Frequently Asked Questions

• BASICS
  • What is Anhingo?
  • What is a croak?
  • How do I post a new croak?
  • What are the different types of accounts?
  • What are referral points and how do they work?
  • How do I know if I'm tracking a particular business?
  • Can I see who's tracking my business?
  • The number of people I see when I click on "Trackers" doesn't match the number shown in the left column. Why?
• AVATARS
  • Why is my avatar not showing up?
  • What is a 24-bit JPG?
  • Why is my avatar distorted?
  • I never uploaded an avatar. Why am I seeing one?
  • How do I change avatars?
• MISCELLANEOUS
  • Why is my location named the way it is?
  • What do the numbers next "Tracking", "Trackers" and "My Croaks" in the left column mean?
  • Why am I sometimes returned to the home page sometimes when I click on a link?
  • I still need help.  How can I contact Anhingo?

BASICS

1. What is Anhingo?
   1. Anhingo is a business networking website that will change how individuals stay up to date with the world around you, and how businesses will keep us informed.
   2. Anhingo is a combination of a business directory and a social networking site.
      1. It is a business directory in that visitors to the site can search for businesses by category and/or location.
      2. It is a social networking site in that registered users can compile a list of businesses they wish to track.
         1. When a business posts a new croak, registered users tracking that business will see the croaks automatically.
         2. No more having being uninformed when a business is having a special, event, or anything else they wish to post.
2. What is a croak?

   Anhinga

   1. A croak is defined as "a low-pitched, harsh cry or sound".  It is also the sound made by the Anhinga (aka Snakebird or Darter), a large fish-eating bird native to tropical waters from the southeastern United States to Florida to Argentina (see photo).
   2. A croak is the virtual sound a business makes on Anhingo when they want to communicate with those tracking them.
3. How do I post a new croak?
   1. If you are registered as a business, you can post a new croak from one of two places.
      1. Click "My Account" in the top right menu to be taken to your account page.  You will see your latest croak on that page.  Underneath your latest croak is a form for adding a new croak.
      2. Click "Croakers" in the top right menu to be taken to the page that shows all the croaks of those that are following you.  At the top, there is a form where you can add a new croak.  Underneath the form in small letters is your latest croak and the time you posted it.
4. What are the different types of accounts?
   1. Unregistered Users
      1. Unregistered users have the ability to search the business directory.
   2. Individual Accounts
      1. Registered individuals have the same abilities as unregistered users.
      2. Registered individuals are also able to compile a list of businesses they wish to track.
   3. Business Accounts
      1. Registered businesses have the same abilities as registered individuals.
      2. Registered businesses are also able to enter information about their business.
      3. Registered businesses are available in the site directory.
         1. Businesses can be searched by category and/or location.
         2. Businesses can be added to lists compiled by those who want to track them.
5. What are referral points and how do they work?
   1. You receive one point for everyone that registers and lists you as a referral.  For each person your referral refers, you'll receive a half point.  For each person that their referral refers, you'll receive a quarter point, and so on.
      1. For example, let's say you've referred 5 people, and those five people referred a total of 20 people.  Of those 20 people, they referred another 75 people between them.  You would receive 5 points for each person you referred, a half point for each of the 20 people they referred, and a quarter point for each of the 75 people that were then in turn referred.
         1. 5 + (20/2) + (75/4) =
         2. 5 + 10 + 18.75 =
         3. 33.75 points
      2. There is no limit to the number of referrals you can make, or the levels of sub-referrals.  If those 75 referrals refer more people, you'd receive an eighth of a point for each that registered, a sixteenth point for each of their referrals, and so on..  Remember, you only receive the points when a referral registers and lists you as how they were referred to the site.
   2. Each time a visitor to Anhingo performs a search, businesses that have more referral points will be listed on top.  This is their reward for spreading the word about Anhingo.
6. How do I know if I'm tracking a particular business?
   1. If you are a registered user, when you search for a business, you will see a link under the business icons.  The link will say either "track" or "untrack".  If you are already tracking this business, the link will say "untrack".  You can click that to stop tracking that business.  If you are not tracking the business, the link will say "track".  Click it to begin tracking the business.
   2. This link is also shown on the information page for that business and their page of croaks.
7. Can I see who's tracking my business?
   1. Yes!  When a registered business is logged in, they will see links for "Tracking", "Trackers" and "My Croaks" under their avatar in the left column.  Click the "Trackers" link to see who is tracking you.  The number to the right of the link tells you how many people are tracking you.
8. The number of people I see when I click on "Trackers" doesn't match the number shown in the left column.  Why?
   1. Only registered businesses are shown on your list of trackers.  Registered individuals remain anonymous.  Their ability to track you is so they can stay informed of updates your business makes.  We'll tell you how many are tracking you, but their identities are kept secret.

AVATARS [return to top]

1. Why is my avatar not showing up?
   1. Avatars must be in 24-bit JPG format.  If you attempted to upload another format, the image will not show up, or you may get an error message upon upload.
2. What is a 24-bit JPG?
   1. JPG, short for JPEG, is a format of compressed graphics created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group.  It is the most common image format internet.  The two most common formats of JPG's are 24-bit and 32-bit.  24-bit means there are 24 bits per pixel, eight each of red, green and blue, the three additive primary colors (commonly referred to as RGB).  32-bit graphics are comprised of four colors, cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) and are commonly used in the printing industry.
   2. If you are not sure if your JPG image is 24-bits or not, or if your image is not JPG format, you can open your image in many common photo editing programs, such as Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop, and save your image in the JPG format.
3. Why is my avatar distorted?
   1. Avatars are square, 100x100 pixels.  If you uploaded an image that was not square, it was altered to be square when it was uploaded.
   2. If your avatar was smaller than 100x100 pixels when uploaded, it was enlarged to fit the 100x100 format.  Enlarging images reduces the quality.  You should upload an image that is at least 100x100 pixels.
4. I never uploaded an avatar.  Why am I seeing one?
   1. Everyone has an avatar by default.  If you have not uploaded one, you will have the generic grayed out anhinga avatar.
5. How do I change avatars?
   1. Click the link that says "change" underneath your avatar in the left hand column.  Remember, your avatar MUST be a 24-bit JPG (see #2 above).

MISCELLANEOUS [return to top]

1. Why is my location named the way it is?
   1. The names of locations are based on USPS 3-Digit ZIP Code Prefixes.
2. What do the numbers next "Tracking", "Trackers" and "My Croaks" in the left column mean?
   1. The number next to "Tracking" is the number of businesses you are tracking.
   2. The number next to "Trackers" is the number of registered users that are tracking your business.
   3. The number next to "My Croaks" shows the number of croaks you have posted.
3. Why am I sometimes returned to the home page sometimes when I click on a link?
   1. For now, we're going to try to do this website without having to store cookies on your computer.  To do this, we're using what is known as session variables to store your login information so the site knows who you are as you navigate.  By default, session variables expire after ten minutes of inactivity.  We have increased that to twenty.  If you've been distracted and leave the computer with it sitting on a page for a long period of time with no activity, your session will expire.  If your session has expired, you're no longer logged in.  Therefore, if you click on a link that requires you to be logged in, you will be taken back to the home page of the site.  If we feel this is happening far too often, we may increase the session timeout, or perhaps use cookies to keep you logged in.
   2. This may also happen if you are logged in but your account has not yet been activated.
4. I still need help.  How can I contact Anhingo?
   1. Please contact us using our Feedback Form.