Beer Webring FAQ

Webring?

What is the WebRing?

WebRing is a service providing one of the easiest ways for visitors to navigate the Web. Member web sites have banded together to form their sites into linked circles. Their purpose: to allow more visitors to reach them quickly and easily.

What is the Beer Ring?

The Beer Ring is exactly what it sounds like: A collection of sites devoted to beer.

How does it work?

Each site in the ring has code added to it which will allow visitors to move from site to site. Exactly how, I don't know. I leave the technical stuff to the guys at WebRing. :)

Joining the Beer Ring

What are the requirements to join?

Your site must be at least partially devoted to beer.
No pornographic sites will be accepted.
No "link sites". Many sites have a link page, which is good, but if your "content" is nothing but links, you won't be approved.
No "webring pages". I've seen sites that are part of over 10 webrings, and to consolidate them, they add them to one page with no other content. No good.
At this time we are not accepting sites strictly based upon homebrewing.
The Navigation Bar must be added to your site, and must stay on your site. I check all ring sites periodically, and if you remove the code, or move it to another URL in your site without updating your webring account, your site will be deleted from the ring, probably without warning.
The Ringmaster determines final eligibility.

How do I join?

Follow the instructions here.

How long does it take?

It really depends. It doesn't take too long to fill out the signup form. I check for new sites every few days. If your site matches the requirements, I'll add you to the ring. If nothing is wrong, you can expect to be added in a few days.

The Navigation Bar

What is this Navigation Bar I keep hearing about?

The Navigation Bar is code that you must add to your web site to be added to the Beer Ring. It is actually a couple lines of javascript code that loads the bar from the webring server. It consists of links that allow users to navigate the ring.

Why do I have to add it to my site?

If you don't, visitors will have no way to arrive at or depart from your site.

What happens if I don't add the Navigation Bar to my site?

You don't get the extra traffic. Simple as that.

Ok, I'll add it. But I don't like the way it looks. Can I change it?

Umm, no. Since the actual bar is loaded from the webring server, you have no control over how it looks. Sorry.

Alright, I won't change it. Can I add the Navigation Bar whereever I want?

Yes and no. When you sign up, you register one URL, not your entire site. That one URL is the page visitors will enter your site. If you place the bar on a different URL than the one you registered, it's as if you didn't add it at all. However, you can place the bar wherever you want to on the URL you registered.

But what happens if I am a member of several rings already? Can I put them all on one page?

Again, you can place the fragment anywhere on the URL you registered. But I am looking for content. If I were surfing around a ring and I came to a page with nothing but other ring links, you'd better believe I'm moving on, and fast. The short answer to the question is no, if there is nothing else on that page.

Site Changes

What happens if I move my site?

What happens if I move the Nav Bar code to another page in my site?

This basically boils down to one problem: The Nav bar code is no longer on the URL you submitted. I'm lazy, so if this happens, I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to find out why. I usually rely on the webring checker, which checks for the code automatically. If your site fails (for whatever reason), your site will be suspended or deleted (depending on my mood :) If you think this is a bad idea, then I would recommend logging into webring and updating your site information with the new URL.

Problems

I can't get the Navigation Bar to work/look right. Can you help?

Chances are good you are using a WYSIWYG editor like MS Frontpage. I don't like or use these editors. So unfortunately I can't help. There should be a way to work with the raw html. Using this feature, you can cut and paste the Navigation Bar and it should look ok. Also, you must have javascript turned on to see the Navigation Bar.

I did everything but I haven't been added. What's wrong?

Is your site up and running? Is it accessable from MY browser? (I'm sorry, but if I can't get to your site, it won't get added)
Is your site about beer?
If the answers to all those questions are yes, then post a message to our contact us page and I'll figure out what's wrong.

Why was my site suspended or deleted?

There could be any number of reasons, but most of them revolve around a missing navigation bar or a 404 error.

What do you mean, my site isn't right for the ring?

Unfortunately, I cannot accept all sites that apply. One of the main requirements is that your site be about beer. One applicant had her homepage with 2 small beer graphics and a link to an alcohol company. Sorry, but no. At last count, there are many many rings at WebRing, so if I don't accept your site, I'm sure there is another ring that will.

What if my question isn't answered here?

Try the following websites, run by people smarter than me: Webring User's Guide and Yahoo Webring Group (requires Yahoo id, easy to get)