Why is this not working?!

[RennonTheShaved]

I am getting really frustrated with this site...

I just joined up not too long ago. I first registered on January 7th. I immediately recieved an automated reply e-mail that said "you have 14 days to enter the following {confirmation} code... into the form at..." I did that.

I then waited nearly a month for a reply. On February 1st, I got a "your account is ready" e-mail. I created my forum account (which is working right now). I tried logging in at the siteadmin, but it looked like it never accepted my password (or some s**t). So, I can log into the forum, but I log into the siteadmin thingie (whatever that is...).

I have tried to log into the siteadmin login thingie many times since I got that e-mail. Each time it has not worked. I have no idea what the deal is. It either says that my password is wrong or a login window keeps popping up that does didly-squat.

I'm sorry, but it is really getting on my nerves. I have never had any problems registering or logging to DeviantART, FurAffinity, or any other site or forum that I belong to. Is it just a problem with the site or something? Are many other people having this same problem?

Should I just be patient and wait until I get some sort of "your siteadmin password is registered and working" e-mail or something? I tried to put in my site's name (stubbletrouble.comicgenesis.com) and all I'm seeing is a big, blank, black screen. I read somewhere that it should show the preview picture that I uploaded when I first registered, but I'm seeing nothing.

Another thing... what is the FTP? What is it, and how is it different from the siteadmin thing? Does this mean that I have to have three login things (forum, siteadmin, FTP) and passwords? I don't get it...

I'm just confused, angry, confounded, and frustrated right now...

I'd appreciate any help, but remember that I'm new here. I can't be expected to understand any such lingo or techno-babble. Keep it simple, please...

[Night Haunter]

Well The reason you can't log in is that your FTP password is not set. It is what allows you to log in in to your website and edit the content of your page. This forum should help you with your grief http://forums.comicgenesis.com/viewtopi ... =1&t=86580 I am having the same problem as you are. Be patient, however allow the admins some time to get it working again. The site I believe went down several days ago and no new passwords since. So no one in quite some time has been able to look at there site. It should ease your mind to know that 120 other people are suffering the same thing. so all we have to do is wait. All will be good soon.

[MagooChris]

be aware that you don't use the FTP user name and "password" to connect to the siteadmin... you should use your name as it appears here: RennonTheShaved and the same password that you used to log into these forums to access the siteadmin... but I would guess that like me (and 120 others), you still haven't received your FTP password that allows you to do anything interesting on the siteadmin...

[Dr Neo Lao]

First, apologies for the difficulties that you have encountered. This is not normal.

It appears at this stage that some of the site code got borked sometime in late December. Between then and Feb (when you got the "account ready" email) no new accounts were set up. new accounts have now been set up but are lacking a key ingredient (namely the FTP password).

At the moment, the only thing you can do is wait patiently. For you edification, additional information is presented below which you can ignore or read, as you wish.

How it is supposed to work: A new user registers, gets the "please confirm" email and confirms it. Seven days later, they get the "Welcome" email which tells them to set up an FTP password. They do this and away they go.

Where it has been falling down: First, new accounts were not being created. Then, the welcome emails were not being sent out. Both of those are fixed but now we are stuck at the "set up FTP password" stage. As Night Haunter said, all 120 (plus) new users (yourself included) are currently unable to access their accounts.

What is FTP? Long Answer. Short answer: you use a browser to look at files on the server (such as this post), you use an FTP program to put files on the server (such as installing a forum). FTP means "File Transfer Protocol".

As MagooChris said, yu only need to remember two logins:
Your Forum name and password are used to access the Forum, SiteAdmin and CGWiki.
Your FTP name and password are used to access your comic account directly.

Again, apologies for the frustration you have suffered. CG only has two people who can fix the code, and they are currently trying to sort the problem out (and they also have day jobs, CG does not have any full-time employees).

hopefully, it will be sorted soon. I have no idea when. In the meantime, I would suggest reading over some of the Tutorials so that you have an idea on what will happen once you get your FTP password and are able to get going.

Keep an eye on the Help Center forum for updates.

[RennonTheShaved]

I've tried and tried, but I just can't figure this site out...

I've looked at the tutorials, and I still don't know that the f*** I'm doing! I just don't get it! Plain and simple, I don't f***ing get it!!

I hate to come off like a whining cry-baby here, but I just can't figure this ***damn site out! I don't even know how to post a comic, nor work any of that FTP bulls***...

I'm reading the 'step-by-step guide' tutorial, and I might as well be reading Chinese... I first get caught up on step 2: naming your creations. I don't know whether or not to name my comics like '20090316.jpg' or not, simply because I don't plan on using the auto-update feature. Why? Because I don't update my comic regularly. I'm not a professional artist, and I just draw this for fun whenever I feel like it. So, I don't think I can use this feature. Does that mean I can't continue on through the tutorial or what?

The second place I get stuck (and I REALLY get stuck) is step 3: the FTP program. I'm virtually computer-illiterate. I don't know jack about them. I can't program them, I can't manage files, I only how to use a mouse. So, because I get irrepairable stuck on step 3, I'm dead in the water. I can't go any further, and nothing else makes any dern sense.

That's probably the biggest obstacle: I don't know what the Hell a File Transfer Protocal is, nor do I know how to use it. So because of that, Comic Genesis is completely out-of-reach for me. I KNOW how to use DeviantART!! THAT I can manage! Simple and effective file uploading, not like like this site...

...

I'm at my wit's end with this site. I can't take it anymore. If I can't get this all figured out before this month ends, I'm simply going to abandon any and all aspirations of posting here at Comic Genesis. It is just not worth all of this ***damn frustration and hastle...

I'll understand if you can't help me. I'm just asking for a little enlightenment...

[Kirb]

1. As Lao said, CG may having some trouble with newly registered accounts. Who knows.

2. The naming format is what you're going to use. You don't have to have regular updates. If you want to update the comic, then just name
your latest page with today's date, pop it into the comics folder and do a manual update. This is pretty much how I do all my updates.

3. Nobody can force you to learn how to learn a relatively easy FTP program like FireFTP except yourself. The tutorials are everywhere on the internet.
It's a drag and drop affair. You're making this much harder for yourself than it has to be.

4. You know how to use DA. Congrats. This isn't DA.

Are you really in such an incredible rush to start posting comics? If I were you I'd spend all my time buffering my pages until
the issue (if there is indeed one) is resolved, instead of freaking out.

[Dr Neo Lao]

No worries Rennon, it isn't the end of the world.

As I see it, you have two options:

First, you can try and get someone to take care of the "maintain the website" side so that you can simply concentrate on the art. I've been "making" (in the loosest possible meaning of the word) webcomics for about three years and it turns out I can't draw worth a damn. I know my way around a computer though.

Second, you can try signing up at a more user-friendly comic host. CG is good at what it does, but if you've never run a website before then it does pretty much drop you in the deep end. Of the others that are available, I think that you would be pretty successful on Drunk Duck or Smack Jeeves. Both are very simple to use (just the web browser and mouse) and you ought to be able to get your first comic up and live in under two hours (maybe even less).

I've used both and can help you out with those.

Whatever you do, I would advise against giving up on art altogether. Maybe having a "proper" webcomic site running isn't for you at this time (you could still be intermittently sharing your comics on your blog or on dA) but having a creative outlet is important. Keep drawing, even if it is just for you.

If you want a hand getting a webcomic up and running, post here and let us know and we'll see how much we can help you.

(Incidentally, most of the server-side problems on the site have been sorted.)

[VeryCuddlyCornpone]

I was really confused by all of the web jargon when I first started looking at things too. I have never designed a website before or done anything really intense and computer related except for like, copy/paste and putting stuff on CDs and thumbdrives and simple things like that.
I guess I just caught on fast, because now I think I have a workable understanding of how/why things work. Just take the directions in the tutorials and things step by step. You don't have to design your whole website all in one day.
But like Dr Neo Lao said, maybe this isn't quite the ideal site for you. Some people are really good at the "comic" part of webcomics, some people are really good at the "web" part. It is possible to be adept at both but it takes time and a lot of patience... both with yourself and with the programs you use, and it is understandable if you just want a way of putting your comic out there without getting into the nitty gritty of web design.
I'd advise to try a different site, like one of those that DNL suggested. If later on, you decide you want to give ComicGenesis a try again, you can come right back over! It's all up to you, just have a little more patience and a little more faith in yourself. I won't say it's not as hard as it looks, because it is pretty complex, but I guess it's not as convoluted and malicious as it looks (like it's not set up so that you fail on purpose). So if you want to learn more about computers and websites, stick around and peek through the Help forum and don't be afraid to ask questions- heck, you could even PM me if you want, but if you'd rather just continue to hone your artistic abilities and only have minimal input on site design, take a look around at other places you think would suit your purpose. Good luck!

[NaniNani]

Ahh, I remember when I first signed up and started working on my webpage. I must've stared at those tutorials for two hours, brows knit, and a giant question mark over my head. But I kept at it, kept trying things, and eventually I got it. It's good to know a little about how webpages work anyways, since it seems our entire world now revolves around the internet. So don't give up and flee to DrunkDuck just yet!

[Dr Neo Lao]

So don't give up and flee to DrunkDuck just yet!

There's nothing that says that you have to be on one or the other. I have accounts on seven webcomic hosts (CG, Drunk Duck, Smack Jeeves, WebComicsNation, Comic Dish, Comic Fury and ComicSpace). Personally, I say to have a go on two (or more) and then just keep the one that you like the best.