bookmarks, or favorites list.
A. There is an idea, "Less is More" suggested by one of the design firms (Two West) we work with. Think of this as a cliffs notes of Internet sites, a community bookmarks list. You don't have all of the sites (millions) listed in your bookmarks; you have the ones you use the most. This is the idea. At each page you have a limited, but useful collection of sites.
A. We certainly plan for this. Our founding sponsor, the Blue Ridge Bank, started us off with ten search pages: Home, Community, Business, Search, News, Sports, Kids, Internet, Entertainment and Education. We hope that other community minded companies and individuals will add to this content and broaden it. We would like to have specialized pages on Family, Marriage, Religion, Graduate Studies, Aviation, Autos, Boating, Restaurants, Real Estate, Commerce, Law, Travel and any number of other specialized pages. Sponsorship fees are quite reasonable; we welcome these inquires.
A. Absolutely, In fact almost every town in our eight state service area could have a portal of their own. If you like the idea, promote it, we will even provide content to other designers interested in building local portals.
A. Please do, That is the idea!
A. To Bookmark us, under Netscape, right click on the web page and hit add bookmark. To set us as your start page, go to options or Edit, then preferences, and in the Home page settings box type http://www.blueridgebank.net/portal.
For Internet Explorer, to add to favorites, right click and select add to favorites. To set as your home page, go to tools, select internet options, and on the general tab type in that address in the home page address, or hit the use current button.
© 1999, 2000 by Computer Training Corporation and Graeme E. B. Gibson. Site hosted by USAStores.com, and HomeISP™ specializing in E-Commerce for small volume web sites. Many of our clients works are archived at The Gibson Digital Library, or stored on the HomeBBS System.
Computer Training
Corporation
1307 South Sterling Avenue
Independence, MO 64052
Orders 1-800-329-0911
Office (816) 252-4080
Fax (816) 252-5545