FAQ

Contact us
Navigating the Magazine
Using Paypal
Technical Help
Competitions
Contributing to the Magazine
Advertising in the Magazine

Navigating the Magazine 
Q) What are the requirements for running The History Magazine?
A) The main requirement is a Flash Player (Please see Technical Help for further information), you will also need Adobe Acrobat Reader to be able to download and view the pdf version of the magazine. Both these programs can be downloaded for free. 
Q) I've logged in, but where do I access my account?
A) After logging in your details will appear at the top of the screen on the right, if you are on the Homepage you can click on the current issue front cover to go straight to your account, or you can click on the Magazines tab along the top of the screen. Both routes take you to a screen where you can see all the magazines you have received since you subscribed. Click on View Issue to select the magazine to open.
Q) When I open a new issue for the first time it takes several moments to load?
A) Due to the way the magazine loads, the first time you open a new issue it will take a few moments to load all the components before the welcome screen appears. It may also take a few moments to load pages when you zoom. However, once an issue has been loaded once, when you open it again it will appear almost immediately. Please Note:- different speeds of internet connections affect loading times.
Q) How do I turn pages?
A) Click on the right bottom corner of a page to turn them forward, to go back click on the left bottom corner.
Q) Is there a quick way to get to my favourite feature in the magazine?
A) If you want to jump to a particular part of the magazine without having to flick through all the pages manually, click on the SHORTCUTS button on the black menu bar at the bottom of the magazine welcome screen. The pages will display in pairs and you just need to scroll down to find the page you want to jump to and click on it. You will be taken straight to the page and can then navigate the magazine as usual.
Q) How do I zoom?
A) When you move your mouse cursor over a page of the magazine it will change to a magnifying glass icon, with a plus sign in the middle. Click on the page and it will zoom, click again to zoom out. You need to zoom out to turn a page. Please Note:- When opening the magazine for the first time it may take a few moments to zoom on a page. This only occurs the first time you load the magazine.
Q) I've used a shortcut to get to a page, but now I can't zoom?
A) Sometimes when you use a shortcut to get to a page the zoom icon does not appear when moving the mouse over a page. To correct this turn a page back or forwards and the zoom icon should reappear on the affected page.
Q) Can I print a page?
A) Subscribers are free to print off pages from the magazine, but they must not make mulitple copies of a page, or distribute or resell the pages (See Terms and Conditions). To print a page you can use the printer icon buttons on the black menu bar that appears beneath the magazine. You can choose to print either the left or right hand page, by clicking the relevant button. You can also use the L or R keys on your keyboard to print a page (L refers to the lefthand page and R refers to the righthand page). You can also download the pdf and print off pages from that.
Q) How do I download the pdf?
A) There is a button at the bottom of the black menu bar when you view the magazine that says PDF, when you click on it you can download a copy of that issue's pdf file. Please Note:- Subscribers may only download a single pdf copy of each issue, and may not distribute or resell, or re-post on the web, the pdf. (See Terms and Conditions).

Using Paypal
Q) What is Paypal?
A) Paypal is a secure online payment system, it is used by many large internet retailers, including ebay, to ensure both customers and companies can send or receive money securely and efficiently.
Q) Do I need a Paypal account to buy the magazine?
A) No. If you already have a Paypal account, when you are taken to Paypal to purchase a subscription, you will be asked to use it to pay. However, if you have never used Paypal you will be able to use a credit or debit card to pay. Paypal may ask you to open an account but this is not neccessary to purchase a subscription to The History Magazine. If you have problems buying a subscription please contact Red Raven Publications via enquiries@thehistorymagazine.co.uk
Q) My subscription has not activated.
A) After paying through Paypal you must click on the link that says 'Return to Red Raven Publications'. Failure to do so will mean your subscription will not be activated, but money will still be taken from your account. If this does happen, contact us enquiries@thehistorymagazine.co.uk and we will set up the account manually. Please bear in mind we are only open weekdays 9-5, so weekend subscription problems may not be resolved until the following monday.
Q) Paypal has taken my subscription twice, what do I do?
A) This very rarely happens, but if your money has been taken twice please contact Red Raven Publications at enquiries@thehistorymagazine.co.uk quoting your username and we will access our systems and see whether we have received your subscription twice. If you have accidentally paid twice, we will refund one of the subscription fees.
Q) My school wants to sign up to the magazine but we don't have a Paypal account or a credit or debit card?
A) We are able to take offline subscriptions from schools and other public places who may not have access to a credit/debit card or a Paypal account. Schools should contact us through enquiries@thehistorymagazine.co.uk stating that they wish to subscribe and we will send out an  order form and an invoice for the payment.

 Technical Help
Q) It says I need Flash Player before I can access the magazine, why?
A) The magazine uses Flash to animate the pages. This means that a Flash Player is required to view the magazine. If you try to access the magazine and you do not have a Flash Player a message will appear with a link to take you to a site to download the program. Once you have downloaded and installed the Flash Player you will be able to view the magazine.
Q) The magazine loads but does not display?
A) There are various reasons for this, but it is probably due to your browser's pop up blocker. Try disabling the pop up blocker and reload the magazine. On Windows Internet Explorer a message may appear when trying to load the magazine that asks for ActiveX content to be allowed. Click on the message and allow ActiveX, this will usually enable the magazine to load. A similar message may appear when using Firefox.
Q) I keep getting grey boxes around pictures when I zoom?
A) This error can occur when using certain browser setups, there are several ways to correct the problem. First, try downloading a newer version of flash player. If the problem persists and the grey boxes cover text on a page, download the pdf version of the magazine for the affected pages, where the error will not occur. We are currently working to resolve this problem so that it does not occur on any browser setup.
Q) I can't view the pdf?
A) The pdf requires the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer before it can be read. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded for free at www.adobe.com.
Q) I can't print pages.
A) Please ensure you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat installed (see above).
Q) I get an error message when I try to view the pdf?
A) Try refreshing the page, this should cure the error and the pdf should load correctly.
Q) Can I view The History Magazine on a mac?
A) Yes, the magazine will work fine on a mac.
Q) I am using Safari Beta and have trouble loading the magazine.
A) Safari Beta can be temperamental when loading the magazine, generally refreshing the page will solve the problem. Alternatively use a different browser such as FireFox. This is an issue with Safari Beta and not the magazine.

Competitions
Q) Are competitions open to all subscribers?
A)Yes, unless otherwise stated in the competition or if they are posted on the website as specifically for new subscribers.
Q) Can I enter a competition even if I am not a subscriber?
A) Certain competitions only appear in the magazine and therefore are exclusive to the subscribers. However other competitions may be advertised on the website as open to non-subscribers, usually there will be a small entry fee to these competitions, which subscribers do not have to pay. This does not apply to competitions offered to new subscribers when they sign up.
Q) Are there any hidden fees in your competitions?
A) If there is an entry fee it is stated clearly in the competition. We never apply hidden charges.
Q) Do you have a set of terms and conditions for competitions?
A) Yes, please see our Terms and Conditions page, look under the section entitled  Promotions, Competitions and Prizes.

Contributing to the Magazine
Q) How can I contribute to the magazine?
A) The History Magazine will accept unsolicited material, but prefer it if prospective contributors contact the editor first at editor@thehistorymagazine.co.uk and have read through these guidelines, as well as The History Magazine to get a feel for the style and format of the publication. There is a sample copy on our Homepage.
Q) What type of material do you accept?
A) Generally we will only accept outside contributions for the main features, as our regular columns and series are produced inhouse. Potential contributors should contact the editor before sending in work, giving a brief description of the article/s they want to be considered and enclosing a brief CV about themselves, giving details about any experience they have relating to the subject. It is at the editor's discretion whether to take on work or not and they will not enter into discussion about why an article was rejected.
Q) What format should my material be in?
A) Articles must not be handwritten. They should be typed using a word processing software such as Microsoft Word, and can be sent to Red Raven Publications on a disc as a Word file. If the editor first requests it the article may be sent as an email attachment, however, unsolicited articles sent by email will be deleted without being read. Contributors should use a standard font such as Times New Roman, please do not use fancy fonts or change the colour of the text, black is fine. Articles should be proofread and should be corrected for grammatical and spelling mistakes. All articles are produced in English(UK) so overseas contributors should ensure that they have corrected any differences caused by using English(US) on a computer. (E.g. colour rather than color, honour rather than honor). Articles must not contain offensive language or include graphic descriptions of violence or sexual activities.
Q) What length of articles will you accept?
A) New contributors will be asked to produce a sample article of no more than 2,000 words, which may or may not be published in the magazine. After this the contributor may be asked to produce longer pieces of work depending on the requirements of the topic and issue. This is at the editor's discretion.
Q) What should I include with my article?
A) All articles should include a short list of 3 books that readers could consult to find out more information on a topic, and may also include web addresses to reliable sites (however, web addresses are not essential if it is difficult to find information on the net). Unusual or old words that may not be familiar to readers, or names of places, people or ancient texts, etc, should be put in a glossary, with an explanation, to be used in the word wiki at the bottom of pages.
Q) Do I receive payment for my work?
A) Currently, The History Magazine does not offer remittance to contributors, however if you do not have a subscription to the magazine we will send you a complimentary copy of the issue your work appears in on disc.

Advertising in the Magazine
Please also see our Terms and Conditions. 
Q) Who can advertise in The History Magazine?
A) Anyone whose business is related to history, e.g books, re-enactor products, museums, universities, etc. However we do not accept adverts that could be considered offensive to our readers or which offer a product or idea that is sexual in nature.
Q) Who do I talk to about advertising?
A) Potential advertisers should contact advertising@thehistorymagazine.co.uk
Q) What are your advertising rates?
A) The following rates apply to our adverts in the magazine:

1/8 of a page £40
1/4 of a page £75
1/2 of a page £150
Whole page £300
Prices apply to a advert appearing in a single issue of the magazine.
Q) Who are your readers?
A) Our readers include amateur historians of all ages, who are not interested in the heavy, political history other magazines offer. We also have teachers, parents and students regularly reading our issues. Other readers include re-enactors and overseas historians who have an interest in British history.
Q) Why should I advertise with you?
A) The History Magazine offers good value for money, both for advertisers and readers. Adverts placed in an issue are online for two months and are read by people across the country and internationally. We are linked to major publishers and are an innovative new media, encouraging younger people back into history.

Published by Red Raven Publications  Email: enquiries@thehistorymagazine.co.uk  Phone: 01502 587205