FAQ - Duppydom

How is this site different from other social media sites, such as Facebook or Twitter?

Most of us would agree that there are many important life lessons that nobody teaches us (e.g., how to be a good friend, how to combat bullying, how to manage stress, or how to plan for the future). duppydom is a social media website that allows you to: (1) share your expertise on life; and (2) learn from other people's life lessons. Just imagine if you wanted to share your expertise on "being happily married for 15 years", or you wanted to share your expertise on "how to have a successful YouTube career?". Or, just image if you just found out that you were pregnant and there was a website where you could go to and search, "the do's and don'ts of my first pregnancy" – well, this is what duppydom is all about!! Not to mention, when you find a life lesson (also called a "duppydom") of interest, you can share it with family members and friends on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin and via e-mail.

What the heck does duppydom and other related terms mean?

In 1998, people were also asking, "what the heck is a Google?". Today, Google is a part of the world's vernacular. "duppy" is a Caribbean slang for "ghost". "duppydom" is an extension of "duppy" (ergo, the ghost emblem on the duppydom site). duppydom is our name and as you maneuver the website, please keep the following terms in mind:

Does it cost anything to use duppydom?

Anyone can log onto duppydom.com, do a search, or simply browse the site. And becoming a duppy/member is easy and absolutely free.

How old do I have to be to create an account?

You must be at least 13 years of age to set up an iduppy!™ account.

How do I create an account?

From the Home Page, click "CREATE AN ACCOUNT" and fill in the Account and Profile details. Note that your e-mail address, a password, your name, a profile picture and the city and country you live in, are required to set up an iduppy!™ account. You can also create an account through Facebook and Google.

What are the advantages of membership vs. non-membership?

From the Home Page

Members and non-members can search for a duppydom (What's your duppydom?) (e.g., "love").
- When a duppydom is found, the duppydom can be printed, shared via e-mail and to Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin and all of the other duppydoms created by that author can be accessed. Additionally, clicking on the author's picture will display their bio. Finally, the ratings and comments associated with that duppydom are displayed.
- If a search has "no results", a duppydomALERT™ can be sent automatically to all members of the duppydom. Members can then log onto the site and share a duppydom about that topic or send the duppydomALERT™ to a family member or friend via e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter – this will be a good way to increase "a sense of community".
Members and non-members can view LIVE WIRE. duppydoms will continuously scroll through this area of the website. The duppydoms that are displayed here, will depend on the following criteria: recency, highest votes and most comments.
Members and non-members can search or browse the duppydoms in the CELEBRITY CORNER (area containing duppydoms shared by the famous and infamous). The duppydoms displayed here, are still a part of the database of duppydoms and could be accessed when a search is done anywhere on the website.
By clicking BROWSE BY CATEGORIES, members and non-members can view all of the categories that can be used in creating a new duppydom (e.g., "Catfishing", "Family" and "Divorce"). Scrolling down the list of categories gives access to the duppydoms that are associated with each category.
- Members and non-members can also search for a duppydom here as well.
- A duppydomALERT™ can also be sent from here as well.
- Clicking an author's name while in BROWSE BY CATEGORIES, gives access to BROWSE BY MEMBERS. Here, you can search for a specific member or scroll down the list of members to access all of their duppydoms.

Once you become a duppy/member and have your own iduppy!™ account

You will be able to signin and Share a duppydom.
You will be able to manage your account [i.e., edit your profile, manage your duppydoms, manage your comments (the comments other members have posted on your duppydoms, or the comments you have posted on other members' duppydoms, manage the frequency of your duppydomALERT™ and manage your commentALERT (e-mail sent to you when a member makes a comment on one of your duppydoms].
You will be able to post comments on other members' duppydoms.
You will be able to vote on/rate other members' duppydoms.

How do I search for a duppydom/life lesson?

From the Home Page (to the right of "What's your duppydom?"), type in the duppydom/life lesson you would like to learn about (e.g., "health"); then click the search button (or press the Enter key). You can also search for a duppydom from "BROWSE BY CATEGORIES". Here, you can search by "category", by "keyword" or by both.

How do I send a duppydomALERT™?

A duppydomALERT™ is a "help" message sent via e-mail to the duppydom/community of duppies. If you search for a duppydom/life lesson (e.g., "parenting") and the result is "no results", the following message will be displayed just below the search bar:

[No Results!! Send a duppydomALERT™ ? YES Or Continue Searching].

If you click YES, the duppydomALERT™ will be sent to all members in the duppydom.

When a member receives the duppydomALERT™, she or he can login to his or her iduppy!™ account and create a duppydom on the topic(s) of interest. Alternatively, the member could send the duppydomALERT™ to family members or friends, via e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter.

A duppydomALERT™ can also be sent from "BROWSE BY CATEGORIES".

How do I Share a duppydom/life lesson?

First, you must be a duppy/member to create a duppydom/life lesson. Log into your iduppy!™ account and click on the duppy icon to the right of "Share a duppydom". You will be presented with the duppydom template – this is what you will use to create your new duppydom:

Title

You must enter a title for your new duppydom. Use a unique title that fully encompasses the topic of your duppydom (e.g., Looking 15 years younger is half the battle: Here is how I also keep my body healthy).

Category

You must choose one of the categories from the drop-down menu (e.g., Aging/Birthday).

Subcategory

You do not necessarily need a subcategory, but a subcategory (e.g., Sex Drive) helps to tag your duppydom, when someone searches for a duppydom/life lesson. When you select one of the categories that does not already have a subcategory, just type in your subcategory. When you select one of the categories that already has a duppydom(s) (or has preloaded subcategories – e.g., "Emotions" and "Values"), all the associated subcategories will be presented in a drop-down menu. You are free to select one of these subcategories, or add your own. To add your own subcategory, click "Add Subcategory" – this will open the "Add Sub category" text box. Type in your new subcategory and click "Add Sub category". Your new subcategory will be added to your duppydom template and also added to the subcategory drop-down menu.

Formatting/Editor

As you insert the text for your new duppydom, you can add formatting from the menu (e.g., bold, italic and underline).

Images

You must have content in the "Title", "Category" and "Story Content" fields, before adding an image to your duppydom template. Click "Upload Images" if you want to upload a picture file from a folder on your computer. You can also upload a picture from your computer by dragging and dropping the picture file onto your duppydom template. Wait for the picture(s) to load (i.e., "Done"), then click "Save Draft" – this will take you to "Manage your duppydoms". Find and click on the title of your new duppydom. You can scroll down the duppydom template and preview the picture(s). Later, when you publish your completed duppydom, you will see the picture(s) displayed just below the text in your duppydom.

Videos

You must have content in the "Title", "Category" and "Story Content" fields, before adding a video to your duppydom template. You have the option of uploading mp4, avi, mkv and mov video formats and the size of each file must be 2 MB or less. Click one of the radio buttons below "Manage Videos", if you want to upload a video file from a folder on your computer. You can also upload a video from your computer by dragging and dropping the video file onto your duppydom template. If you are uploading multiple videos, upload them one at a time. Wait for the video to load (i.e., "Done"), then click "Save Draft" – this will take you to "Manage your duppydoms". Find and click on the title of your new duppydom. You can scroll down the duppydom template and preview the video. Later, when you publish your completed duppydom, you will see the video(s) displayed just below the text in your duppydom. You can also upload YouTube videos. Click the radio button beside "Youtube Url" and insert the web address. You are not able to preview a Youtube video. Later, when you publish your completed duppydom, you will see the Youtube video(s) just below the text in your duppydom. Regardless of the type of video you upload, you can only upload a maximum of 4 videos to your duppydom template.

Takeaways

These are the key lessons that you want the reader to take away from your duppydom and share with others. Sometimes, readers will read the takeaways first, before reading your duppydom. This could be a way to entice the reader to read your duppydom in its entirety.

Tagging

When someone searches for a duppydom/life lesson, the system tags the appropriate duppydoms by searching duppydom titles, categories, subcategories and words within the body of duppydoms. Because you are the author of your duppydom, you can also help this process, by identifying the words that you think encapsulate the essence of your duppydom. In the text box, type these key words, separated by commas.

"Save Draft" or "Publish".

If you have finished editing the duppydom template, you can "Publish" it immediately, or "Save Draft" and finish it later. If you published it right away, you should still be in your iduppy!™ account ("Manage your duppydoms") – click on the title of your new duppydom to see what it looks like.

Editing Images

If you see a problem or want to make an edit – click "MANAGE PROFILE" (you should now be in "Manage your duppydoms"). Find the title of your new duppydom (first row) and click the edit icon (in the "Action" column) – this will take you back to the duppydom template. You will see the preview of your picture(s) below "Manage Images" – here, you can delete the picture(s) or add another picture(s). Then, "Save Draft" or "Publish".

Editing Videos

If you see a problem or want to make an edit – click "MANAGE PROFILE" (you should now be in "Manage your duppydoms"). Find the title of your new duppydom (first row) and click the edit icon (in the "Action" column) - this will take you back to the duppydom template. If you want to delete a video (mp4, avi, mkv or mov), click the radio button of the "Youtube Url" directly to the right of the video, then click "Save Draft" .. If a Youtube video is not working, re-enter the web address. If you want to delete a Youtube video, delete the web address. Then,"Save Draft" or "Publish".

What is a commentALERT?

First, you must be a duppy/member to receive a commentALERT. A commentALERT is an e-mail sent to you, when a member publishes a comment on one of your duppydoms.

How do I use "BROWSE BY CATEGORIES"?

By clicking "BROWSE BY CATEGORIES", you can view all of the categories that can be used to create a new duppydom (e.g., "Catfishing", "Family" and "Divorce"). While scrolling down the list of categories, you will notice that some categories have a red arrow (>) – this signifies that a member has uploaded a duppydom to this category. While scrolling down the list of categories, you will also notice a blue downward arrow () beside the categories of "Emotions" and "Values". Clicking these downward arrows will reveal the sub-categories for both categories.

You can search for a duppydom here as well – search by "category", by "keyword", or by both.

A duppydomALERT™ can also be sent from here. Clicking an author's name while in "BROWSE BY CATEGORIES" (from the duppydom previews on the right) gives access to "BROWSE BY MEMBERS". Here, you can search for a specific member or scroll down the list of members to access all of their duppydoms.

What is "LIVE WIRE"?

When you log onto duppydom.com, go to "LIVE WIRE" to see the most recent and/or most popular duppydoms at that moment – this is also a good way to join the conversation and publish your own comments. On the Home Page, "LIVE WIRE"duppydoms will continuously scroll through this area of the website. The duppydoms that are displayed here, will depend on the following criteria: recency, highest votes/ratings and most comments. If you click on the plus sign (+) to the left of a duppydom title, the duppydom will be displayed and if you click on the negative sign (-) to the right of a duppydom title, the next duppydom (most recent and/or most popular) will be added to "LIVE WIRE".

What is the "CELEBRITY CORNER"?

The famous (and infamous) tend to live very interesting lives and often have large followings (in the mass media and on social media). Because of the lifestyles they lead, they can often share unique perspectives about life. On the Home Page, the "CELEBRITY CORNER" contains a collection of these life lessons. The duppydoms displayed here, are still a part of the database of duppydoms and could be accessed when a search is done anywhere on the website.

While in the "CELEBRITY CORNER", you can search for a specific celebrity, or scroll down the list of celebrities to access their duppydom(s).

Why do I not see my duppydom in the "CELEBRITY CORNER"?

First, Share a duppydom/life lesson. The duppydomTEAM will contact you to verify that your profile and account information is real. Please be patient.

How do I see a member's bio?

You can see a member's author details and bio, by clicking on the picture, in the top left hand corner of their duppydom.

How do I see all of the duppydoms a member has shared?

First, go to "BROWSE BY CATEGORIES". Then, click on any author name (from the duppydom previews on the right) – this will take you to "BROWSE BY MEMBERS". Here, you can search for a specific member or scroll down the list of members to access all of their duppydoms.

If you are reading a duppydom, scroll to the bottom left of the duppydom and click on "Click here to read more duppydoms by this author" – this will also take you to "BROWSE BY MEMBERS".

How do I vote for/rate a duppydom?

First, you must be a duppy/member. Log into your iduppy!™ account. Find the duppydom you want to rate and scroll to the bottom of the duppydom. You can enter your rating by clicking on the stars. You can give a duppydom up to a 5-star rating.

How do I post a comment on a duppydom?

First, you must be a duppy/member. Log into your iduppy!™ account. Find the duppydom you want to comment on and scroll to the bottom of the duppydom. You can enter your comment in the comment text box.

How do I print a duppydom?

See the print icon located on the bottom left corner of each duppydom.

Do I need to get approval from the duppydomTEAM, before publishing a duppydom or comment on the site?

No, you do not. You have the option to "go live" as you see fit. However, keep in mind that the duppydomTEAM constantly monitors the site, to make sure that all users are adhering to our "Terms of Use", "Privacy Policy" and "Content Policy".

Why am I not getting any e-mails from duppydom?

If you are not receiving any commentALERT or duppydomALERT™, most likely, e-mails from duppydom.com are being deposited to your Spam or Junk e-mail folder. When you find the e-mail(s), "Mark as Not Junk", "Mark as Not Spam", or add duppydom.com to your e-mail program's "Safe Senders List".

Is duppydom a secure site?

Yes, duppydom is a secure site. Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential.

Who owns any material that I post on duppydom?

The Site and all of the Content are protected by Canada and/or international copyright laws and conventions, and belong to duppydom.

Do I have control over who sees my duppydoms and comments?

Duppydom is a community to share and learn life lessons. In this open forum, we encourage members and non-members open access to all duppydoms on the site.

Do I have control over who can comment on my duppydoms?

Only members can comment on duppydoms. And although you do not have control over who comments on your duppydoms, you do have the option to deactivate or delete a comment on your duppydom (via your iduppy! ™ account/"MANAGE PROFILE").

Why was my duppydom deleted?

The duppydomTEAM deactivated your duppydom, either because it violated our "Terms of Use", "Privacy Policy" or "Content Policy". Please feel free to send us a message via "Help/Contact Us".

Why was my comment deleted?

When you publish a comment on a duppydom, the author of the duppydom has the option to deactivate or delete the comment. Typically, a comment is deactivated or deleted because the author of the duppydom found it offensive. Remember – play nice!!

What do I do if I find offensive material on this site?

If you find offensive material on the site, please report it to the duppydomTEAM immediately (via "Help/Contact Us").

What do I do if someone posts something personal about me on duppydom, without my permission?

It is against duppydom's "Terms of Use" to post anyone's personal (identifiable) information in a duppydom or comment. Examples of personal (identifiable) information include the person's name, relation to someone, address, place of work, a picture of their driver's license, a link or screenshot of their personal social media page, etc. This policy will be strictly enforced and violators could have their iduppy! ™ account deleted permanently. If you see personal information displayed in a duppydom or comment, please contact the duppydomTEAM immediately (via "Help/Contact Us").

How do I manage my duppydoms, my comments, the frequency of my duppydomALERT™ and my commentALERT?

By logging into your iduppy! ™ account and clicking on "MANAGE PROFILE": you can gain access to your duppydoms, comments, duppydomALERT™ and commentALERT.

How do I update my profile or other account information?

You may edit your profile and account information at any time, by logging into your iduppy! ™ account, going to "MANAGE PROFILE" and then clicking on "Edit your profile".

How do I cancel my account?

You may delete your account information at any time, by logging into your iduppy! ™ account, going to "MANAGE PROFILE", then "Edit your profile" and then clicking "DELETE ACCOUNT".

I could not find the answer to my question. What should I do?

If this FAQ page did not answer your question, the answer can probably be found in "About", "Terms of Use", "Privacy Policy", "Content Policy", or "Site Etiquette". As a last resort, please contact the duppydomTEAM (via "Help/Contact Us").