Frequently Asked Questions about Modbee.com

Q. I am having trouble with registration - what gives?

A. Our site has two levels of registration, one for subscribers to the print edition of The Bee and one for non-subscribers. Both levels allow for access to the daily stories and photos on our site, but the subscriber or ExtraExtras! members have access to expanded archives, early classifieds and other premiums.

Q. I am a subscriber, but I can't activate my account.

Many times trouble in activating accounts arises from a misspelling in our system, whether of your last name or your street address. A couple of tips that might help include:

• Enter only your street number and street name. Leave off any words like 'Drive,' 'Street' or 'Way,' or their abbreviations.
• If your street is commonly misspelled try to use that incorrect spelling. For example, if you live on Wildwood Drive but it is often spelled as "Wild Wood" try that.
• Misspell your last name. Sometimes our systems don't reflect the correct spelling of your last name. For example, if your last name is Silveria try 'Silvera' or 'Silvere.'
• If you get The Bee delivered at a business the process becomes more tricky. The first and last name fields when a business name is used are not always logical. It might be best to contact us for help at the e-mail below.

If none of these work, send an e-mail to extrahelp@modbee.com and one of our staff will help get your account straightened out.

Q. Where are the archives?

A. Our archives are in two places. The search box at the top of the front page allows free access to stories published in the last seven days. If you need stories from farther back, we have an expanded archive at http://www.modbee.com/man/archives that contains stories dating back to 1989. Searching this archive is free, but there is a minimal fee to download each story.

Modesto Bee subscribers who have an activated ExtraExtras! account can search and download stories from up to one year ago at no charge.

Q. Why can't I find the story or photo I saw in The Bee on modbee.com?

A. The majority of local content published in The Bee (stories, photos, etc) are on modbee.com on a daily basis. However, we do not publish the wire stories (often written by the Associated Press or other companies) due to online republication restrictions. We do, however publish wire stories - in a format updated 24-hours per day - accessible through various parts of the site.

Q. What is the best way to conduct a search of your site?

A. Start with the most specific information you have. For example, if you know the headline, use that. If not, but you know the name of someone in the story, use that, especially if that person is not often in the paper. Finally, try using general keywords, such as "Prep football" or "City Council," relevant to your search but be prepared to wade through more returns.

Do NOT enter dates as a search query. You will not get the results you want.

Q. What if I want to find a story before you established your online archive system?

A. You can contact either our BeeSearch Library service by calling 209-238-4514, or check with the Stanislaus County Library in Modesto. They have all of our past newspapers archived on microfilm.

Q. What browser should I use to view modbee.com?

A. The site will support versions 6.0 and higher of all modern browsers. Users of older browsers or users with AOL browsers may not experience the look and feel of the site as we've intended but won't miss out on any content. The site will remain accessable to any browser, even text-based browsers or WebTV.

To get the most out of modbee.com and other Web sites, we recommend downloading the latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

Q. How often is The Modesto Bee updated?

A. Our local content is updated every day, including holidays. Our 24-Hour Breaking News sections are updated every few minutes by Nando Media - they edit, process and publish top stories from The Associated Press.

Q. I logged on to modbee.com, and the stories were all from a few days (or weeks) ago. What's wrong?

A. You need to clear your browser's cache. The method for doing this varies depending on your browser version and your operating system, but is most often accomplished by holding down the SHIFT key on your keyboard and clicking the RELOAD/REFRESH button on your browser. If this doesn't work, check your browser's Help menu. After clearing your cache, reload Modbee.com to get the current content.

Q. How do I advertise on modbee.com?

A. We offer a variety of online advertising opportunities, including banner advertisements, Web site creation and products for specific markets, including car dealerships, apartments and new homes. For online rate and product information, contact online sales specialist Jim Robbins at 209-578-2060.

Q. How do I place a classified ad on modbee.com?

A. All classified ads published in the print edition of The Modesto Bee are posted online for a modest charge. For more information on placing a classified ad, call (209) 521-7777. You can also place a classified ad using our online order system 24-hours per day.

Q. My question still isn't answered. Now what?

A. Click here to find the phone numbers, e-mail addresses, mailing addresses and fax numbers of the appropriate Bee print and online staff members.

To reach the staff of The Modesto Bee Online, send an e-mail to webstaff@modbee.com.