Creating an Account and Logging In

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The main purpose (at first, anyway) to creating a Google Answers account is to get an ID. The ID enables you to post a comment to somebody’s question and be recognized by the system. Then, when you’re ready, you can add payment information to your account and post your own question. To get the ID, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Google Accounts page at this address:

   www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount

2. Enter your e-mail address and a password.

   The password must contain at least six characters.

3. Check the box indicating that you agree to Google’s Terms of Service (TOS) statement and Privacy Policy.

   The TOS is a standard set of agreements: you won’t use Google for commercial purposes; you won’t troll the index with automated software searchers; Google is not responsible for what you might find in a search; and Google is not responsible if a terrible heat wave causes your geraniums to wither.

   The Privacy Policy (also explained in Chapter 2) divulges that Google places cookies (software trackers) in your computer; that the cookies send anonymous usage data to Google; that Google shares or publishes the collected information but does not release personal information; and that Google promises not to rummage through your underwear drawer.

4. Click the Create My Google Account button.

5. Google now sends an e-mail verification notice to the address you entered, to verify that it is indeed your e-mail address. You need to click a link in that e-mail. Note that (at this writing) the e-mail message comes with a confusing identifier: “[e-mail].” Yes, it would be more easily recognizable as a crucial piece of e-mail if the From sender were simply “Google.” As it is, the e-mail looks at first glance like a piece of spam, so be careful of your deletions when looking for it.

6. Click the link provided in the body of the e-mail.

7. Back in the browser, which has changed to a different page, click the Click here to continue link.

   Your e-mail program might open a new browser window, depending on your settings.

8. On the Google Answers: Sign Up page, type a nickname and select your e-mail notification level.

   Your e-mail choices are to receive a notice whenever any activity occurs on a question you’ve asked, a single daily notice whether or not any activity has occurred, or nothing. My choice is the first.

9. Click the I accept box, indicating your agreement with the Google Answers Terms of Service.

   This is a paid service, and you might want to read the TOS more diligently than you do those pertaining to free services. The statement includes warranty information, details on how your account is billed, the refund policy, a lot of disclaimers about the nonprofessional nature of the service’s financial and medical information, and a declaration that, should you become stupider by using Google Answers, Google will not supply you with smart drugs. Click your browser’s Back button to return to the Google Answers: Sign Up page.

10. Click the Create My Google Answers Account button.

    Your account is activated at this point, and you are deposited on the Google Answers: My Questions page.

    Remember 

    The Google Answers: My Questions page (see Step 9) is accessible with the My Account link on any Google Answers page.

Note: Whenever your Google Answers nickname appears on the screen, the following hyphenated suffix is attached to it: -ga. So if your chosen nickname is mynkcname, your on-screen nickname is mynickname-ga. This alteration identifies you in the Google Answers portion of your Google Account, which covers a few different services.

Remember 

Creating a Google Answers account does not authorize Google to collect fees from you. Note, in the preceding steps, that Google does not require your credit card information to establish the account. However, you can’t post a question (see the following section) without providing payment information.

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