Welcome to Harringay Online

What's Harringay Online for?

In a nutshell, we've tried to create a place for the people who live in Harringay to keep up with local news and events and goings-on, to chat with others who live nearby, to help each other out if the need arises and to work together to keep making our neighbourhood a better place to be. We've been going since 2007 and now have thousands of members signed up.

Like a neighbourhood Facebook then?

If you already use social media like Facebook or Twitter, you'll be familiar with chatting over the internet. Harringay Online is similar, but different. We're a mix between a local news site, local Facebook, local directory and a residents' association. HoL works a bit differently to big name social media.

With Facebook and Twitter, you pick the people you want to follow and all the action comes to your page or timeline. Harringay Online is bit more like a magazine, or a big cafe with different rooms. You browse stuff and when you find something you like, you dip into things. Once you get involved in a discussion, you'll get emails when other people respond, and you'll most likely follow those discussions on the threads where they happen rather than on your own page. 

So, how do most people browse to find the content they're interested in?

How the site is organised

The three main areas are:

• Forum - Most stories and discussions are in the Forum. Each is put in a category at the time its posted. You can see the categories listed here.
• Event listings.
• Photos - many (but not all) of which are sorted into albums.

In addition are the following:

• Resources - various bits of local information that doesn't change from day-to-day.
• Groups - for special interest groups like gardeners etc
• Members - listings of all members

There's a full site map here. 

To Move Around the Site

The main way to move around the site is by using the black tabs and their drop down menus which are under the Harringay Online banner towards the top of the screen. You'll see them on every page. (Scroll up and you'll see them on this page).

Once you've mastered the tabs, as you use the site, you'll find various links that will help you navigate your way around. We won't bore you by trying to cover them all here.

How to Browse

1. Visiting the Site

Lots of members check the site regularly to see what new stories, discussions and events have been added. Here's where they're most likely to look:

a. On the front page - the 'Latest Posts in the Forum' at the top of the central column shows the most recent ten threads added. (Click Main from the black tabs bar from anywhere in the site to get to the front page)

b. Skipping over the videos, next down in the central column is the "Latest Activity". This shows all of the most recent activity, including new posts in the forum, responses to discussions, new events, new pictures......everything!

c. On the Discussion Forum page - where you can browse through all 'Discussions' or 'Categories'. To toggle between the two options, just use the selector towards the top of the page. (Click Forum from the black tabs bar from anywhere in the site to get to the Forum page)

If you select Discussions you can then toggle between 'Newest Discussions', 'Latest Activity' and 'Most Popular'.

2. Following through Facebook or Twitter

If you prefer, you can like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and you'll at least get to hear about most new discussions and events - but not all and you won't hear about replies and comments.

3. Weekly Updates

We also send out weekly updates on Fridays when we give you a full run-down of new threads and pictures over the past week plus upcoming events.

4. More Frequent Notifications

If you want notifications of new posts as they happen in a particular category, visit the forum categories page (see 'How to Browse', section 1c above) then at the bottom, click 'Follow'.

If you comment on a discussion or any other item, you'll automatically get email notifications of any further comments. If you'd like to get notifications of a particular discussion you haven't commented on, just visit the discussion in question and click "Follow" in the same way as described above for following categories.

Who Adds Content

The small but busy team at Harringay Online regularly add stories, discussions and events that we hope will be of interest. But we hope that the majority of new posts and discussions will be added by members.

So, don't be shy, get in there and dip a toe in the water.

Any Rules....Am I Safe?

Think of being on Harringay Online as if you're at a friend's house with a bunch of people you don't know and some that you do. All the social etiquettes you'd expect to apply there you can expect here. Our house protocols are outlined below:

Style

1. Please present opinions and positions in a tactful and moderate fashion.
2. Be constructive with your criticism. Professional critics have something to teach us: They foster healthy conversation and debate without ever attacking people personally.
3. It's easy to get the tone wrong in online forum discussions and to come across as more grumpy or unkind than we'd intend. We recommend that you don't post in anger ever. When responding to others, think about what you’ve written, and ask yourself the question: Would you say it to their face?
4. Take care with humour that might work verbally by may seem mean or censorious in typescript.

Manners 

1. Always exchange ideas in a civil and measured manner and avoid flaming (aggravating and/or mean spirited posts)
2. Avoid any behaviour that may deter other members from posting.
3. Avoid raining on another members’ parade, e.g. don’t make negative comments about the price of an item for sale or unreasonably draw attention to a tiny negative issue in a post where another member is celebrating an achievement.  This doesn’t mean you can’t disagree, but please be considerate – perhaps make your point on a new post.
4. Try to assume goodwill and hold on to the assumption that most misunderstandings arise from the text-based format of the discussion rather than from negative intent on the part of others.
5. Refrain from dominating conversations.

Content

1. Do not post anything that could be interpreted as publicity or promotion without permission of the HoL administrators. This includes links posted for the purposes of promotion.
2. Do not post anything unlawful. This includes things that might be racist, indecent, discriminatory, defamatory or threatening.
3. Do not post the personal details of others.
4. Please keep your language clean. That way no one's offended.
5. Do not post any third party material that infringes any legal rights such as copyright.
6. Please don’t use the site to pursue disputes or resolve problems by identifying particular people or properties.

Our full house rules and terms of service are here.

(And, for your own protection, do remember that you are writing in the public domain so the law as it applies to libel is relevant to all of us.)

Advertising on HoL?

Please see our rules about advertising on HoL here.

What now?

Take a look at our quick tips on how to get started adding stuff, or just get stuck in. Get reading and get adding.

If you need more guidance, we have some more help pages. (You can access them at any time via the grey area at the bottom of every page).

Last updated: 8th January 2013