In order to qualify for a ring, you must read and follow the instructions on the ring's home page. Don't skim-read them. FOLLOW them. This admonisment is necessary because MANY people don't read the rules. They belong to so many webrings they think they already know the rules... and in this case, it's a mistake.

Your page must comply with the criteria for the specific rings you're placing on it. The criteria are different from the rules. The criteria specify what makes THIS ring different from THAT ring. Your site must adhere to the criteria because ring surfers are specifically looking for pages with the same theme as is specified in the criteria.

Your site must not contain anything contrary to the "laws" of common decency. This means no porn, no warez, no obscenity, no hate pages. Your site can be rude and crude, but it must be socially acceptable.

No commercial pages will be considered. This means that if you're selling something on your site, you aren't eligible for the rings.

The URL you sign up with must be the URL the ring code is on. If it isn't, the Automatic Ring Checker will suspend your site. I won't go looking for your webring code. Either it's there or it isn't there, and if it isn't there, then you haven't followed the rules and you aren't eligible for the ring. If you want to put the ring on a webring page, that's fine, but remember that doing so is inviting people to pop in on one ring and out on another. By putting the ring on a page with some content on it, you invite the surfer to stay awhile and look around. Just be sure there is a link back to the ring from everywhere else on your site.

You must have a valid email address in your ring profile information. If your email bounces two times in two days, your site will be deleted from the ring. This is because I occasionally - not often - have reason to contact the ring members regarding something of importance to them. There will be no advertising in my emails to you other than what Webring itself puts into them. I will not attempt to sell you anything or take any surveys or do anything else that might be considered commercial or any other kind of spam.

Here's how to set up your ring.

1. Click on the image at the TOP of the ring's home page, not the one at the BOTTOM of the ring's home page. Or click on the JOIN link at the TOP of the ring's homepage, not at the BOTTOM of the ring's home page. Why? Because the javascript at the bottom of a ring's homepage is set up to direct new applicants to the ring's homepage, while the html at the top of the ring's homepage is the ONLY way to get to the add form.

2. When you receive your acknowledgement email, scroll down to the personalized html code for editing your ring profile page. Click it.

3. When you get to the ring profile page, check your information to make SURE the URL listed there is the URL you are going to put the navigation code on.

If it is the right URL, skip the rest of this particular instruction and go to the next numbered instruction.

If it isn't the right URL, change it and click the SUBMIT button. When you get to the confirmation page, click "Edit Site Information."

4. Click "Get Navigation Code"

5. On the Navigation Code page, you'll see a sample of what the Ring Display will look like on your page. It doesn't matter whether you use HTML or Javascript.
   
   If you choose HTML, scroll down past the text box to the line that says, "Members who wish to use the HTML version of this nav bar should go here." (Note that the link is on the javascript code page, it isn't on this General Rules page.) Highlight and copy the code in the ensuing text box and paste it onto your page. That's all you have to do.
   
   If you choose Javascript, check the code in the box. Find the "y" value (which should be your Webring User ID) and the "u" number (which should be the SSNB code for the page you're putting the ring code on). If you have other Webring rings on the same page, with the same "u" number, you won't need to copy the code. If you have a different "u" here than on your page, or if you are putting this code on a page by itself, or if it is the first ring in a stack you plan to build, highlight and copy the code in the text box and paste it onto your page. That's all you have to do to get the right code.

6. Upload your page to your website.

7. On your personalized editing page, click the "Get Site Information" link again.

8. Click the blue "Test" link under the Site URL text box. It should say "The status of your navigation code is: ??? Test" (Note that the link is on the javascript code page, it isn't on this General Rules page.)

9. If the the line says "The status of your navigation code is: Pass Test (or Pass Test)" (Note that the link is on the javascript code page, it isn't on this General Rules page.) then you're ready to notify the ringmaster that your site passes inspection.

10. On your personalized editing page, click the "Ring Hub" link. On the ring Hub, click the "RingMaster" link.

11. On the next page you will find my email address. Click it to open your own email client to send me email.

12. In the SUBJECT line of the email, specify your SITE ID and the RING TITLE so I'll know what the mail is about when I get an email from someone I don't know. Usually, I delete such emails before I open any of my mail. For example, if you are joining the Happy Ring, and your site ID is 32, then you would put "Site 32, The Happy Ring" in the SUBJECT line of your email. In the BODY or MESSAGE part of your email, type, "My site passes the ringchecker's test. Please admit me to the ring."

13. SIGN the message with your Webring UID. If you want to add another net name or your real name, that's fine, but your Webring User ID is essential.

And that's all there is to it! When I get your message, I'll add your site to the ring if it qualifies, and then the Webring mail 'bot will send you an email telling you I did so.