A Note From Our Editor

Erika needs a new title

As companies grow, it’s pretty normal for people who started out doing one thing to end up doing something else. Well, GeoCities is certainly growing, and I’m in that exact situation. The problem is, the title I got when I started here nearly a year ago (Editor or Producer) just doesn’t fit what I do now. My job is about bringing people together and making them feel part of the GeoCities community. (Like writing this newsletter for our 650,000+ members.)

Rich, our general manager, suggested Director of Community as my new title. I think that’s boring. I know you’ll be able to help me come up with something better. Cruise Director? Social Director? Troop Leader? Emcee? Maitre d’ ? Community Goddess? GeoDiva?

I need your input. Go to Erika needs a title contest page and tell me what I should have printed on my business cards. I’ll send a GeoCities t-shirt and baseball cap to one random person who helps me choose. And you’ll all have my eternal gratitude.

Erika (the SOMETHING)

IN THIS ISSUE

Erika needs a new title Community Leader extraordinaire This month's best Flash for cash Music lovers love your home pages Take note

We’re pleased to announce that Melange, a Community Leader in EnchantedForest and founder of the GeoKidz Club, has won our very first Community Leader of the Month award. Each month, the members of GeoCities vote for the Community Leader they believe has gone the extra mile to help his or her fellow GeoCitizens. (See http://www.geocities.com/contest/leaders/ to nominate a Community Leader for the award.)

Melange has been with GeoCities for a long time, first as a Community Leader in SoHo and now in EnchantedForest. The GeoKidz Club http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/3696 was her idea, and under her care and attention it’s become one of the most popular features in EnchantedForest.

Some of the comments we received from GeoCitizens about Melange brought tears to our eyes. “I would have given up long ago without her wonderful encouragement,” said one member. Another: “She helped me get started and she hasn't stopped giving yet. Anytime I e-mail her with a question or something, she responds almost instantaneously. She has always been there to help me.”

And you thought Superwoman was fictional?

As one of the many people at GeoCities who has worked closely with Melange and benefited from her wisdom and kindness, I’d like to extend my personal congratulations, as well as the thanks of the whole community. If you’d like to congratulate her yourself, go to http://www.geocities.com/contest/leaders/june.html and drop her a note.

First place: Typospace http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/2970/

Second place: ZINe Doe http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1465/

Third place: Karamjeet Singh’s Himalayan Home http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/5112/

Congratulations to our winners! Each month the Community Leaders and GeoCities editors pick three of the best sites in GeoCities for this prestigious award. For details and reviews of these sites, see http://www.geocities.com/LunarAwards/ .

FLASH FOR CASH

Submit a photo to our Flash for Cash contest in any of five categories and you could win $500 cash and other great prizes -- including an Easy Photo scanner and software from our friends at Storm Technology http://www.easyphoto.com. Imagine all the cool stuff you'll be able to do with your very own personal scanner! But remember, if you want to win, you have to enter. See http://www.geocities.com/contest/flash/ for details.

These GeoPartner sites have pointers to GeoCities home pages about topics that interest their audiences. So, if you've filled out your topic profile at http://www.geocities.com/companies/profile.html (which only takes a minute -- what are you waiting for?), your home page will pop up when music lovers are looking for cool sites to surf.

Want to know more? Take a minute to check them out at http://www.rockvillage.com/ , http://www.earwig.com/, http://www.countryspotlight.com/ and http://www.grooveplanet.com/ . And for a list of all the radio stations that will be featuring GeoCities home pages, see http://www.geocities.com/GeoPartners/ .

-- A clarification of something that appeared in the last issue of this newsletter: When I said that we would never ask for your password, I meant to say that no GeoCities staffer would ever ask for your password BY E-MAIL OR IN A CHAT ROOM. We do ask members to input their membernames and passwords when accessing the File Manager or other members-only areas of the site, like special contests or promotions. If someone asks you via e-mail or in a chat room for your password, or if you see a form asking for your password on a homesteader’s page within one of our residential neighborhoods, DON’T GIVE IT OUT. Report it to us at http://www.geocities.com/contact/alert_form.html . Sorry for the confusion.

-- Time to vote for the Best Unsigned Bands! The staffs of GeoCities and SPIN magazine have chosen the semifinalists from among the 300-plus entrants in our Best Unsigned Bands competition. Take a listen and vote for your favorites in the Rock, Pop, Alternative and Mixed Bag categories http://www.geocities.com/contest/bands/.

-- Coming soon: the GeoGuide, a neat new navigation tool to make your home page even better. Look for a special announcement in your e-mail within the next few weeks.

-- Chat this way! We’ve introduced new chat rooms for our Heartland community and will soon be rolling them out to the rest of the GeoCities neighborhoods. (You’ll need a Java-enabled browser to check them out.) Tell us what you think -- send e-mail to chat@geocities.com with your comments about the new chat environment. Thanks to our friends at eShare for providing us with this cool new software.

-- Just a reminder: The only sponsorship banners allowed on GeoCities home pages are GeoRewards and Internet Link Exchange. Any other sponsorship banner violates our guidelines. For details, see our new banner FAQ at http://www.geocities.com/homestead/bannerguide.html .

-- Do you think your GeoCities site deserves fame and fortune? Then apply for the Featured Page Program. Featured Pages are highlighted on the main page of every neighborhood and are eligible for our Enhanced GeoRewards program, where you can earn GeoPoints for drawing traffic to your site. Go to http://www.geocities.com/homestead/contribute.html for details, or talk to one of your Community Leaders.

-- If you want to help GeoCities grow and prosper, volunteer to be a Community Leader for your neighborhood. See http://www.geocities.com/homestead/homeleader.html for the full story.

Want to hear the GeoNews of the day? http://www.geocities.com/GeoRadio/

Want to read about the most interesting sites at GeoCities? http://www.geocities.com/alist/

Want information about GeoPlus? http://www.geocities.com/geoplus/

Want to promote your page? http://www.geocities.com/BHI/exchange.html
http://www.geocities.com/georewards/

Looking for more traffic? http://www.geocities.com/companies/profile.html

Don't want to get this newsletter anymore? http://www.geocities.com/homestead/homeprof.html (While you're there, fill out the other stuff too)

Want to reach one of your Community Leaders? Go to the main page of your neighborhood Click on the COMMUNITY LEADERS link on the left

Need help? http://www.geocities.com/help/

Want to sound off about GeoCities? http://www.geocities.com/contact/ Anytime. Anything, complimentary or critical. We want to hear from you.