0.3 Formal notes

We won't take any responsibility whatsoever for damage that occurred after doing anything described on these pages and/or installing any utility linked here. We did it ourselves, it worked, and we've tried hard to describe it as best as possible. These tips and applications are collected from all around, most problably work on any system running an average Windows and should not give you any trouble. Still there's no guarantee they won't, specially if you're messing with the registry and modifying system files. Just think of this:

Don't do anything you don't fully understand, and

Make a backup!!

Then again... you problably take those risks, and mess up stuff... have fun!

We're keen on conforming to web standards these days, Zeldman and likeminded people convinced us. Doesn't mean we're gonna be fundamental about it, and in reality, while most of these pages will in fact validate, our .css files are not even close, because there's some non-valid tags to have a minimal amount of backwards compatability. Well, minimal, if we deleted the fixes for IE5 in .css, that would reduce them with 50%...

If you're a standards advocate and feel like ‘evaluating’ our results, don't waste your time. We've done pretty good for some amateur developers doing this in our free time. Saying developing with .css is not hard may apply to some standard type websites, and may be considered a must for "pro" developers, our conversion took weeks of reading and months of work. We got no time, nor the wish to support old browsers anymore, and we can't, nor won't follow what's happening inside the Opera browser anymore (goal here, a working site; doesn't have to look pretty ;).

It's an actual relief to find what we created works almost pixelperfect in both IE and Mozilla and relatives, we're happy. And yes, (dear) fundamentalist(s), we should design without pixelperfection in mind, all hail fluid design - on webpages you pay for, not ours :p...

First requirement for an accessible site is said to be having a validating site; we do validate as xhtml 1.1. We are, however, not complying with any of the guidelines for accessibility. We've read and learned from all (validators giving some clues), the rules are just hard to follow sometimes. The fact some of frontpage links are having same text ("comments ...") is a priority 1 violation, for instance. We won't change that, but we took most of WCAG 1.0 to heart.

This means we provide alt text for images, title text for links when appropiate, headers and summary for tables when used, labels for forms, etc.

At least default theme uses relative font-sizes, so you can use your browser to enlarge text. There's a limit to that, as it will break design when enlarging too much. Our no-css "theme" is a last option. It also, or foremost, serves as a test for pages, checkpoint for using semantic meaningful markup, pages being readable and layed out with proper tags (headers, paragraphs etc).

Looking for some standard on , we only found UK government setting one (by means of clagnut). We're trying to follow flow as set out there, a general available numeral set of keys, plus some site-specific extra character keys. Some of these, where noted to work everywhere, are not visible on content pages - keys do work though:

Key:	Linked to:	Available where:
0	Accessibility statement (this page)	Everywhere.
1	Frontpage	Everywhere.
2	Skip navigation	Frontpage & comments (not visible).
3	Sitemap	Everywhere.
4	Search	Content pages; use simple form on frontpage to get to advanced search; messageboard has its own search.
5	Top of current page.	Everywhere.
6	Messageboard	Everywhere.
7	Disclaimer	Everywhere.
8	Privacy policy	Frontpage & comments.
9	Contact/crew page	Frontpage, comments & content pages.

The extra keys, just available from frontpage and comment pages.

Key:	Linked to:
T	Toptools
N	Submit news
L	Login|out
D	Desktop navigation
M	Manifest

It's good practice these days to license work on the web with a Creative Commons license, like this one. While close, we would rather not have our work (read: text, our main job, presenting information) copied as is, but definately do permit to build on it, create derivative works. No license for that, but please note all information here can only be free. Take it, use it, credit where you know it's needed.

Custom created scripts, applications, (even) translations, and anything besides the plain information, please contact (original) developer before making them available in any form. You may expect a sympathetic response, but reproduction needs permission.

This privacy statement discloses what information we gather, how we use it, and how to correct/change it.

Virtual Plastic gathers two types of information about users: data that users provide through optional, voluntary submission and data Virtual Plastic gathers through aggregating tracking information derived mainly by tallying page views throughout our site (basically, a service by our host).

Virtual Plastic gathers user information in the following processes:

• Usage Tracking: our host tracks user traffic patterns throughout our site/hosted sites. This includes OS and browser specifics, IP numbers etc.
• Message Board: users of the Virtual Plastic message board and news commenting have to register for this service in order to post messages, although they needn't register to view the posts. During registration the user is required to supply a username, password, and valid email address. A cookie will be set.
• News submit form: the form has a voluntary option to provide us with an email address and/or url, for posting, if desired and/or a response. It also provides us an IP number.

Use of the Information

Virtual Plastic uses information that users voluntarily provide in order to enable users to participate on the message board. We use tracking information to determine which areas of our site users like and don't like based on traffic to those areas. We do not track what individual users read, but rather how well each page performs overall.

A cookie is set to remember your login details when you register. They're not used for anything else. Another cookie is set when you use the site theme option. It stores information on the theme you chose on your computer and provides us nothing.

IP numbers we gather will only be used in case we need to prevent an individual from posting comments on the news and/or on the messageboard. We don't desire to do so ever, but decisions on that are made by the Virtual Plastic crew (only) and will be detailed.

Sharing of the Information

Virtual Plastic uses the above-described information to provide the exact service as stated. We do not share information about individual users with any third party. We might report some general information on demographics, referrers if we feel it fits to do so, but will never reveal information on individuals without expressed approval. We'll deny any knowledge about a third party anyway.

Opt-out Policy

Virtual Plastic gives users options wherever necessary and practical. For now, this includes the option to provide personal information for users who chose to register. By default, no information is shown (though we need a valid email address to mail you a password, and it will be stored for the rare occasion we need to contact you).

Users can decide to have their email address and anything they wish shown. In this case, the email address is encrypted using the method kindly provided by Automatic; we don't like spam any more than you do :).

Virtual Plastic provides no options regarding the setting of cookies on your computer. Any modern browser provides these options for you, use those if you please.

Correct/Update Policy

Registered users have complete control over their profile; only detail excluded being the username registered with.

6. Delete/Deactivate Policy

Virtual Plastic provides no automated option to have an account deleted. If you want that done, please mail.