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Frequently Asked Questions
Q) I have a Vintage Slot Machine web site.
What advantages do I get through joining the Ring?
A) The obvious one is increased traffic to your web site. As
all the sites in the Ring are linked together, surfers naturally proceed
from one site to the next one in the Ring. This is a far more efficient
way of touring the Slot Machine sites than the use of hit-or-miss search
engines and haphazard link pages. Your site is also included on the
index
page.
Q) What are the advantages of this system over
the links pages on other peoples' web sites?
A) Many. Members of a Web Ring form a linked community. The
links pages on other peoples' sites are not under your control. You
have to contact the owner of every site, and rely on them to update their
information at your request - often a frustrating excercise, and one that
cannot be carried out very often. Other web site owners can easily
remove your link or change it without your knowledge. Also, individual
links pages have no common structure to them, and it is difficult to browse
sites in a logical order using links pages.
In a Web Ring, all members have their information stored on a central index
page that is accessible from every site, and you can change your own entry
whenever you want, instead of having to rely on somebody else to do it.
Visitors to a Web Ring tend to proceed from one site to the next, so
there is a far greater chance of your site being visited.
Q) Is this a new idea?
A) No, there are already more than 500,000 Web Rings on the net; dealing
with every conceivable subject (and many inconceivable ones!). This
is the first Ring devoted specifically to Vintage Slot Machines.
Q) I have a site about vintage Juke Boxes, or
Pintables, can I join?
A) Yes. A 'Slot Machine' means any machine with a coin slot.
Q) What about
Nickelodians?
A) Yes. Anything that is old, and coin-operated.
Q) What qualifies as 'Old' or
'Vintage'?
A) There's no firm rule on that one! Each site is considered
on its merits, and its relevance to the subject of Vintage Slot Machines.
Generally speaking anything before 1970 would be classed as vintage.
This includes mechanical games and possibly electro-mechanical games,
but not all-electronic ones, and definitely not anything with a micro-processor
in it!
Q) I am a dealer in vintage slot machines. Can
I join as well, or is it non-commercial?
A) Anybody can join, as long as their site has a Vintage
Slot theme.
Q) I am a dealer in modern electronic slot machines.
Can I join?
A) No - not unless you also sell Vintage Slot Machines.
Q) I have an Internet gambling site. Can
I join?
A) No. This is a Ring for people interested in vintage slot machines.
It is not a gambling facility.
Q) I am interested in joining. What are
the disadvantages?
A) There aren't any. It's Free, it's easy, and it's fun! If
you find that membership is not for you, you may easily remove your site
from the Ring at any time.
Q) You say that the service is free, do I have
to carry adverts on my site or something?
A) No, definitely not. The only thing you have to add
to your site is the logo, which includes the navigation buttons. If
in doubt, take a look at existing member sites.
Q) Do I have to move my site to your
server?
A) No, your site stays where it is. All you have to do is to
add the buttons to your Home page.
Q) But I know nothing about HTML coding, how
do I add the buttons?
A) You don't have to know anything. Anybody can
join a Web Ring, it's easy. When you apply, you will be given the required
code to paste onto your front page. The Ringmaster will even do this
for you if you want. Then all you have to do is to upload your updated
page to the web.
Q) I use Microsoft Front Page and I am having
difficulty in adding the code to my site.
A) Front Page is not very user-friendly when it comes to adding your
own HTML code. Here's how to do it:
First Copy the HTML code to the clipboard. Then open your web page
and put the cursor where you want the HTML code to go. Click Insert
/ Advanced / HTML. Then Paste the HTML in the window, and click OK.
Q) Can I put the logo where I like on my web
site?
A) Yes you can within reason, but it makes sense to put it on your
home page. Visitors to your site from the Ring would expect to be directed
to your home page.
Q) But I've got a Links page. Wouldn't
it be better on there?
A) No. Unlike ordinary links, the Web Ring directs traffic
TO your site. If visitors come in on your Links page, they may
well click on a link and never see your site!
Q) What happens if I move my site to a new
address?
A) You just go to the Members Log In on the home page, and enter your
new address. Or the Ringmaster will do it for you.
Q) I want to join, but somebody else looks after
my web site, and I can't modify it myself. Can I still join?
A) Your site can't be part of the Ring until you have added the
logo and buttons to your site. These are essential to navigate
around the Ring. I can possibly modify your home page for you, but
you will have to get your webmaster to upload the new page to your server.
Q) How are the sites arranged on the index
page?
A) They are listed in the order of application. However, the
index 'rotates' on the screen, so that the top site will be the site that
you last visited, rather than always being site number 1. This helps
to distribute the traffic fairly amongst Ring members.
Q) Why isn't the Vintage Slots Ring part of the
Webring.org system?
A) Like the majority of web rings on the Internet, the Vintage Slot
Machines Web Ring was initially located on Webring.org. When Webring.org
was taken over by Yahoo in September 2000, they introduced many unpopular
changes to the system. For instance, every ring member had to obtain
a Yahoo ID, and all sites were eventually expected to carry Yahoo's own
navigation bar. These and other disastrous 'improvements' resulted
in many ringmasters moving their rings to other systems. As the other
public web ring systems were slowly grinding to a halt due to the mass exodus
from Yahoo, I decided to install the necessary script handlers on my own
server, and set up a dedicated private web ring system. Although this
was the most difficult option (by far!) it does have the advantage of providing
long-term stability and immunity from banner advertising and future corporate
takeovers, etc. Since that time, Yahoo has pulled out of the Web Ring
system and handed it over to another concern! Which rather proves my
point!
Q) How can I join?
A) Just CLICK HERE!
If you have any more questions CLICK HERE