Guide for New Members - Start Here

[GreyWolf]

STOP RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!!!
DROP THAT MOUSE!!!
Step away from the 'newthread' button...
Step away from the 'postreply' button...

This forum is about the most helpful place to learn about making money that I have found. Even if you don't know much to start there will be other members willing to help. But that doesn't mean you should just go right out and start asking for help. There are a few things you should understand first. I'm not a moderator here, but the following tips are mostly common sense. This is all just basic etiquette applied to the topics of this forum, understanding it should be helpful for any forum you join.

Before you start a thread "I need to make $xxx a day/week/month, what do I need to do?" just remember those posts are against the T.O.S. (you did read the T.O.S. right?). What is the point of a thread like that anyway? You don't need to ask the question, you already found it.
The BHW forum IS THE ANSWER to your question!!!

There is a difference between a newbie member and being a noob. Are you expecting that everyone should start reposting every method already posted in the forum every time some noob starts a new thread? It doesn't work that way. Please refrain from making your first post until you have gone into the existing forums over on the left of your screen and completed reading a few threads. Spend a little time lurking on the forum, and learning the types of posts that other members will consider valuable. When you do start posting, take it easy. Make just a few posts sticking to a topic you are working with. Take it slow until you have an idea of the type of impression you're making.

Unless you are an experienced marketer with something that might contribute to the forum, there is very little reason to make a new post in an existing thread, and there is even less reason to be starting a new thread during the first few days of being a member. Even if you are experienced you should still lurk around the forum a little while to get an idea of what is already here. That cutting edge method you discovered and want to share right away, might already have been discussed before.

This forum is open to people of all skill levels and experience, but it is not a training forum for basic computer skills. Don't let that intimidate you. The BHW forums should be just one of the tools you are using. If you don't want to be seen as a noob, then you should also have other resources to learn from.

If you don't know html, php, web design, etc, this forum isn't a basic tutorial. BHW is where you can learn to implement many different scripts and codes, but you should have other resources available to learn the basics. It is expected that newbie members have a basic ability to perform their own searches on a search engine. You should at least understand how to use the search box on the BHW forum itself. If you see a term or abbreviation that you don't understand, try searching for it on google first. DP, WSO, OP, Social Bookmarking, backlinks, DNS, and many more terms noobs ask about over and over, can be answered with a quick search on google. There are even a few threads on BHW that have lists of terms and definitions if you take a minute to search for them.


Now pick that mouse up off the floor and I'll tell you where to find real help if you seriously want to know "How To Make Money."

First, click on the Forum Rules and READ the TOS so you know the rules of the forum. Violating these rules will most likely get you banned from the forum. It's also a good idea to read the FAQ. so you know how to use the various features of the forum.

Next, go to the Making Money subforum and start by READING the sticky threads. They were made sticky for a reason, they have the most pertinent information to the most commonly asked questions, and best methods for newbies to try.

After you've spent some time READING the sticky threads, go back through the Making Money forum and READ some of the other threads to see what other people are doing. You will find many, many methods posted and discussed, that are working for many people. Pick one and follow the instructions in the thread. Not every method is going to work for every person. With diligence and a bit of luck you might find one that can work for you.

It's not impossible, but very unlikely you will make an amazing amount of money starting out. But if you go through the threads and read what others are doing, then follow through on some methods, it's very possible that you can start making some money starting out and then build up over time. You certainly don't need a degree to be successful, but you do have to spend time learning and gaining experience.

The "secret" to success is diligence, and experience. There isn't a "TRICK TO MAKE MONEY."

Again. until you have spent time reading and learning something about methods already offered and discussed throughout BHW, there is no reason to post a reply, and especially no reason to start a new thread.

**************************

Don't let any of that make you scared to ask a question here, or share some information. That's what the forum is about. If noone asked questions, or discussed topics there wouldn't be much value here.

Just use some common sense. If you follow the above guide lines you won't run in to many problems with other members. Remember a specific question posted in a pertinent thread will get you better results than starting a thread for a general question. If you do need to start a thread the same thing applies, a specific question will get better results that a general "Help Me Please" question.

When you're looking through the threads and see someone getting flamed for a post or thread, take notice of the post. Flaming isn't really encouraged on this forum any more than anyplace else. There are many members that have learned that the hard way when the mods banned their account instead of the member they were flaming. But if you've been a member for less than a month or so, and haven't made many posts of your own yet, don't try to argue about whether it should be flamed or not.

The mods will make their own determination about that. With a few exceptions, most of the time when someone gets flamed over an inappropriate post it should be taken as a lesson. There is usually a good reason they are getting flamed, you should look at it as a learning opportunity for yourself, so you know how not to make a similar mistake.

The same thing applies if it happens to one of your own posts.
Sometimes in the school of hard knocks, people get knocked down.
Just learn from it so you don't make the mistake again.

[GreyWolf]

There has been a lot of discussion lately about how to deal with all the new people that sign up and immediately start making posts. It seems to me that maybe a guide like this can be helpful for new members to read. If anyone else has additional suggestions for new members maybe this can be a good thread to post them and then just refer them to this thread when you see someone making a stupid Help Me post.

[ImBatman]

You owe me a new mouse. Mine was cordless...

[ericsson]

Thanks!

This should be a sticky thread.

And the other replies, respect the op post man. And don´t post shitless posts like "wut, lol" doesn´t make sense.

[kaidoristm]

Sticky vote from me as well.

[HoNeYBiRD]

And don´t post shitless posts like "wut, lol" doesn´t make sense.

ok, let's say you're right and i would have had to ask something like this: 'what do you mean? i don't understand how come the cordless mouse here'
i could do it, but it isn't the same?
on a side note: i made post like that very rarely!

[ericsson]

ok, let's say you're right and i would have had to ask something like this: 'what do you mean? i don't understand how come the cordless mouse here'
i could do it, but it isn't the same?
on a side note: i made post like that very rarely!

Ok!

But in an very important thread like this, when Newbie/Noobs sees this thread, and they see your reply.. They will think you act like one of them.

I suggest we respect what OP have posted, and don´t post shit replies anymore. It think it was very time consuming for him to wrote all that.

I would have been pissed off if i saw a reply like yours in my thread, ok.

I´m not hate you.. Just wanting you to know. Ok?

Happy Wednesday!

[HoNeYBiRD]

Ok!

But in an very important thread like this, when Newbie/Noobs sees this thread, and they see your reply.. They will think you act like one of them.

I suggest we respect what OP have posted, and don´t post shit replies anymore. It think it was very time consuming for him to wrote all that.

I would have been pissed off if i saw a reply like yours in my thread, ok.

I´m not hate you.. Just wanting you to know. Ok?

Happy Wednesday!

you won
post edited
have a nice day u too

[GreyWolf]

@ericsson - Thanks for the support . I've seen you make some good points on this same subject in other threads. Feel free to post additional thoughts if you think I missed anything.

The point of this thread is to help new members. This should be a thread for experienced people to leave tips for new members regarding the standards of the forum community, so they won't have to get flamed for wasting everyones time, and clogging up the forums with junk threads.

I included the best advice newbie members can get - this is the best forum for learning how to make money, so start reading and learn something before making new posts.

[ericsson]

Sure mate.

People would love read threads like.

http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackha...g-started.html

http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackha...ing-money.html

http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackha...y-methods.html

[peter2002]

@OP: Good job!

[Randy569]

Grey Wolf, you've done a good thing here, and I, for one, appreciate the time and effort that you put into this. It certainly has my vote for Sticky, plus it should me made mandatory reading for all new members, before they can even see any other forum pages.

And you certainly have my vote for Jr. VIP (for what it's worth...)

[Allie Albatross]

@GreyWolf: Alright, I'll just post this here from the JrVIP section :/

I know I'm not the most reputable member around these parts, nor am I even a lonely nickel making peon, but once again I've emerged back on BHW to see what I can amass out of myself. I'm confident I know much more than I do when I first started out (one positive affirmation of having paralysis by analysis is the wealth of general book knowledge I seem to sponge up by reading others failures and general guidelines). Correct me if I'm wrong, but all Internet Marketing is, is tunneling traffic generated by your websites content, into some sort of advertising medium, right? All I need is one website, with good content, at which I direct my visitors to an advertisement that one is willing to pay for said traffic. In a way, basically legal arbitrage, my free traffic, for your paying of my traffic. Now, concepts are easy, the general formation of them are not.

Another thing I've come to notice, is if someone is willing to give out a multi-thousand dollar, un-fettered method, that it's either too good to be true, gone out of style, or isn't working for them, at which point the user trying to monetize their "technique" and "teachings" of them, to newcomers, to which I feel somewhat empathetic with them, considering it's the same old, same old. At which point do we stumble onto something "new", to try. Seems cat and mouse to me. A while back I wanted to take a deeper look into the minds of fellow members that were actually making progress with their ventures, in a way that I could see exactly "how", they came up, not with the ideas, but the twists. That was a desolate attempt.

I'm not going to ask if I'm fit for the game, as anything can be learned, given enough time. Plus, I know I'll usually be approached with the same, over-used ridicule comments, such as "Yes, you should quit". Not exactly the humble community. I'm starting to believe nobody knows anything, that it's on a per-user basis to learn for themselves. Just like when as a young child, all parents (hopefully), explained to you the consequences of touching a hot stove. Sure, I've seen it happen to my Grandmother (burning her hand), I've heard stories, I've had it explained, but I never grasped the true point, until I had suffered and endured what they had. Is that what the "game" is all about. Just getting out there, losing money, and learning myself, to only comeback 2x as stronger and less susceptible to wondering aimlessly?

[GreyWolf]

I'm starting to believe nobody knows anything, that it's on a per-user basis to learn for themselves.
...
I've had it explained, but I never grasped the true point, until I had suffered and endured what they had. Is that what the "game" is all about. Just getting out there, losing money, and learning myself, to only comeback 2x as stronger and less susceptible to wondering aimlessly?

Thanks for the great post Allie, I hope some of the new members that are just starting out will read your great post and get something out of it.

There is information out there, but they have to learn for themselves, just like everyone else has. If they're diligent then even if they have a few failures, they can learn from those and become even better at what they're doing.

[itaintlupus]

Here's something I posted in another thread: (Added a bit)

When you're a noob making a typical "how do i start?" thread, people are going to tell you to search the forums. While you should, it really doesn't help if you don't know where to start. Before you do anything in internet marketing, you need to know the language. If you see a bunch of threads talking about "proxies", don't make a post asking what a proxy is. Go to google, and type

define:proxy

- that will work most of the time, and it's quick. If you can't find it there, simply google "What is a proxy". That will work with 99% of questions you have. Don't know what scrapebox is? Find a thread or site explaining it. If there's a lesson to be learned, it's that you need to be able to acquire information for yourself, otherwise your career in making money online is going to be a short one. The best way to learn the language is simply READ. More appropriately, on forums it's called lurking. Before making a thread, see if a similar one has already been made. Before posting a question, READ the thread you're replying to - someone may have already asked.

If you're really stuck - ask a question, but ask a direct question. Instead of "what is scrapebox?", find out for yourself what it is, and then ask about an aspect that you're not clear on.

As for general knowledge, here's my advice - find a recent thread (Ex. the 300 microniche sites one) and figure out what they're doing and if you might be able to do it. If it doesn't interest you, move on. Another tip - never pay for an ebook or someones "secret method" - I can assure you the information already exists on here somewhere. Tools on the other hand, are costly unless you can find a cracked version that's not infected with trojans (99% are). Take a look at the DO NOT SHARE list in the member downloads - read it, read it again, and then read it one more time. That will save you making a thread like "where can i has cracked xrumer".

If you don't understand something, it's usually much better to PM someone who seems like they know what they're doing and talk one-on-one than to just post new threads or in the thread itself. People are usually a lot nicer when there's nobody to show off to, just don't expect them to tutor you. Again, you have to ask direct questions, not just "How do I make money".

Now, there's a lot of information on this forum, and on the internet in general. Don't think you can learn it all. When you're comfortable, make a plan and follow through! If it succeeds, improve it. If it fails, identify the problem and learn from it. I remember a stupid poster that was in my Grade 3 classroom - "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take". Lame, but it's valid. You may not make money on your first 2, 5, or 100 attempts, but you sure as hell won't make money clicking from thread to thread.

A couple more pointers:
- People with high-post counts, high thanks and rep, Jr-Vips etc, are usually a better source of information than a newb like myself
- If it sounds too good to be true, you're being lied to or taken advantage of - even if it's not obvious how yet.
- The downloads section is a goldmine.

Good luck!

[festeris101]

Greywolf, thanks you for the time and effort you put into that post. It should be in a popup window when people load the site for the first time.

Thanks again

[aftershock2020]

Greywolf, thanks you for the time and effort you put into that post. It should be in a popup window when people load the site for the first time.

Thanks again

Been saying that all along...it is long overdue. Great post, Wolf.

[blackheader]

You can find the initial-thread and the reason why I´m posting this reply here: http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackha...ent-those.html

ARE YOU A NEW MEMBER TO BHW and WANT TO START A NEW THREAD? PLEASE READ THIS:

After beeing a registered member for one month now, I discovered some "things and facts" about this forum, that I would like to share with
every new-member here on this board.
The intention of this post is to help you avoiding bannings or flamings from other members based on posting new threads that either

• could be answered easily by using the searchbox in this forum

• could be answered by asking gooogle, (if you would have asked the right question and invested some time to find a suitable answer)

• should not have been posted here, for reasons I will explain you later on
  

So, you recently signed up to BlackHatWorld and you also have a lot of questions, I´m sure. But before you immediately start to make new
threads and posts please consider that this behaviour could get you into some trouble here. It not only recently happened that new members
of this forum began to start asking questions immediately after they signed in. Lot´s of those questions were considered by the regular members
to be simply just unneccessary and maybe even "stupid".

So what could you do to avoid lots of flame or even a bann and get the most helpful answers to your questions:

READ & LEARN
Get yourself familiar with this forum. Google specific words if you don´t know them. Reading&Learning are first and most important things you
should consider to do as a new member.

ASK
Whenever you have a question, feel free to ask. Everyone started as a beginner, since we aren´t born as "Internet-marketing-professionals"!.

BUT before you post your question in a new thread you should double check the following points:

• Does a similar question already exist? You can use the searchbox for this and often you will find a thread already prepared for your question/problem with lots of helpful answers.

• Does my thread contain questions that should be general knowledge on this forum? Most of the members here know the meaning of words like proxy, xrumer, etc. It should also be general knowledge what the difference between WP and Blogger is! (Just as general examples, hope you got my point!) Remember that this is a "elite" forum, if you have basic questions on HTML you will waste everyones time.

• Is the reason of my post simply just laziness? Be honest to yourself. A question like "How can I make $X a day!" or "How do I get massive followers on twitter?" will not only reveal that you just wanted to get the "best method" presented by some experts, it will also show that you don´t even have considered to have a look in the existing threads on this subject, which is laziness and will result in a lot of answers full of flame and maybe even a ban, since the first question would even violate the T.O.S of BHW.

• Is your question specific enough? "How do I get followers on twitter?" wouldn´t be specific enough since there exist thousands of methods to obtain this target. The more you can specify your question, the more helpful answers you will get. The Twitter-question above will be answered alá "by following others", which surely won´t satisfy you.

Have a look in the T.o.S of BHW and read the "Please Read" articles written by moderators in the specific forum. Honestly, when I
registered in the past to a random forum I wasn´t interested at all in their ToS. But BHW is special. So consider to read the ToS completely,
it will show you why nobody here will ever talk with you about ewhores and CS. It also prevents you from asking if CS means CounterStrike.

[GreyWolf]

@blackheader - Great reply!! Thanks for adding some really useful information to the thread.

New members should really pay attention to blackadders post above. He just laid out some really good guidelines for you.

...
The intention of this post is to help you avoiding bannings or flamings from other members based on posting new threads that either

• could be answered easily by using the searchbox in this forum
  
• could be answered by asking gooogle, (if you would have asked the right question and invested some time to find a suitable answer)
  
• should not have been posted here, ...
  

...

[Gradimir Stankovic]

New guys, just check my signature: http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/5180/sigimg553.gif
There are tons of great threads with a lot of valuable info here, you just need to press the search button, there is no need to start tons of same new threads asking for help .

All the best,
Gradimir Stankovic.

[*Candi*]

There are a lot of tips for new comer.
As a new comer I have a question.
If I follow all of these,can be able to get payment?

Thanks to all

[divine07]

great post just perfect

[GuessWho714]

I understand your needs to filter out the newbies who don't put in the due diligence and search and learn before posting. (I used to be one of them long long time ago)

But you are scaring away non-newbies (well new to BHW) by having such strict post moderation being placed on new members. I've been a member since April and mainly just search and browse and rarely log into reply. But yet when I do I spend 5 minutes trying to edit my post cause it doesn't pass the check.

Of course if it is something obvious like a URL...I don't have privileges yet I'll easily correct it and get it thru. But just now I quoted a member and I spent 5 minutes examining it over and over again trying to figure out why it keeps getting rejected. I changed a bunch of it and almost decided to just quit. Finally figured out that in their quote they typed the "S word" so that was getting flagged.

Way too frustrating. I hope I don't have to jump thru hoops for that much longer to be able to get full access and be treated like a real person.

[GuessWho714]

Greywolf, thanks you for the time and effort you put into that post. It should be in a popup window when people load the site for the first time.

Thanks again

Even better...add a field in the database "rules_test_passed" (true/false) and as soon as someone registers they go to a test page where they read the TOS and forum rules and then take a quick multiple option test. Throw some trick questions in there so people will only pass if they really read it. If they fail two times in a row, then can't try again for another couple days.

And until they pass the test they can't post/reply at all.

There are plenty of programmers here that can pull it off for <$100. If I had a forum with 10,000s of active members I would not be using a stock forum script without some sort of customizations to better fit the community.

[DigitalJimmy]

As a newbie here, thank you for that post

[GreyWolf]

As a newbie here, thank you for that post

LOL, this is the kind of reply the thread is trying to teach you not to make. Replies just to say 'thanks' don't do anything but raise your post count (which it doesn't even do in this thread) and adds useless posts for people to scroll through while looking for useful information in a thread.

If you actually have something to add to a thread, more information to give or questions to answer then thats when you should make a reply. If you're making a post like that then go ahead and add your thanks if you want. But please don't post replies just to say 'thanks', it's actually against the forum rules. If you really want to tell someone thanks on this forum the way to do it is hit the 'thanks' button under the post your saying thank too.

Welcome to the forum, you'll find lots of good helpful information here. Please be sure to use the thanks button whenever you come across a thread or reply that really heps you out.

[GreyWolf]

I've been seeing a lot of short posts by new members lately. 'Thanks', 'Thanks great post', 'Wow I learned so much reading this', 'Very informative', etc. It's obvious that these are just being made to increase a newbie members post count. It might be a pain in the butt that the mods and admins put more restrictions on newbies untill they have at least 15 posts, but that doesn't mean it's OK to make pointless posts.

The point of the restrictions is because there were so many spam and scam accounts being made just to post thier crap and I guess this was the best solution the mods and admins could come up with for now to fight that. If you really joined the forum because you want to use it to learn and share your experiences then you should understand that the rules are there to help keep the forum worthwhile.

Instead of ignoring the rules by making short useless posts just to inflate your post count, please try to at least add some value to the threads you respond to. Ask a legitimate real question, or provide some legitimate additional info that you know about the thread topic. Every post you make doesn't have to be a ground breaking new method, but at least try to provide something with a little value.

It isn't that hard to make a quality post. At least make an attempt. Thanks.

[GreyWolf]

I wrote this as a reply in another thread where someone was asking for ideas on ways to promote his website for free. It basically just explains site promotion and then gives links to a lot of the basic info threads I wrote awhile back. It seems like a good idea to include it in this thread as well. Any newbies that want a good idea of how to start promoting your site, this is a good start.

...These are pretty basic starting points that can make a lot of the more advanced threads you'll read later make a little more sense.

All the different methods of generating free traffic can really be fit into two categories; Search Engine Optimization and Direct Site Promotion. The difference is that with Site Promotion you're trying to tell people directly they should visit your site, with SEO you're trying to get a good listing in the search engines so people searching for a term might find your site.

1. Search Engine Optimization - SEO is all about site content, keywords and backlinks. Start by reading these threads Basic SEO practices for newbies, SEO - Understanding the Simulation, Stop stressing over the keywords meta tag!!, and How to get your site indexed quickly. They're all very basic guides written so people just getting started can understand SEO. After reading those threads go to these bhw forums, White Hat SEO, and Black Hat SEO to learn other more advance methods of SEO.
Search Engine Traffic will typically be a much higher volume, so the sooner you can start getting SE traffic the better.

2. Direct Site Promotion - Site promotion is all about Word of Mouth advertising. You want to go to where people are socializing and tell them about your site. Talking about your website in places that people will be interested in what you have to say. Yahoo Answers, YouTube, Craigslist, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon, etc. are all sites that you can do direct site promotion. The cool thing about WoM marketing is that much of your efforts at promoting your site will also count as backlinks for your SEO. Start by reading this thread, WOM Marketing - Old Method But Still Effective. The thread was written using Yahoo Answers as an example, but can be equally effective on any forum, blog, or social networking site. After reading that thread go to these bhw forums Social Networking Sites, and Email Marketing and Opt-In Lists. Look through them for other methods you can use to directly promote your site to get visitors.
Direct Site Promotion can typically get you traffic faster, so it's good to really work on it when you first start a website.

Both methods are very important for your website.

Hope that helps,
Wolf


Since your new and I'm pointing you to some of my threads you might as well check these out too: Fluff vs. Step by Step Methods, and Guide for New Members. They discuss why you won't find a lot of step-by-step methods and how to look through the many threads to find the information that you can actually use. After reading those threads go to the Making Money, Affiliate Programs, and Google Adsense bhw forums to learn different ways of monetizing your websites.

edit: Any newbies that want to learn about ways to send bulk email should read this thread as well.
Noobs Guide On How To Start Sending Bulk eMail by SpamRaider.
You can really get yourself into trouble with bulk mailing so be sure you really understand what your going to do before you start.

[ib6_ub9]

GreyWolf thank you for all the information. I learnt a lot from your postings. However, as for first two sentences... Some of us already lurk in BHW for a long time. We just did not have a reason to post until now.

But when we do need help, we are faced with 15 post limit. I of course understand the logic behind this. But you also understand that not everyone who comes here is here for the first time.

Thanks again for all your contributions.

[ganja]

hello there i am new member here anyone can guide me here ?

[mimay]

How can I change my name?

[frederickw]

Very nice for newbie like me

[ChapeauNoir]

(you did read the T.O.S. right?).
...
First, click on the Forum Rules and READ the TOS so you know the rules of the forum.

No, I didn't. Maybe when I signed up half a year ago, but I don't remember. Now I can't find them anywhere. If you want people to click on it, maybe it would help if you actually made that clickable instead of just making it yellow.

[GreyWolf]

No, I didn't. Maybe when I signed up half a year ago, but I don't remember. Now I can't find them anywhere. If you want people to click on it, maybe it would help if you actually made that clickable instead of just making it yellow.

LOL. It's across the top of EVERY page on this forum. It looks something like this:
Home .. User CP .. iTrader .. Forum Rules .. FAQ .. Donate .. ...

Since you're having so much trouble finding them, I went ahead and made the Forum Rules clickable in this reply for you.

[ChapeauNoir]

LOL. It's across the top of EVERY page on this forum. It looks something like this:
Home .. User CP .. iTrader .. [Link was here which I had to remove in my reply]Forum Rules[/url] .. FAQ .. Donate .. ...

Oh yeah? Care to point out that link in the attachment? Sorry, I'm not allowed to post images directly.

Since you're having so much trouble finding them, I went ahead and made the [Link was here which I had to remove in my reply] clickable in this reply for you.

Thanks, I appreciate it. Unfortunately, it's still missing some vital info, e.g. membership levels. Yes, it talks about VIP, but what about e.g. "Registered Member" vs. "Newbie"?

[GreyWolf]

Oh yeah? Care to point out that link in the attachment? Sorry, I'm not allowed to post images directly.
...

OK I checked out your link. Yep ya got me on that one. LOL.
Your using the Vbulletin Default Theme. I've never checked out the other Themes very close because I prefer the black background myself. Even when the admins change us to the Holiday themes I always change it right back. Apparently only some themes include the Forum Rules in the menu.

If you scroll to the bottom right of most pages you'll find a box for selecting your prefered theme. If you prefer using any other theme then you actually need to switch back to the "Black and Gold" or the "Old BlackHat World Style" theme to find a link to the Forum Rules. Kinda weird but your right, there doesn't appear to be any way to find the link from any other themes.

I guess I owe you an apology for being a bit of a smart ass in my last reply.
So here ya go... I'm sorry. LOL

...
Thanks, I appreciate it. Unfortunately, it's still missing some vital info, e.g. membership levels. Yes, it talks about VIP, but what about e.g. "Registered Member" vs. "Newbie"?

Yeah, the Forum Rules give the basic rules but it definately isn't all inclusive. In fact reading the Forum Rules is just the first step. Some of the rules are easy to interpret in ways that can actually get you an infraction. One example is the rules regarding links in signature files. Even though donors can include links, only certain types of links are actually allowed. That's why it's a good idea to do a lot of browsing and searching through the forums for more specific explanations.

Here's a thread that gives official explanation about membership levels by Essential Clix:
Jr. VIP, Avatars, & Signature Questions?


Here's an unofficial explanation about membership levels.

BHW Membership Level requirements:

Newbie = 0-49 posts
Regular Member = 50-99 posts
Junior Member = 100+ posts
Donor Status = Paid Donation (click the Donate link on the top menu bar)
Jr. VIP = 100+ quality posts and paid subscription (click the Donate link on the top menu bar)
Executive VIP = by invitation only (given only after vote from Exec VIP's)
Moderator in Training = by admin approval (click the Staff Application link on the top menu bar)
Moderator = by admin approval
Super Moderator = by admin approval
Administrator = by site owner approval
Super Administrator = by site owner approval

Quality posts are any posts made in the main forums excluding the Lounge, Downloads, and Forum Suggestions. Members are also expected to follow the rules and not make pointless posts just to inflate their post counts.

Premium Member vs. Jr. VIP
The main difference between Premium Membership is the post & time requirements and access to the Jr.Vip forum. Both will cost you a $97 donation, get a Donor icon under your username, give you a larger PM box, and allow you to post links in your sigfile.

• Premium membership can be paid without having 100 posts, but there is NO automatic upgrade to Jr.Vip once you reach 100 posts. You would have to donate again to become Jr.VIP.
• Jr. VIP membership can only be paid for after reaching 100 quality posts and being a member of BHW of 60 days. Jr.Vip recieves every advantage of Premium membership PLUS access to Jr.VIP forum.

The advantage of becoming a Premium member is if you're selling something it allows you to include links in your sigfile without waiting for 60 days and 100 posts. The thing to remember about that though is the mods don't allow just any links, (at the present time the mods interpret the rules to only allow affiliate referal links, links to your approved BST threads, or links to other BHW threads or pages).

So basically, unless you want to promote an affiliate product or link to a BST thread in your sig without waiting to qualify, you're getting more for your money if you wait till you have 100 posts and been a member for 60 days so you can join the Jr.VIP.

If you ever decide to become a Premium Member or Junior VIP just go to the "Donate" link on the top menu.

Here's a few previous threads regarding membership levels:

• Jr VIP vs Donor
• Is Jr. VIP worth it these days?
• Is being a JR VIP worth the money???
• Should I earn more ? If I join as a Doner or jr.VIP ?
• Jr.VIP & Premium membership
• Question for you Jr. VIP Gods
• Jr VIP vs Donor - What are the privilege and difference?
• Is Jr VIP worth it?
• Is JR VIP Section Really "That Good"? What are we normal peeps missing?

[zinok]

Sticky vote from me as well.

[GreyWolf]

This post is for anyone who has made some thread asking what you thought was a reasonable request of help, but instead of getting answers you just got a bunch of flame replies instead. When that happens there's usually a reason for it. If you want to get the most out of this forum then you need to understand what that reason is.

Here's some information I edited together from a few recent replies I made to people in some of those "How can I make money online" threads. I'll post it in this thread so that hopefully it can help some of you understand why they are discouraged.
-------------------------------------------

The Black Hat World forum is all about how to make money online. It's loaded with threads on various tips and methods for how to do that. Why would anyone think they need to ask the question "How can I make money?" The answer to that question is go join BlackHatForum, and then start looking for a method that makes some kind of sense to you. It's kind of pointless to ask that general question on a forum that is itself the actual answer to the question.

It's kind of like going to the book store and buying a book on how to do something. Then instead of reading the book, people just write a letter to the author asking him what they should do. It would be pointless to do that because that was the purpose of the book. What should the author do in that case, just rewrite the same book over and over again for each person?

There's a reason "Please Help Me" threads are discouraged on the forum. Overall they aren't very productive. All that threads like that accomplish is to get a lot of random unrelated suggestions about what the guy should do collected into one thread. For the most part the suggestions are based only on what the individuals feel works best for them. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll even be the best suggestions for the thread starter's skill set. Since all those ideas are already presented in specific forums and threads anyway, it's better for the thread starter to just read through the existing threads to find methods that might be more suitable for them. It really isn't very productive for the forum to just open new threads just to fill up with all those methods over and over again.

That's what happens with those type of threads. Each time a new one is opened, then everyone that feels like it goes into the thread and re-posts random methods that are already thoroughly described in other more specific threads on the forum. Those specific type threads are the valuable ones and what's encouraged on the forum. They're much more useful than vague threads asking for general information.

If you really want to find some known methods that work, then go back and read through the Making Money sub-forums. Pick a method and follow the instructions in the thread. Not every method is going to work for every person. With diligence and a bit of luck you might find one that can work for you. If you have problems making things work then ask a question in the related thread asking for more clarification. Usually that will result in more helpful replies. Those replies will not only help you, but also other people reading the same thread.

Try to restrain yourself from making another post until you've found a method that seems to make a little sense to you. Then you can ask questions pertaining to that method in the thread you read it in. If you have a question about something, try using the search box at the top of the left column to search about your question on BHW, and also search google to find some answers.

If you still haven't found an answer to the question, make some notes in notepad and then after you have a clear idea of what you don't understand, ask for clarification in the thread you are wondering about. A specific question posted in a pertinent thread will get you better results that starting a thread for a general question. You need to do some research on your own first, so that you're questions will be more likely to receive specific answers that might really help.

Unless you have some experience and something to contribute, your time on a forum like this is better spent reading through the existing threads, rather than starting your own. Please Help Me threads just clog up the forums, and violates the TOS you agreed to when joining BHW.

So just try looking through the forums to find threads where people are sharing various methods. There isn't a point in requesting people to start re-posting all those methods into your own personal thread, just to save you from looking through the existing forums.

Good luck to you all.

[GreyWolf]

I just came across another good thread that Newbie members should take a look at. The thread was made a few months ago by PauloPT, and really gives a good explanation of how to get started on BHW.

Black Hat World - Beginners Guide

Here's a partial quote of the first post. ( I made a few edits for things that have changed since the post was made)

Black Hat World - Beginners Guide

Introduction
Welcome to Black Hat World. You're likely to be dazzled at first with the black background, the different username colours and the vast amount of information on the various sections of the forum and all those posts with different money making methods mentioning words you've probably never heard around before. Shhh, that's okay. We're here. Shhh.

The first thing you can do after you register is to go to the Introductions sub-forum and tell us a little bit about yourself.



Where do I go then?





Go to the Main Forums, where you can have a broad look at all the various sub-forums in Black Hat World. Notice how you can press the minus sign on the top right corner of any of the sub-forums to minime or maximize it. Also, notice how each of the sub-forums have a short but clear explanation of what that sub-forum is all about, or a definition for a term. This may surprise you, but someone else has gone into the CPA sub-forum asking what is CPA, when the description serves as an answer. Don't make the same mistake.






From here on, you'll probably have a specific mindset or preferences in the methods you might want to learn. You find yourself going into some sections more than others, and find some methods more fascinating than others. This is perfectly normal. Before committing to any method, user or download, find some time to browse around and get a feeling for the forum and its users, the regulars and the not so regulars. This will help you when deciding to work on a specific money making method or joint venturing with someone.



Downloading and requesting
Consider taking a look at the Member Downloads. See if you find something interesting to download. A word of caution here. Do not be the first to download from a specific thread, unless you see that the poster is a reliable member from Black Hat World. Think for a moment, is the person posting this credible? How many posts does this person have? What kind of download is he offering? Sometimes, 0 posters or people with very few posts register on the forum and come to the members download area and post downloads that contain some sort of malware like a keylogger, trojan or password stealer. This type of exploits can severely damage your PC and may even steal sensible information from you, like all your passwords from all your accounts saved in your computer. If you do download something, make a scan of it with more than one source of anti-malware. For example, you might want to scan it with 2 anti-virus, or with your regular anti-virus and one other anti-malware software.

Before you go into the requests sub-forum though, think for a second on how much you have contributed to the forum. The answer may be not much. If that is the case, if you have 0 posts or a low post count, you cannot go into that section. You will need 50 posts to be able to make a request.



I want Oreos!
<strikeout>Interested in cookie stuffing? So is a lot of people. To be able to see and post in the cookie stuff sub-forum you will need at least 30 days on the forum and 50 posts quality posts. You can however donate to be granted access to the cookie stuffing sub-forum.</strikeout>(edit-CS Forum has been removed since this post was made. CS is no longer an allowed topic on BHW)



Notes about posting
Posting should not be made in a hurry as the forum has a specific limit of posts you can be counted with per day. You also cannot make posts with less than 30 characters. And nobody likes "tks 4 da share dude" kind of posts. It does not mean you can't post them, it only means you should be moderated in doing so. If you really want to thank someone, press the thank you button.





I aprove; I disaprove; I report
By pressing the thank you button you are saving the forum's database from a pretty meaningless post. Granted, there are some posts that do deserve an extra licking. Speaking of which, if you think a post from someone was so valuable to you that you already thanked it and you think the post is really great, you can click on the upper right hand size of the post by that user and click on the "justice" icon to add to his or her reputation. (edit - in some themes this is just a green button that says GIVE REP, you must have 50 posts before you have option to give rep.)



As you can add to the reputation of the user, by choosing "I approve" this comment, you can also choose your discontentment with the poster by choosing to "Disapprove". (edit - only Jr.Vip or higher can now give neg reps)

If you think the user posted in an incorrect manner or is behaving rather suspiciously you can click the icon on the right side of the reputation icon to report that post. (edit - in some themes this is just a red button that says REPORT) When clicked you will be presented with a text box where you should write why you're reporting that post. This report will be read by one of the staff at the Black Hat World and will be dealt accordingly. This is a great way to keep our forum clean. See the report icon below for an example, it's just at the right side of the previous icon.





Thanked and Thanks? Activity?
You may be wondering what are all those stats on the right side of your post: thanks, thanked, activity, etc.. These stats represent the statistics of your post history, your behaviour and your level of activity on the forum. Among other things, they present enough information to other posters about how much time you have been on the forum, how much do you post, your activity on the forum, etc.. All of these stats should not be used as an excuse to be condescending to others. Just because someone is new it doesn't mean he or she is not inside the whole deal of Internet Marketing and Black Hatting.

You might also be wondering why do you keep posting but your posting count does not increase. Certain sections of the forum have the post count disabled to avoid excessive use of "thank you", "welcome" and other seemingly useless posts. And the nominees... er, I mean, and the sections are:

• Introductions

• The Lounge

• The Shit List

• Feedback

• BST

• WTB

• Freelance

• Downloads & Download Requests

(edit - there's a few other subforums that also don't count toward post count. If you make some posts that don't add to your post count, just assume your in one of those places. You shouldn't be posting simply to increase your post count anyway.)



Buying and selling
If you want to sell something on Black Hat World (BHW), you will need to contact someone from the staff for one of them to review your product and pay a small fee to be able to post what you're selling, and you should post it in the Buy, Sell & Trade sub-forum. If you're a buyer, don't take the sellers' thread by assault. Don't post negative comments or deviate from the original purpose of the thread unless you have significant proof against such a sale. Even then, you can use the report button instead.



Avatars, signatures
If you're wondering about the avatars, you can only choose pre-set avatars because your account is new. Once you have more than 50 posts and 30 days on the forum you can go into your User CP and choose "Edit Avatar". You will then be able to upload to the forum a custom avatar that has either 100x100 px or 19.5KB in size, whichever is lower/smaller. For signatures the 50 posts 30 days are also required. To use an image in your signature, however, you will have to be a Donor. You can have 2-3 affiliate links or 1 small banner in your signature. According to Essential Clix, "do not use a font size larger than 3, images, sound clips, or anything annoying". You may read this and more on the Board FAQ.



Ooo, I want a blue name too
You have probably encountered by now members with different username colours. Here is a basic explanation.
(edited to add new member levels and requirements for each level ~ Wolf)

• Cyan: Administrator requires admin approval

• Green: Super Moderator requires admin approval

• Red: Moderator requires admin approval

• White: Moderator in training requires admin approval

• White: Executive Vip Must be voted in by Exec.VIPs and requires admin approval

• LightBlue: Junior Exec. Vip A posted thread moved to Jr. Exec VIP forum and requires admin approval

• Blue: Jr. Vip 100+ posts and Donated

• Pink: Premium Member Donated

• Gold: Junior Member 100+ posts

• Gold: Registered Member 50-99 posts

• Gold: Newbie Member 0-49 posts

To have entrance into Jr. Vip you need to have at least 200 quality posts, be civil, helpful and courteous to others. Along with 200 quality posts you will also need a minimum of 90 days of antiquity on the forum. Another alternative is to donate. By donating, once you reach 100 posts and 30 days, you get a nice little rank of Jr. Vip. If you do not have the 100 posts, you will still have your status of donor with your username being displayed in pink. By being a Jr. Vip you will have access to hidden sections of the forum only accessible to Jr. Vips. These sections are not indexed by the search engines and they cannot be tracked, searched or accessed by regular members.



Final words
As you can see, Black Hat World can be a great place once you know your way around. It's probably going to be your favourite forum from now on. This forum alone can be life changing for you but you may just not know it yet. When you realize all that you can learn and use from Black Hat World you begin to understand how much valuable this forum is and how much of a good decision it might be to stick around and contribute. If you wish, please take a moment and consider donating to support BHW.

...
...
<more>

edit -
If you find the information in that quoted post useful, be sure to go check out the rest of the guys post (Black Hat World - Beginners Guide) and give some thanks in that thread.

[GreyWolf]

A lot of new members keep asking the same questions about the filters and restrictions in place for new members. There are quite a few threads on the topic, but they usually fade into oblivion and then new members can't find them and so keep asking the same questions over and over. Someone recently posted another thread about it, so I searched for one of the replies I made in a previous thread and will post it here so it's easier to find.

==========

* Filters and Restrictions in place for New Members *

The Forum Rules list what are the prohibited topics on BHW, but doesn't go into much detail about how many posts you need before you can pm, or when can you posts a new thread, or when can you post a link, or when can you use certain words. That information isn't actually listed anywhere as far as I know. The best you can do is learn by reading through other threads to see what new members are complaining about and what the mods and admins have had to say about it.


This is the best I've been able to figure out how it seems to be working right now. This is not an official explanation, just my observations and what I've read in other threads. Things were much less restrictive when I joined so I haven't had any first hand experience other than the main filters that affect all of us. Maybe an admin or mod will come in later and correct any errors in this list.

OK, here we go...

1. You need 15 quality posts before you can use pm, you can't open a new thread in some sections, and there are pretty restrictive conditions on what you can include in your posts. Even after you have 15 posts there are still some more restrictions on what you can post as long as your a Newbie member.
   
2. Once you have 50 quality posts you become a Registered Member. It seems that once your a Registered Member the restrictions are less strict, but still in place. (for instance you still can't post urls.)
   
3. After you have 100 quality posts you become a Junior Member and most of the restrictions are gone. The ones that are left are filters in place for pretty much all members regardless of status.

A specific list about what will be allowed or filtered isn't posted anywhere, so the best advice is to just pay attention when the system gives you a warning. Follow the guidelines given in the warning and try to make quality posts. If you actually participate in the forums and make quality posts then the restrictions will become less strict over time.

Just try to determine if you're violating one of the forum rules or not. If so then the system just helped you out, if not then the system is just trying to prevent spammers and scammers from abusing the forum. It's inconvenient but just try to reword what your wanting to say. After you've been a participating member by making enough worthwhile posts then the system will become less restrictive.

Now there are a couple things that need to be clarified.

1. A "participating member" means you are making quality posts. Either asking specific questions pertaining to the topic of a thread, or offering suggestions or information that will add value to the thread.
   
2. A "quality post" means a post in one of the main forums in which posting will increase your post count. This would be most of the Main forums with the exception of Downloads. The other forums such as The Lounge, Introductions, Forum Suggestions, The Shit List, etc. don't count toward increasing your post count.

I've noticed a rash lately of "blog comment spam" type posts in a lot of threads. The short generic replies that could fit into any thread, somehow sound like a good post but don't actually say anything. It kinda sucks because those replies and "thanks for sharing" type replies really detract from the threads. I'm sure if people keep it up the mods will start addressing the issue more.

It isn't really that hard to make a decent post that adds some value to a thread. You only need to have 15 before you get a little more access to the forum features. If people would just make an attempt at contributing something worthwhile (either a good method, a good question, a good answer or comment) then their post count really will just take care of itself.

==========

Like I said, the forum rules outline what is definitely prohibited, but doesn't actually include a list of the various posting restrictions and when the restrictions become less strict. But if you look for it you can get a good idea. Here are a few threads you can look through to get an idea what's expected when your making posts. They're a combination of threads made by mods and admins regarding posting additional explanations about the rules, and some other threads asking similar questions as you are that were answered by other members, mods, and admins.

• Post Count Not Increasing?
• I am going to start banning people doing the following.
• Warning
• Replying to aged threads to raise post count
• Such strict posts....
• I cant open new thread
• hi guys i Can't Send PM
• Can someone help me w/ BHW problem
• Post count going down?
• seems you have never posted!
• unable to pm etc - posts dont increase.
• BHW Post count error
• Admin help please
• My posts have disappeared

Those are mostly older threads so please don't post any replies in them, just read them if you want to learn anything more about the filters and restrictions. There's a lot more than just those, but these few should help you understand the filters and restrictions a little better.

Hope that helps. ~Wolf

[mrbeej]

There has been a lot of discussion lately about how to deal with all the new people that sign up and immediately start making posts. It seems to me that maybe a guide like this can be helpful for new members to read. If anyone else has additional suggestions for new members maybe this can be a good thread to post them and then just refer them to this thread when you see someone making a stupid Help Me post.

I am new, and I am guilty of trying to move to quickly and post reply s asking for help etc etc etc Then today I came across this post by GreyWolf and well it seems like the flood gate just opened and I feel like I have some direction of where to begin and more importantly how to begin establishing a long term membership and reputation here at BHW. I agree this should definitely be a sticky post, its what every Newbie should read when they join - perhaps even be locked in a section of learning and reading and paying some dues before gaining exposure to some of the valuable content here. Anyway on another note I apologize to anyone if I came across in any of my posts and reply's as overly anxious - just newbie syndrome and excitement I guess - but will continue to learn and grow here with you all....Thanks!

[InvincibleCucumber]

So, I need to have 100 posts to insert links? Shame. I have some nice BH downloads to share, but before I reach 100th post they may become obsolete, lol.

[xgf666]

Spend a little time lurking on the forum, and learning the types of posts that other members will consider valuable.

That's very true !! If you want answer to your thread you have to make it looks valuable
Don't:
" Please tell what you think about my idea"

Do
"Brand new method for sale 5 free review for very experienced member only after 1000$"

This way you get instantly 5 reliable review of what your planing to do (nah just kiding don't do that lol)

I should have done that first haha I don't get any clear answer to my threads

[flexnds]

Thank greywolf. I was starting to get very frustrated with the numerous "I wanna make money posts" or the new threads that were constantly being started asking about topics that have been covered numerous times.

Though, I have to admit, the search function on this forum blows. I always just use the site:domain.com to search g**gle. Is it possible for them to just use google for search on this forum. I think that would help lower the amount of new threads posted by noobs since maybe some of them are not aware that they can search the site via g**gle

[m0g0l]

STOP RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!!!
DROP THAT MOUSE!!!
Step away from the 'newthread' button...
Step away from the 'postreply' button...

This forum is about the most helpful place to learn about making money that I have found. Even if you don't know much to start there will be other members willing to help. But that doesn't mean you should just go right out and start asking for help. There are a few things you should understand first. I'm not a moderator here, but the following tips are mostly common sense. This is all just basic etiquette applied to the topics of this forum, understanding it should be helpful for any forum you join.

Before you start a thread "I need to make $xxx a day/week/month, what do I need to do?" just remember those posts are against the T.O.S. (you did read the T.O.S. right?). What is the point of a thread like that anyway? You don't need to ask the question, you already found it.
The BHW forum IS THE ANSWER to your question!!!

There is a difference between a newbie member and being a noob. Are you expecting that everyone should start reposting every method already posted in the forum every time some noob starts a new thread? It doesn't work that way. Please refrain from making your first post until you have gone into the existing forums over on the left of your screen and completed reading a few threads. Spend a little time lurking on the forum, and learning the types of posts that other members will consider valuable. When you do start posting, take it easy. Make just a few posts sticking to a topic you are working with. Take it slow until you have an idea of the type of impression you're making.

Unless you are an experienced marketer with something that might contribute to the forum, there is very little reason to make a new post in an existing thread, and there is even less reason to be starting a new thread during the first few days of being a member. Even if you are experienced you should still lurk around the forum a little while to get an idea of what is already here. That cutting edge method you discovered and want to share right away, might already have been discussed before.

This forum is open to people of all skill levels and experience, but it is not a training forum for basic computer skills. Don't let that intimidate you. The BHW forums should be just one of the tools you are using. If you don't want to be seen as a noob, then you should also have other resources to learn from.

If you don't know html, php, web design, etc, this forum isn't a basic tutorial. BHW is where you can learn to implement many different scripts and codes, but you should have other resources available to learn the basics. It is expected that newbie members have a basic ability to perform their own searches on a search engine. You should at least understand how to use the search box on the BHW forum itself. If you see a term or abbreviation that you don't understand, try searching for it on google first. DP, WSO, OP, Social Bookmarking, backlinks, DNS, and many more terms noobs ask about over and over, can be answered with a quick search on google. There are even a few threads on BHW that have lists of terms and definitions if you take a minute to search for them.


Now pick that mouse up off the floor and I'll tell you where to find real help if you seriously want to know "How To Make Money."

First, click on the Forum Rules and READ the TOS so you know the rules of the forum. Violating these rules will most likely get you banned from the forum. It's also a good idea to read the FAQ. so you know how to use the various features of the forum.

Next, go to the Making Money subforum and start by READING the sticky threads. They were made sticky for a reason, they have the most pertinent information to the most commonly asked questions, and best methods for newbies to try.

After you've spent some time READING the sticky threads, go back through the Making Money forum and READ some of the other threads to see what other people are doing. You will find many, many methods posted and discussed, that are working for many people. Pick one and follow the instructions in the thread. Not every method is going to work for every person. With diligence and a bit of luck you might find one that can work for you.

It's not impossible, but very unlikely you will make an amazing amount of money starting out. But if you go through the threads and read what others are doing, then follow through on some methods, it's very possible that you can start making some money starting out and then build up over time. You certainly don't need a degree to be successful, but you do have to spend time learning and gaining experience.

The "secret" to success is diligence, and experience. There isn't a "TRICK TO MAKE MONEY."

Again. until you have spent time reading and learning something about methods already offered and discussed throughout BHW, there is no reason to post a reply, and especially no reason to start a new thread.

**************************

Don't let any of that make you scared to ask a question here, or share some information. That's what the forum is about. If noone asked questions, or discussed topics there wouldn't be much value here.

Just use some common sense. If you follow the above guide lines you won't run in to many problems with other members. Remember a specific question posted in a pertinent thread will get you better results than starting a thread for a general question. If you do need to start a thread the same thing applies, a specific question will get better results that a general "Help Me Please" question.

When you're looking through the threads and see someone getting flamed for a post or thread, take notice of the post. Flaming isn't really encouraged on this forum any more than anyplace else. There are many members that have learned that the hard way when the mods banned their account instead of the member they were flaming. But if you've been a member for less than a month or so, and haven't made many posts of your own yet, don't try to argue about whether it should be flamed or not.

The mods will make their own determination about that. With a few exceptions, most of the time when someone gets flamed over an inappropriate post it should be taken as a lesson. There is usually a good reason they are getting flamed, you should look at it as a learning opportunity for yourself, so you know how not to make a similar mistake.

The same thing applies if it happens to one of your own posts.
Sometimes in the school of hard knocks, people get knocked down.
Just learn from it so you don't make the mistake again.

OK I checked out your link. Yep ya got me on that one. LOL.
Your using the Vbulletin Default Theme. I've never checked out the other Themes very close because I prefer the black background myself. Even when the admins change us to the Holiday themes I always change it right back. Apparently only some themes include the Forum Rules in the menu.

If you scroll to the bottom right of most pages you'll find a box for selecting your prefered theme. If you prefer using any other theme then you actually need to switch back to the "Black and Gold" or the "Old BlackHat World Style" theme to find a link to the Forum Rules. Kinda weird but your right, there doesn't appear to be any way to find the link from any other themes.

I guess I owe you an apology for being a bit of a smart ass in my last reply.
So here ya go... I'm sorry. LOL


Yeah, the Forum Rules give the basic rules but it definately isn't all inclusive. In fact reading the Forum Rules is just the first step. Some of the rules are easy to interpret in ways that can actually get you an infraction. One example is the rules regarding links in signature files. Even though donors can include links, only certain types of links are actually allowed. That's why it's a good idea to do a lot of browsing and searching through the forums for more specific explanations.

Here's a thread that gives official explanation about membership levels by Essential Clix:
Jr. VIP, Avatars, & Signature Questions?


Here's an unofficial explanation about membership levels.

BHW Membership Level requirements:

Newbie = 0-49 posts
Regular Member = 50-99 posts
Junior Member = 100+ posts
Donor Status = Paid Donation (click the Donate link on the top menu bar)
Jr. VIP = 100+ quality posts and paid subscription (click the Donate link on the top menu bar)
Executive VIP = by invitation only (given only after vote from Exec VIP's)
Moderator in Training = by admin approval (click the Staff Application link on the top menu bar)
Moderator = by admin approval
Super Moderator = by admin approval
Administrator = by site owner approval
Super Administrator = by site owner approval

Quality posts are any posts made in the main forums excluding the Lounge, Downloads, and Forum Suggestions. Members are also expected to follow the rules and not make pointless posts just to inflate their post counts.

Premium Member vs. Jr. VIP
The main difference between Premium Membership is the post & time requirements and access to the Jr.Vip forum. Both will cost you a $97 donation, get a Donor icon under your username, give you a larger PM box, and allow you to post links in your sigfile.

• Premium membership can be paid without having 100 posts, but there is NO automatic upgrade to Jr.Vip once you reach 100 posts. You would have to donate again to become Jr.VIP.
• Jr. VIP membership can only be paid for after reaching 100 quality posts and being a member of BHW of 60 days. Jr.Vip recieves every advantage of Premium membership PLUS access to Jr.VIP forum.

The advantage of becoming a Premium member is if you're selling something it allows you to include links in your sigfile without waiting for 60 days and 100 posts. The thing to remember about that though is the mods don't allow just any links, (at the present time the mods interpret the rules to only allow affiliate referal links, links to your approved BST threads, or links to other BHW threads or pages).

So basically, unless you want to promote an affiliate product or link to a BST thread in your sig without waiting to qualify, you're getting more for your money if you wait till you have 100 posts and been a member for 60 days so you can join the Jr.VIP.

If you ever decide to become a Premium Member or Junior VIP just go to the "Donate" link on the top menu.

Here's a few previous threads regarding membership levels:

• Jr VIP vs Donor
• Is Jr. VIP worth it these days?
• Is being a JR VIP worth the money???
• Should I earn more ? If I join as a Doner or jr.VIP ?
• Jr.VIP & Premium membership
• Question for you Jr. VIP Gods
• Jr VIP vs Donor - What are the privilege and difference?
• Is Jr VIP worth it?
• Is JR VIP Section Really "That Good"? What are we normal peeps missing?

Those two posts i have been quoting almost save my answer. i always go back and read this. Very helpful guide to newbie like me. Great Guide.