Frequently Asked Questions

BMC exists as a place for members from all over the world to share knowledge and information about the hobby of plastic model cars. We offer tutorials, kit build-ups and reviews, galleries, and forums that cover every aspect of plastic model cars.

Who founded BMC? Where do you live? What sort of work do you do?

Brian Tompkins (Brian) and Gary Keith (GaryK) founded what would eventually become BMC in October 1998. Brian lives in Maine and is a long-time model builder. He's the long-time Warranty Administrator for a conglomerate of automotive dealerships. Gary lives an active retired life in South Florida. He handles all the web design, software development and database programming for BMC. Yup, you can blame the buggy software on Gary!

Who owns and operates BMC?

On a day-to-day basis we have a number of administrators and moderators who keep an eye on the website and handle any issues that arise. On a broader scale most technical aspects of BMC are handled by GaryK. Legally BMC is owned by BlazerTech Corporation, a Florida Corporation.

Do you have any paid staff?

Not really. We have a part-time IT professional who handles some server-related issues and the occasional consultant.

Do you accept paid advertising?

No we do not. Profit is not our motive; not that there's anything wrong with profit. Our operating costs are quite reasonable and easily affordable so we prefer to avoid any appearance of commercialism and do everything we can to foster a sense of community.

Will you consider linking to another website or engaging in a link exchange?

We do have a links section however we only add websites that will best serve our members. We do not accept or reply to requests for links or link exchanges. Only links recommended by a reasonable amount of members are added. Enough negative comments can also get you taken off the list.

Will you create a custom-built model for me?

Unfortunately these types of requests cannot be accommodated.

I found a kit in my attic. Can you tell me if it's rare and valuable?

No. The value of any kit is highly subjective. It all depends on how rare a buyer thinks the kit is and how much he or she is willing - and can afford - to pay for it.

Can you help me find a specific kit?

Indirectly, yes. Our links section contains many sections devoted to kits plus after-market parts and accessories. The sites listed there are the ones we think serve the best interests of our members.

Why can't I login?

Have you registered? You must register in order to login. If you have registered and you still cannot login then check and double-check your Screen Name and Password; this is almost always the problem. As a last resort be sure your web browser is accepting the two login cookies that are required. If you still cannot login then you should request a new password.

Why can't I register?

Probably because you have been banned from BMC for being an annoyance. We enforce our rules very strictly and if you don't read and abide by our Terms of Service you'll probably receive an e-mail from one of our site personnel. Because of our strong sense of community very few members have actually been banned. That's because we'd rather invest a little time to assist members in becoming better members of the community than simply giving up and banning them. Ultimately if you're stubborn and persistent enough you might not get banned but your account will get placed in read-only mode for some length of time and eventually your account will probably get deleted.

Why do I need to register at all?

You don't have to register at all. You may view almost everything BMC has to offer without ever registering. If you want to join a community of friends and contribute to our Forums, post Reviews or have Galleries access then you will need to register.

Why do you insist on knowing my real name when I register?

It shows a measure of trust on your part. Amongst other things BMC will host a small gallery of your model cars almost right away. Eventually you may be able to have an unlimited number of galleries. A real name in exchange for a community, knowledge and your own galleries seems like a fair trade. There are currently three System Administrators: Brian, GaryK and Alex. Alex has been with us since the beginning. He's a good friend and a respected member of the modeling community with numerous published articles to his credit. You have our absolute promise that nobody except System Administrators will ever be able to see your real name. The only way we'll ever give it up is via a court order.

Why do I get logged off automatically?

If you do not check the Automate Logins box when you login then BMC will only keep you logged-in for your current session. This prevents the potential misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged-in check the box during login. This is not recommended if you access the board from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university cluster, etc. Both login cookies are strongly encrypted so there's no chance of anyone being able to see your password. If you trust your environment then this is a great feature to use.

I've lost my password!

There's no need to panic! While your password cannot be retrieved a new one can be created and sent to you via e-mail. You can click the, Send me a new password! link on the login page or just click here to request a new password. Follow the instructions and you should be back online in no time.

I registered but cannot login!

Almost always this is because your web browser is refusing the two login cookies and one session cookie from BMC. Even if you don't want to automate your logins you must still accept these three cookies in order to login and remain logged-in. If you're positive your web browser is accepting the cookies then follow whatever steps are appropriate to delete the cookies from BMC and start over again. Sometimes cookies get corrupted and deleting them is the only way to fix the problem.

I've registered and logged-in but I can't post anything!

Most likely you haven't fully completed the registration process. The last phase of registration is entering the code that was sent to you via e-mail. This confirms your e-mail address is valid and enables you to start posting. A link to enter the code can be found in the Member Services section. If you haven't received the e-mail by now you probably won't receive it ever. Not to worry. It's easy to have a validation code reminder sent to you again.

I registered in the past but cannot login anymore!

The most likely reason for this is you entered an incorrect Screen Name or Password. Another possibility is your account was deleted by an administrator for some reason. You should receive an explanation via e-mail but often e-mails to AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail and a few others wind up in a bulk or junk mail folder where you'll usually never notice it. Lastly, if you have not logged-in for more than a year than your account was probably deleted to reduce the size of the database. If your account was deleted due to inactivity please register again and hopefully you'll have time to be more active.

Members

How do I view my profile the way other members will see it?

Click on the Member Services link at the top of each page and then click the View Profile link. Also, if a member's Screen Name is displayed as a link anywhere on BMC then clicking on it will usually show you that member's profile.

How do I change my settings?

If you are registered and logged-in then most of your settings are stored in a database. To alter them click the Member Services link at the top of every page. From there select Edit Profile. This will allow you to change all your settings.

I don't like the way the date and time are formatted!

Edit your profile and select your preferred format for long dates, short dates, times and numbers.

The times are not correct!

The times are almost always accurate to within a few seconds. What you may be seeing are times displayed in a time zone different from the one you are in. If this is the case you should edit your profile settings for the time zone to match your particular area, e.g. London, New York, Tokyo, etc. Please note that changing the time zone, like most settings, can only be done by registered users.

I changed the time zone and the time is still wrong!

If you are sure you have set the time zone correctly and the time is still different the most likely answer is Daylight Savings Time (or Summer Time as it is known in the UK and other places). BMC is not designed to automatically handle the changeovers between Standard and Daylight time so when there is a changeover you need to edit your profile and be sure the DST box is either checked or unchecked, depending upon your location and the time of the year.

How do I upload an avatar, personal photograph or a photo of my daily drive?

All these tasks are easily accomplished by editing your profile.

I want to change my Screen Name!

Changes to your Screen Name are strongly discouraged. If you think you have a valid reason to change your Screen Name please contact the Webmaster and plead your case. Your request will be discussed by all the administrators and moderators.

How do I resolve a dispute with a member?

Contact them privately using e-mail, IM, VoIP, et cetera. Please do not try and resolve it in one of our forums.

I want to delete my account!

If you do not log-into BMC for one year your account will usually be deleted. Requests to manually delete an account usually cannot be accommodated.

If my account is deleted can I rejoin the website?

If your account was deleted due to inactivity then yes. Otherwise generally the answer would be no.

What is read-only mode?

Read-only mode is where you are still a member but you cannot post anything. It's used as a method of last resort to try and gain your cooperation in abiding by BMC's rules before we have to delete your account. Usually your first time in read-only mode lasts one week. Your second time is usually for one month. After that your account will usually be deleted. We really go to great lengths to avoid using such potentially juvenile tactics. As of May 2006 a mere 43 members have ever been placed in read-only mode in the history of BMC. In the end though, getting a temporary glimpse at what it means to lose BMC forever is sometimes enough to gain the cooperation of members who want to be part of BMC but haven't quite taken our rules seriously yet. And if that's what it takes to save a potentially good member then we're willing to risk appearing juvenile. Ultimately if you refuse to play by our rules we will reluctantly delete your account and attempt to ban you from joining again. Clearly defined rules and strict adherence to said rules are part of what has made BMC such a popular website.

Why is my account in read-only mode?

When a member's account is placed in read-only mode the member is always sent an e-mail explaining why and for how long. If your account is in read-only mode and you didn't receive an e-mail it's probably because it got trapped by a bulk-mail or spam filter. Please be sure to check all your mail folders including bulk, junk and spam folders. If you absolutely cannot find the e-mail please contact an administrator with a polite request for an explanation.

Tutorials

I have an idea for a tutorial! How do I let you know about it?

Thanks for thinking about doing a tutorial. Contact the Webmaster and explain your idea to him. In turn he'll discuss the idea with the other administrators and moderators. If most of us think the idea is a good one we'll give you the go-ahead. The finished tutorial is also subject to review by the administrators and moderators.

How do I send you my tutorial?

You must type your tutorial using Word or any text editor like Windows Notepad. If your tutorial includes photos, and we hope it does, indicate in the text of the tutorial where those photos should be placed. If you're using Word do not embed the photos into the Word document. Ideally your photos should be no larger than 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall and have a file size of no more than 150,000 bytes. It is preferred that you number your photographs sequentially. For example, 1.jpg, 2.jpg, 3.jpg and so on. If you can zip the tutorial and the photos that would be great. If not that's alright too. Send the zip file, or the tutorial and photos to the Webmaster via e-mail. That address will be in his reply to your initial e-mail asking about a tutorial. After you submit a tutorial please allow up to a week for a decision to be made. You'll be kept informed of what's happening all along the way.

Can I change the way tutorials are displayed in the list?

Sure! Click the Advanced Options link at the bottom of the list. From there you can define how the list is sorted and displayed. Be sure to click the Save button to save those options.

Is there an easier way to find a specific tutorial or type of tutorial than paging through dozens of tutorials?

Yes. Start by clicking the Advanced Options link at the bottom of the list. From there you can search for a word or phrase in a tutorial or its title. You can also limit the search to a single member.

Can I use your tutorials on my website?

BMC shares copyright ownership with the author of each tutorial. In general BMC will decline requests to use our tutorials on your site. If the author of the tutorial wants to share his or her tutorial with you that's a private matter between the two of you and does not involve BMC.

Reviews

What kinds of reviews are allowed?

Reviews about model cars primarily. But that also includes trucks of various types including pickups, vans and big rigs. Reviews of transkits or detail sets are also welcome.

Is it still helpful to do a review even if there are several already for the same kit?

Most often the answer is an unqualified yes. Each member who does a review is posting from their own point of view. For whatever reasons their opinion of a kit might not be the same as someone else's. That's why the more reviews there are for any given kit the easier it should be for you to make up your mind to build this kit or not. We hope you'll rely partly on our ratings system and mostly on having read each reviewer's comments.

Is there a limit on how many times a specific kit can be reviewed?

Up to some reasonable point the more reviews for a kit the better. This has never been an issue before so there is currently no limit.

How can I tell if a kit I want to review has already been reviewed or isn't a reissue of a review if the box art isn't the same?

A wizard guides you though the addition of a new review or adding to an existing review. First you select the manufacturer of the kit. The next page will contain a list of reviews for that manufacturer. If you don't see the kit you want to review in the list you can create a new review. If you do find the model in the list and select it the next page will display the box art and ask you to confirm it's the right kit. If it is then you can add to the review. If it's not you can add a new review.

Do I have to complete my model before I do a review on it?

Yes. The kit can only be given a fair review if the model has been 100% completed. You could run into problems on the final stage. Maybe the body doesn't fit correctly. Maybe the decals didn't stick or cracked.

I posted a review but I can't see it!

All reviews must be approved by our Reviews Administrator, Alex. Alex is a respected member of the modeling community. He's a published author and hosts a website of his own. The reason for pre-moderating reviews is to ensure the reviewer does a thorough review instead of one-liners that are not helpful to anyone.

Why do I have to upload a photograph of the box for the kit?

A photograph of the box helps ensure that everyone knows which kit you're reviewing. If you don't have one it's usually easy to use a search engine to find one online.

The manufacturer of the kit I want to review isn't listed on the page where I add a new review!

We've got a fairly extensive list of manufacturers, but we probably don't have them all. Contact the Reviews Administrator with your request to add a new manufacturer.

Why do my reviews get rejected?

The Reviews Administrator will always tell you why a review was rejected. Usually it's because you didn't share as much information as possible about the pros and cons of the kit being reviewed. One-line reviews will almost always be rejected.

Why can't I post a review?

Are you a registered member and logged-in? If not then please register and/or login. To limit the potential for flooding the site with reviews there is a limit on the number of reviews you may post in any 30-day period of time. The current limit is ten reviews in any 30-day period of time.

Can I change the way reviews are displayed in the list?

Sure! Click on any column name in the index list that's also a link and the list will sort by that column name. Click it again to change the order of the sort from descending to ascending.

Is there an easier way to find a specific review or type of review than paging through hundreds of reviews?

Of course! Use the Filters to limit the index list results. There are filters for kit maker, kit number, version and even for members. The filters can be used individually or in combination to obtain the desired results. You can also use BMC's search engine to search for specific words and phrases.

Galleries

How do I get my own gallery on BMC?

BMC has two types of galleries for members. If you're a member in good standing for one month then you'll automatically get a starter gallery. If you've been a member in good standing for at least three months, have had at least three reviews accepted, and have started and completed at least three WIP you will be able to apply for a full gallery.

What is a starter gallery?

A starter gallery is limited to five models at a time with up to five photos for each model.

What is a full gallery?

A full gallery gives you the ability to add an unlimited number of models with up to ten photos for each model.

How do I apply for a full gallery?

When you've met the above minimum requirements for getting your own gallery a link to the galleries application will show up in the My Account section of BMC. The application simply notifies our Galleries Administrator, Gator, that you would like full galleries access.

I submitted an application for a full gallery. What happens now?

Once the Galleries Administrator receives your request he does a number of things before deciding to accept or reject your application. One of the first things he does is look at your ratio of started to completed WIPs. It's not good if you start WIPs but never finish them. The quality of your photographs is also evaluated. It's helpful if your photographs exceed our minimum standards for photographs. Having a tutorial published on BMC is a major plus. Also, being known as a friendly and helpful member helps a lot!

How long will it take before a decision is made about my application for a full gallery?

Typically it takes anywhere from a few days to a week. If you haven't heard anything after a week it probably means your application wasn't received. E-Mail is hardly a reliable way to communicate these days and sometimes your application just isn't received. To resolve the problem please contact the Galleries Administrator and politely request an update on your application.

Why won't BMC let me add a model to my galleries?

If you have a starter gallery you probably already have the maximum number of models allowed in it. You will need to delete a model before you can add a new one. If you have a full gallery you are allowed to add five new models to your galleries in any 30-day period of time. The actual date in that 30-day period of time changes every day. While you may not be able to add a new model today you might be able to add one tomorrow as opposed to next month.

I want to add a link to view a specific model. How can I do that?

Use http://www.briansmodelcars.com/galleries/gallery/x where x represents the Gallery ID of the model you want to view.

How can I link to just my models in the galleries?

Use http://www.briansmodelcars.com/galleries/member/x where x represents your Member ID.

How do I find the Gallery ID of a specific model?

Look at the page the model is on. One of the details displayed there is the Gallery ID. It's a number located right below the member's Screen Name.

The kit maker, decal maker or driver's name isn't listed on the page where I add a new gallery!

We've got a fairly extensive list of these items, but we probably don't have them all. Contact the Galleries Administrator with your request to add the new item.

What is the largest photograph I can upload to one of my galleries?

For starters, be sure the file is in JPG format. The file size cannot be larger than 150,000 bytes. That's really quite large and should be more than enough to accommodate your photographs. Finally, the dimensions of the photograph must not be more than 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall. You can upload larger images but BMC will resize them and reduce the quality until the photograph is within its acceptable limits. For the best quality photographs you should always do your editing, cropping and so on before uploading the photograph.

Projects

How do I submit a model for inclusion in a Project?

You start by adding the model to your gallery. On the page where you enter information about your model there is a check box that, when checked, will make your model part of the current project. The model will not be visible to members in the Projects section until the deadline date has passed.

Why do you wait until the deadline date before showing any project entries?

We'd like you to see all the entries at one time. Plus it just seems like the fair thing to do.

Can I submit a model for a prior project whose deadline has already passed?

Generally speaking the answer would be no. However, if you miss the deadline by a reasonably short amount of time and present a compelling reason why an exception should be made it's possible your late entry will be accepted.

What are Projects?

BMC usually has three projects per year where any member in good-standing may submit a model that conforms to the theme of the project. All projects have a theme. Past projects have included such diverse themes as Convertibles, Movie Cars, Rally Cars and 1967 and 1969 Ford Mustangs.

Why do you have Projects?

Mostly for fun. Also to see everyone's take on a given theme. And to challenge some members who like to build one type of model. It gets them out of the rut of always building one type of model.

Is there any competition involved in Projects?

Nope, none at all. The purpose is to see everyone's take on a given theme and to have fun. BMC has never been about competition. Never will be either.

Who decides what each Project will be?

The Projects Administrator (aka Sam), will start a thread to discuss ideas. Eventually it's up to him to make the final decision. It is not uncommon for him to let the final choice be made via a vote by the members.

Can I add my Project entry to my Gallery?

Not only can you, you must add it to your gallery. That's the first step in submitting your model for inclusion in a project.

Can I do a WIP about my Project entry?

Absolutely yes! There is a special group with two forums for everything related to our projects. The forum related to project build-ups is called Project WIP. If you post your project entry in that forum you will automatically get credit for doing a WIP.

Forums

I'm new here and I want to introduce myself to everyone.

It's always nice when a member decides to introduce himself or herself. It's the members after all who make BMC what it is today. According to the forum rules & information the proper place to post an introduction is the Pit Stop forum. You'll receive a warm welcome that'll make you feel accepted right away!

What is the easiest way to keep track of everything new since your last visit?

The Active List. It is a compilation of all threads from all forums you've selected and it keeps you informed when a new Tutorial, Review, Model or Message has been added. The Active List auto-refreshes on a timetable you can customize ranging from never to every five minutes and intervals up to one hour. This is by far the way most of our members view the forums.

Is there any easy way to get to the Active List?

Yes. BMC uses the accesskey property throughout the website to assist in accessibility and ease of use. BMC conforms to the UK standard which uses the "2" key to see what's new. Different browsers implement accesskey differently. For most Windows browsers accesskey is accessed via Alt+Shift+AccessKey. The accesskey for the Active List is accessible anywhere on BMC.

I want to ask a question about something. How do I know which forum to use?

The rules & information for each forum describe what the forum's purpose is and what types of messages are permitted. If you're still uncertain about where to post your question post it in the Pit Stop forum with a note asking a moderator to please move it to the proper forum.

I keep seeing the term, thread. What does it mean exactly?

A thread is simply a collection of messages within the same topic. For example, someone creates a new post. Another member creates a reply to the new post. And the process continues. Collectively these messages are referred to as a thread.

What does it mean when a thread is sticky? Why do some threads have a push-pin icon?

When there's some important site-related news or other information that BMC wants you to see the resultant thread can be made to stick to the top of each page for a set period of time. Since the thread is stuck in place, sticky seemed like a nice name for the process. A push-pin is the icon BMC uses to indicate a thread is sticky.

I want to be notified when a new thread is created in a specific forum!

Subscribe to the forum. You do this from the forum's index page or the thread page. There's a menu item and a toolbar button on both pages to let you subscribe to and unsubscribe from any forum. When subscribed to a forum you'll receive one e-mail notifying you of the new post. If you want to keep track of the new post you'll need to flag it and/or subscribe to it.

I want to be notified when a new reply is added to a thread!

Subscribe to the thread. You do this from the thread page. There's a menu item and a toolbar button to let you subscribe to and unsubscribe from the thread. When subscribed to a thread you'll receive one e-mail each time a new reply is added.

Is there an easy way to keep track of and manage threads I'm interested in?

There sure is. If you want to keep track of a thread you can flag it. There is a menu item and toolbar button in each thread to flag and unflag threads. There is also a menu item and toolbar button to view your flagged threads.

Is there a way to keep track of and manage the threads I'm subscribed to?

From any menu select My Subscribed Threads. Or click the checked-box icon on the toolbar. On that page you'll see all the threads you're subscribed to. From there you can easily unsubscribe from any thread.

How can I keep track of threads I posted in?

An icon of a pencil laying on a piece of paper is always displayed next to a thread's topic/subject if you've posted in the thread. You can select My Threads from any menu or click the pencil icon in the toolbar to see the list of threads you've posted in.

What is double-posting?

Double-posting is when you post two or more messages in a row. It's considered bad etiquette on a website like BMC because you can edit your posts for a limited period of time. If you forgot to mention something in your first post you should edit that post and add whatever it was you forgot instead of creating a new reply. Often moderators will consolidate double-posts into a single post and leave a note in the message about not double-posting.

How come I can't post a message of any kind?

Are you registered and logged-in? Has your e-mail address been verified? If not then that's why you can't post. Is your account in read-only mode? If so then that's why you can't post. It's also possible that even though you're a member in good-standing the thread you want to post in has been locked to prevent additional replies. Locked threads are denoted by an padlock icon.

I want to post in an older thread. How come I can't?

After 30 days with no new replies threads become dormant and no new replies can be added.

I started a WIP (Works in Progress) but it's been more than 30 days since an update!

This is the single exception to the 30 days to dormancy rule. The owner of a WIP may add a new reply to his or her WIP at any time. Once the owner has posted an update the thread is open to new replies just like any other thread.

Why does my thread indicate it's been moved to a new forum?

When a thread is not posted in the correct forum a moderator will usually move it to the correct forum. As part of the moving process a note is added to the old forum indicating that your thread was moved to a new forum.

Why do my messages keep getting, Please read MB TOS #7, appended to them?

BMC's Terms of Service defines some basic rules that apply throughout the website. Message Board Term #7 indicates that BMC expects you to use proper sentence structure in all your posts. When you violate this rule your post will be edited by a moderator and a reminder added to it. If you get enough of these warnings your member in good-standing status could be at risk.

Why did my message get deleted?

If your message doesn't conform to the forum rules & regulations and our Terms of Service it will be deleted. You really need to read these things. They're not long and it'll make your BMC experience so much nicer. If enough of your messages get deleted your member in good-standing status could be at risk.

Why is my post count not higher? I post all the time!

It all depends on which forums you're posting in. Posts in some forums, like Pit Stop, don't count. Not that the messages posted there are worthless. Rather, we'd like your post counter to reflect how active you've been in the model-related sections of BMC. We love to goof off and have fun but ultimately it's all about the models. Check the rules & regulations for each forum to see if posts count.

What kinds of links are acceptable in messages?

Our preference is that you only use links that are in our Links section. These are sites we've checked-out and continue to look at on an ongoing basis. If you know of a site that you think should be on the list please contact BMC. You may not link to any scale model-related website that has a forum of its own unless the site is in our Links section. Beyond that keep our TOS in mind and you should be fine. Please use the Link Helper when adding a link to a message.

Why can't my signature be longer?

Signatures are popular. A little too popular. So they've been limited to a maximum length of 255 characters. Signatures also get abused in terms of design and content so no HTML image or link tags are allowed.

Why didn't my signature get saved with my message?

You must have a signature on file and you must check the box to include your signature in a message. Beyond the basics, if your message-length to signature-length ratio is below a certain level your signature is automatically omitted. Signatures were becoming so long you'd often see signatures that were longer than the message itself. We want the viewer's focus to be on the message, not your signature. This is our way of suggesting that to you.

How come I can't enter a message that has a dozen smileys and practically no words?

Sometimes good things go bad. Smileys were getting out of hand so now there's a secret formula that dynamically limits the number of smileys to the length of the message. The longer your message the more smileys you can use. You're allowed one free smiley and then the formula kicks in.

Can I use an external web site to display my WIP instead of uploading?

No you may not.

My new WIP was deleted? How come?

Probably because you didn't upload acceptable progress photos within ten minutes or so. However we now try to, when appropriate, move those threads to a different forum instead of just deleting them.

Why can't I upload photographs in the NMA (New Model Announcements) forum?

Some of us at BMC have an odd sense of humor. This restriction has everything to do with marketing. If you write a really good description of your new model it will usually pique the viewer's interest enough to get them to click through to your gallery. Once you got them, it's up to you to keep them.

How can I become a moderator?

When the time comes to consider new moderators the choices are usually rather obvious to us. We look for someone who's been a member for awhile, with a proven record of being even-tempered, friendly and helpful. One of the worst things a member can do is ask to become a moderator. Many years of experience have shown us that members who actively seek out a moderator role usually don't work out despite the best of intentions. So if you ask about becoming a moderator it's almost certain you'll never become one.

How come there is no edit button, or if there is a button it doesn't work?

From the time you save your message you have a ten minute window of opportunity to make corrections to it. After that the window closes and you may no longer edit your message.

Uploading Images

How come I can only see the top half of my photo?

This was a problem in older versions of BMC. It happened when the size of your photo or avatar was bigger than the largest upload BMC would accept. Hopefully we won't be seeing this issue ever again. Famous last words.

How come my photos keep getting deleted?

BMC has a set of photographic standards that all members are expected to adhere to. If your photo doesn't meet those standards it will be deleted.

What are the proper size and format parameters for galleries or forums photos?

The photos must be in JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg) format. The file size cannot be larger than 150,000 bytes (approximately 746 US KB) and the canvas cannot be larger than 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall.

What are the proper size and format parameters for personal avatars?

The avatar must be in BMP, GIF, JPEG or PNG format. The file size cannot be larger than 25,000 bytes (approximately 24 US KB) and the canvas cannot be larger than 60 pixels wide by 60 pixels tall. Animated avatars are acceptable unless they're too distracting.

What are the proper size and format parameters for personal and daily drive photos?

The photo must be in BMP, GIF, JPEG or PNG format. The file size cannot be larger than 150,000 bytes (approximately 746 US KB) and the canvas cannot be larger than 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall.

I tried to upload something but the file size is too big!

If you upload a file that is larger than the above file sizes the software will attempt to resize and/or reduce the quality of the file until it fits within acceptable parameters. If the software is unable to reduce the file sufficiently the upload will fail and you'll see a warning message about the file size being too big. If the software has to manipulate your upload in any way it's likely the quality of the photo will suffer. You should always optimize your photos before uploading them.

How can I be sure my photos are optimized for upload?

You will need photo editing software. There are a variety of software products on the market. Some are free, some are mid-priced and others are very costly. For this type of task even the free software will do a good job. The first thing to do is crop your photo so that only the important stuff is visible. That will reduce the file size of the photo which is sometimes a good first start. The second thing you can do is reduce the dimensions of the photo. While BMC allows photos up to 800x600 you might need to reduce that a bit to make the file size small enough for upload. Finally, you can reduce the quality of the photo slightly in ways that are often undetectable. This last method can yield dramatic results in terms of reduced file size! For a list of software BMC's members have consistently recommended over the years please see our Recommended Links section.

What is an avatar?

An avatar is a small image that represents an individual member. Oftentimes avatars indicate what your favorite hobby or sport is. Other times they're more representative of your personality. On BMC avatars are displayed in each message you post. It's an easy way for other viewers to spot you without having to see your name.

What is a personal photograph?

It's a photograph where you are the main and preferably sole focus. After a personal photo is uploaded it must be approved by someone at BMC before others can see it.

What is a daily drive photograph?

It's a photograph of the vehicle you drive on a daily basis. BMC is mostly a model vehicle site so why not show off your real-life, 1:1 vehicle. Your daily drive as it were. After a daily drive photo is uploaded it must be approved by someone at BMC before others can see it.

Why should I add a copyright notice to my uploaded photos?

In the USA, and most other countries as well, the legal rights to your photos are well defined and implicitly in-force simply by displaying them online. Unfortunately there are people who like to download someone else's photos and use them as their own. Stopping them is nearly impossible. Adding a copyright notice to your photos makes it a little more difficult to use your photos without being obvious about it. When you upload a photo to the galleries or forums the software can optionally add a copyright notice for you.