Site Frequently Asked Questions
These are the most common questions pertaining to this website.
If you are looking for the most common questions about Are You Being Served, you need to go here.
* What are the URLs for this site?
* What requirements does my computer need to view the site?
* What software do you use on AYBS Forever?
* How is your site translated?
* Is this an official BBC website?
* Can I submit material to you for AYBS Forever?
* How can I use info from your site on mine?
* I think I saw your content on another website!
* I think I saw another site's content on your website!
* Does your site have adware/spyware/popups?
* Are you affiliated with any other site?
* Can I link to your site?
* I'd like for you to link to my site, please.
* My site was on your links page; why was it removed?
* I have a question about the content of a linked site...
* Why do you link to YouTube clips?
* How can I help support AYBS? Forever?
* How does Shop AYBS work?
* Tell me a little about this site's history...
* How can I contact Minki?
* Who is Minki?
* I heard this about Minki.../I heard Minki said...
* Did Minki ever appear on AYBS?
* Where can I learn more about Minki?
What are the URLs for this site?
The main URL of this site is http://www.minki.net/aybs/ and will be that until long after I die. If you use that URL for your links, bookmarks, favorites, etc., you will never go wrong.
The main alternate URLs of this site are http://www.aybs.info, http://www.aybs.org and http://www.aybs.co.
The URL http://www.aybs.net will take you to the Are You Being Served? and More forums.
Other URLs that will get you here include aybs.cjb.net, areyoubeingserved.cjb.net and come.to/aybs. aybs.net will take you to the forum. These are forwarding URLs from third-party services, and they may change without notice on you (and me!). When it comes to links, bookmarks, advertising, your best bet is to stick with the main url of minki.net/aybs/
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What requirements does my computer need to view the site?
The design is pretty basic, so anything equal to or better than Netscape 6/IE 6 will be fine. Screen resolution should be 8000x600 or larger, with 1024x768 giving the best results. CSS and JavaScript should also be enabled for the best results. For the mock-AYBS cams to work, you may need to disable your pop-up blocker.
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What software do you use on AYBS Forever?
This site was coded using the EditPad text editor. Try it and you will never go back to NotePad again. I also use Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7, Adobe Photoshop Elements 1.0 (hey, it's the only one that will work on my iBook) and CoffeeCup Free FTP software. All three are excellent programs and I highly recommend them...though you may want to use the versions more current than mine ;)
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How is your site translated?
Site translation services are provided by Google. As it's an automated translation, there may be occasional errors. I am not responsible for any mistranslations; concerns about translations should be directed to Google.
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Is this an official BBC website?
This website is not an official website for the BBC, nor am I affiliated with the BBC in any way.
You can find the BBC's official website here.
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Can I submit material to you for AYBS Forever?
You certainly may! If you have information, facts, pictures, calendar dates, events, etc...I'll accept almost anything you want to send me! Use the contact page to find out where to send your material and how to reach me. If you want to submit a fanfiction, fanart or other fan creation, also check out the Fanworks guidelines.
When submitting, please let me know how you would like to be credited, and if you want to include your e-mail address/URL to include so people can contact you.
Also, I do honor requests for anonyminity if you prefer to keep your e-mail address and/or identity private; in that case, I will forward to you any feedback that I receive.
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How can I use info from your site on mine?
The right way is to check out the use page for the specifics.
The wrong way, well...
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I think I saw your content on another website!
AYBS? Forever and the AYBS? and More! Forum are often imitated, with their content appearing on many other sites. You'd be surprised what people have ripped off from here...and who has been ripping it off. I'm actually very aware of who visits and what they do while they're here ;)
To ensure that you are at the authentic AYBS? Forever or Forums, check that the URL is one of the official ones (minki.net, aybs.net, aybs.org, aybs.info). If the URL is one of those, you are at the original AYBS Forever or AYBS? and More! Forum. If that's not in the URL, you've probably found an imitation.
All "highest forms of flattery" comments aside, if you do see content from AYBS Forver/Forums elsewhere and/or think my sites are being ripped off, e-mail me so I can check it out. I usually give permission to requests for info use so it's likely that it's a legitimate use that you've found. Still, it never hurts for me to check.
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I think I saw another site's content on your website!
It's very possible you have. Over the years I have requested to use material from other websites, and I often include submissions I receive from visitors that the visitors may have also offered to other webmasters. Also, I have been given leftover materials from several now-defunct sites with their permission to incorporate it into mine.
All material that isn't mine is credited, either at the location of the material or on the Credits page.
If you have any concerns about material you see here let me know. I do keep records of my sources and contributors so anything you have a question about can be tracked.
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Does your site have adware/spyware/popups?
There are NO adware/spyware programs nor pop-up advertisements on this website. If you have problems with adware/spyware/popups, it is because you have picked up those problems before you visited, or you picked them up after you left.
However: if you have reached this site using either the CJB.net or come.to URLs, you will have to deal with an advertising pop-up and/or frame. These advertisements are part of the cjb.net/come.to services, and I have no control over their appearance. But they are easily remedied--on the main page of the website, click on the "Escape Frames" link to reenter the site sans frames.
Last, I am not responsible for the content of sites that are linked here. If you choose to visit them, you do so at your own risk...and if they turn out to have adware/spyware/popups/etc. that have affected your computer, then you will need to take the matter up with those site owner(s).
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Are you affiliated with any other site?
AYBS? Forever is only affiliated with other minki.net sites.
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Can I link to your site?
You most certainly may, and you don't even have to ask permission first! Doing that is the one of highest compliments you can pay me--thank you!
If you need help doing that, check out the Link to Us page for additional assitance. Also, if you did link to AYBS? Forever, send me your URL if you want, so I can link back.
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I'd like for you to link to my site, please.
If you have an AYBS or other Britcom site, sure thing! Send me your site's URL and I'll include it at the next update. For your part, you need to put a link on your site to AYBS? Forever. The reciprocal link need not be on your index or main page: putting it on a links page is fine. And I do check it's there before I post your link.
I make exceptions for BBC/PBS sites (who do not have to link back if they choose), if I chose to link to your site first, or at my discretion (that means I specifically tell you that you need not link back).
I am working on a page for non-AYBS/non-Britcom links--I will let you know when that is updated.
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My site was on your links page; why was it removed?
Linking back is mandatory if you requested to be listed on my links page, unless you are covered by an exception. I do regularly check my links, and if I don't see a return link to AYBS? Forever, I may choose to remove your site from my links page. If you want to be re-added, replace the link and then contact me.
I also remove links that are broken (i.e., a 404 error) or that have inappropriate content. Last, I do have the right to remove a link for any reason.
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I have a question about the content of a linked site...
I am not responsible for the content of linked sites, so if you have any question about that site's content you need to take it up with that site's owner. Also, visit any links at your own risk.
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Why do you link to YouTube clips?
With regards to YouTube links, both AYBS-related and otherwise...a growing amount of YouTube's content is now endorsed, either directly or indirectly, by their copyright holders. Direct endorsement means the copyright holders themselves posted the content; indirect endorsement means they have allowed someone else to post it.
Unfortunately, it's not always obvious to me whether a clip is endorsed. For me to play detective with many thousands of YouTube clips is beyond my capacity...nor is it not my place to do as YouTube is not my website. Therefore, I leave it to YouTube to determine the legality of their content, and all jokes about presumptions aside, I will presume that if it's on YouTube, it's legal and allowed at the present time.
If you have a question about the content of a YouTube clip, then you should contact YouTube directly.
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How can I help support AYBS? Forever?
Thank you for your generosity! However, I do not accept financial donations for this site.
The best way to support this site is to come back to visit again and again and again...and bring a few friends with you :) A referral is the highest compliment anyone can pay me!
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How does Shop AYBS work?
All shopping transactions are conducted directly between you and the Amazon of your choice, either Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.ca. My role in all of this is only to point you to the AYBS merchandise: I do not stock the merchandise nor collect payment, I can't tell you when your order will arrive, and I can't ask Amazon a question for you regarding a specific item. If you have any questions regarding merchandise or your order, you should contact Amazon's customer service department directly.
You can order from your domestic Amazon, or you can order from an international Amazon (i.e., you're in the US and want to order from Amazon Canada). However, remember that between exchange rates, export taxes/duties and increased shipping fees, you will probably pay more for your item if you order it internationally than if you ordered it at your domestic Amazon.
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Tell me a little about this site's history...
This site started out as part of my personal webspace in 1995. It became a stand-alone website on 5 May 1996, so if you're keeping track of the site's age, that's the official "birth date".
Up until 2002, it was formerly known as Minki's Are You Being Served Shrine. If you're REALLY a hardcore fan of this site, you'll remember some pretty bad layouts, including the days of the Union Jack background.
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How can I contact Minki?
The Contact Minki page has your answer.
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Who is Minki?
That's me. Hello.
I live somewhere on Earth. Any connection to Pink Panther jokes is strictly coincidental.
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I heard this about Minki.../I heard Minki said...
Over the last 10+ years on the web, I've certainly made my share of friends AND foes! You've probably already heard things both good and bad about me. I personally like to say that half of what you hear about me is true, but I shan't tell which half.
Seriously, instead of trying to confirm/deny all of the rumors about me, I invite you to contact me directly so you can make up your own mind about me. You may like me (as a lot do), you may hate me (as a few do, especially when I tell them "No" or something else they don't want to hear!), or you may be neither one way nor the other about me (as most are). But at least your decision would be based on facts and not someone else's rumors. And I respect when people make up their own minds about me based on facts instead of rumor...even if we don't see eye-to-eye on the final decision :)
As far as anything that I might have "said"...again, rumors tend to run rampant online, and words on a screen are often misconstrued, even if the person has the best of intentions. If you're not sure about something I might have "said" or written, your best best is to come to me and ask. Or check if what I said is on a minki.net site, because remember that if minki.net is not in the URL, the statement may not be accurate.
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Did Minki ever appear on the show?
It'd be pretty amazing if I did, especially since I was born after the show started. Seriously, I never have.
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How can I learn more about Minki?
The best way to learn more about me is to stop in at the AYBS? and More! Forum and say hello.
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