I need a favor from you readers. I just opened up Candy Addict user registrations and I need some people to register and try it out. By registering, you give your name (real or fake), email address, and your website URL and you get an account on the site. Then, whenever you come to the site and want to post a comment, you don’t have to enter that info again, you just type in your comment. The site and your browser will remember who you are.
I’m also thinking I may start doing some kind of monthly candy giveaway to registered users – maybe to a random registered user who comments in the month or something like that. Or maybe make giveaways like the free gum only available to registered users. I haven’t worked out the details yet. I may give registered users more privileges on the site too. Again, not sure yet.
In fact, the first 25 people to register will go into a random drawing for some free candy. It won’t be a bunch of free candy, but it will be some.
You have to give your real email address when you register so that you can receive your temporary password to login and so I can contact you if you ever win anything. I promise I won’t put you on any mailing lists or spam you, and your email will NEVER show up on the site – only I will see it.
On a semi-related note, I added Gravatars to the site. You can see them in the comments on this post as an example. Notice Robyn, Technosquid, and Brian (me) all have different icons next to our comments. The others don’t have a Gravatar so they got the default icon. For a good description of how Gravatars work, visit the Gravatars site. The cool thing about Gravatars is you can use your Gravatar on any site that is Gravatar-enabled. Take a look at comment #4 on this post at The Impulsive Buy – I wrote that comment and it used my Gravatar just by me using my email address.
The whole user registration and Gravatar thing is totally optional and you don’t have to do either to comment on the site. If you do register for either, use this post as your testing grounds and leave a test comment here.
UPDATE: We have over 25 new users now! Thanks everyone! Looks like it works. I’ll post the winners this weekend. Please go ahead and register anyway though. You will be set for the next time we give away candy. I have an idea for a giveaway for later this month.
UPDATE: Just figured this out – you can use a custom Candy Addict Avatar without signing up for a Gravatar. Once you login, go to Profile->Gravatar and put in a URL to the avatar image you want to use. Then, it will use that image for your comments!
Just a test of my Gravatar
June 7th, 2007 at 9:36 pmHi, Brian. I made it, registered, logged in and I even managed to leave a comment.
PS Great looking gravatar.
June 7th, 2007 at 9:46 pmOkay I’m registered and it seems to be working correctly.
Cheers,
Keith
June 7th, 2007 at 10:04 pmMe too! :) Yay for free candy if I win! Shipping to Canada will be expensive…bwahaha…:P
June 7th, 2007 at 10:06 pmOkay, I registered. :) Where’s my candy? heh
Talk about incentives. ;)
June 7th, 2007 at 11:50 pmYep, logged in. With my luck, I’m #26.
June 7th, 2007 at 11:58 pmGreat idea Brian! :)
June 8th, 2007 at 11:47 amRegistered – and I’m quite fond of the default Gravatar icon too. :)
June 8th, 2007 at 1:55 pmGlad to register with Candy Addict. Never heard of Gravatar before, very keen idea.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:43 pmTrying again with the gravatar
June 8th, 2007 at 2:48 pmI’m registered, and everything seems to be working fine. :)
June 8th, 2007 at 11:25 pmOoh, I like that flashing chocolate kiss gravatar that showed up by my name above!
RESPONSE: I set it up to give you a random candy-themed gravatar if you did not have a gravatar setup
June 11th, 2007 at 10:08 pm–Brian