- What is My developerWorks registration?
- Why do I need to register? What are the benefits?
- I have previously registered with IBM and already have an IBM login ID and password. Do I need to register again with My developerWorks?
- What are the rules for the IBM login ID?
- Does the e-mail address I provide as my IBM login ID have to be my primary e-mail address?
- Can I change my IBM login ID later?
- What if I forget my IBM login ID?
- Can I change my e-mail address later?
- What are the rules for a password?
- Can I change my password later?
- What if I forget my password?
- Why do I need a developerWorks display name?
- What are the rules for a developerWorks display name?
- Can I change my developerWorks display name later?
- I’ve been asked to change my developerWorks display name. Why is this necessary?
- Can I change the country/region of residence during registration? Can I change it later?
- Why is a language required?
- What is the purpose of the security question and answer?
- Can I change my security question and/or answer later?
- What if I forget my answer to my security question?
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How can I report a problem I’m having while using the My developerWorks registration form?
Personalization - What’s the purpose of indicating my interests and job roles/responsibilities?
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Can I add or change my interests or job
roles/responsibilities later?
Privacy - What are my privacy options?
- Can I change my privacy preferences later?
- How will IBM use my personal information?
Basic registration information
1. What is My developerWorks registration?
My developerWorks registration is a short and secure form where you choose the IBM login ID and password that you want to use whenever you sign in to the developerWorks Web site or any IBM.com Web page that requires registration. On this form, you also choose the developerWorks display name that will identify you and your interactions to your peers in the My developerWorks community.
2. Why do I need to register? What are the benefits?
As a registered user of My developerWorks, you can connect, interact, and collaborate with your fellow developers. You can update your personal profile, create a custom home page to organize and dynamically feed your interests, post to a forum, start a blog, comment on articles, start and join groups, bookmark and tag content and people of value to you, and much more.
As an added bonus, registering for My developerWorks also automatically registers you for the Web-based applications or content on other IBM Web sites that require registration. On those other IBM Web pages, you'll use the same IBM login ID (in the form of an e-mail address) and password combination that you establish for My developerWorks.
3. I have previously registered with IBM and already have an IBM login ID and password. Do I need to register again with My developerWorks?
No. But you do need a developerWorks display name in order to participate in the My developerWorks community, so you will be guided to a page to select your display name. Your display name identifies you and your interactions to your peers in the My developerWorks community.
4. What are the rules for the IBM login ID?
- It must be in the format of a valid e-mail address
- It must be unique (not already in use)
- It must be 80 characters or fewer
- It must contain an '@' character that separates the user and domain values (example: lorem@ipsum.com)
- It must contain at least two sub-domains separated by a '.' (example: ibm.com)
- It can contain numbers (0-9), upper and lower case letters (A-Z, a-z), hyphens (-), underscores (_), and periods (.), !, #, $, %, &, ', +, /, =, ?, [, ], ^, `, {, |, }, ~
- It cannot contain any space, backslash (\), colon (:), double-quote ("), semicolon (;), comma (,), less-than symbol (<), greater-than symbol (>), parentheses ("(", ")"), or asterisk (*)
5. Does the e-mail address I provide as my IBM login ID have to be my primary e-mail address?
No. You can use any valid e-mail address as your IBM login ID.
6. Can I change my IBM login ID later?
No. You cannot change your IBM login ID once you select it during registration. It is the unique identifier for your My developerWorks profile and IBM.com profile. As you update your password-protected information, your IBM login ID always remains constant. Even if you edit your password, or change your personal or work e-mail address listed in your My developerWorks profile, it won't affect the IBM login ID you selected during registration.
7. What if I forget my IBM login ID?
You can recover your IBM login ID by contacting the Worldwide IBM Registration Helpdesk.
8. Can I change my e-mail address later?
Remember, after registration, you cannot change the e-mail address that you registered as your IBM login ID; it remains constant. But you can change the e-mail address that you list in your My developerWorks profile (your Contact Information) at any time. (That e-mail address in your My developerWorks profile does not need to match the e-mail address that is your IBM login ID.) To change the e-mail address in your profile, sign in to My developerWorks, and go to My developerWorks: Profiles. Click the "Edit My Profile" tab and then the "Contact Information" tab. There you can change your e-mail address.
9. What are the rules for a password?
- It must contain only single-byte characters
- Passwords are case sensitive (so when you sign in, you will have to enter your password exactly as you enter it here)
- It must be between 8 and 31 characters in length
- It can contain numbers (0-9), upper and lower case letters (A-Z, a-z), hyphens (-), underscore (_), and the @ character
- It cannot contain any space or period (.)
- It cannot contain the IBM ID
- When changing your password, it cannot contain the existing password
See additional password rules for Italian users, Fluor users, and State of Georgia users (including the GETS Portal) in the My IBM Registration Help and FAQ.
10. Can I change my password later?
Yes. To change your password, go to the IBM Registration page.
11. What if I forget my password?
To register for a new password, go to the IBM Registration page.
12. Why do I need a developerWorks display name?
Your developerWorks display name will identify you and your interactions to your peers in the My developerWorks community. Your display name accompanies the content that you post on My developerWorks.
13. What are the rules for a developerWorks display name?
- It must be between 3 and 31 characters in length
- It must be unique
- It CANNOT contain any of the following 6 characters: comma (,), single quote ('), double quote ("), semicolon (;), less-than symbol (<), or greater-than symbol (>)
- We recommend NOT using your e-mail address as your display name for privacy reasons
- Sample display names are brenny, JeffJ, lindameyer, and Michael_OConnell
14. Can I change my developerWorks display name later?
Yes. To change your display name, sign in to My developerWorks, and go to My developerWorks: Profiles. Click the "Edit My Profile" tab and then the "Contact Information" tab. There you can change your display name.
15. I've been asked to change my developerWorks display name. Why is this necessary?
Recent functional enhancements expanded our pool of display names, and yours is no longer unique. We regret having to ask some users to change their display name.
16. Can I change the country/region of residence during registration? Can I change it later?
Yes, you can change it during registration. Your country is pre-selected based on your IP address, and you can change it during registration. (This is a required field, so you cannot leave it blank.) Once you've registered, though, you cannot change your country/region for warranty purposes; it is a fixed value. Even though you cannot change the country/region for your warranty, you can change your country/region for your personal or work address at any time. Sign in to My developerWorks, and go to My developerWorks: Profiles. Click the "Edit My Profile" tab and then the "Contact Information" tab. Changing your country/region for your personal or work address does not affect your country/region for your warranty; the latter is a fixed value.
17. Why is a language required?
Wherever possible, the language you select is used in future communications (mailings, e-mail, telephone calls, etc.) between IBM and you. We may also use the language you specify to personalize your experience on My developerWorks.
18. What is the purpose of the security question and answer?
The security question you choose, and the unique answer that you provide, can help us confirm your identity in the future. For example, if you forget your IBM login ID, you may be asked for your security question and answer.
19. Can I change my security question and/or answer later?
Yes. To provide a different security question or a different answer, go to the IBM Registration page.
20. What if I forget my answer to my security question?
Contact the Worldwide IBM Registration Help Desk.
21. How can I report a problem I'm having while using the My developerWorks registration form?
We're sorry for any difficulty you experience. Please report the problem in the Using developerWorks forum; we monitor that forum daily and will respond within 24 hours. Or, if you prefer, you can submit the problem on our Feedback form, or you can contact the Worldwide IBM Registration Help Desk.
Personalization
22. What's the purpose of indicating my interests and job roles/responsibilities?
It's optional. The value of indicating your interests and job roles/responsibilities while registering is that your My developerWorks profile is automatically updated with those selections. You can further personalize and update your profile whenever you like. Profiles help you mine the collective knowledge of all the other registered users of My developerWorks and build a trusted network of colleagues.
23. Can I add or change my interests or job roles/responsibilities later?
Yes. To add or change your interests or job roles/responsibilities after registration, sign in to My developerWorks, and go to My developerWorks: Profiles. Click the "Edit My Profile" tab and then the "About Me" tab. Under the interests and roles sections, you can add, remove, or change selections. No selection is required, but any selections you make to interests or roles are displayed publicly in your my developerWorks profile.
Privacy preferences
24. What are my privacy options?
On the My developerWorks registration form, under "Privacy preferences," you can indicate whether you want to receive helpful notifications from IBM or an affiliate regarding IBM products, services, or other offerings. You can also indicate the format you prefer: e-mail or other communications, such as phone calls or postal mail:
- To receive e-mail for this purpose, check the E-mail box. To decline to receive e-mail for this purpose, do not check the E-mail box.
- To receive phone calls or postal mail for this purpose, do not check the Other communications box. To decline to receive phone calls or postal mail for this purpose, check the Other communications box.
25. Can I change my privacy preferences later?
Yes. To change your privacy preferences, go to the IBM Registration page.
26. How will IBM use my personal information?
If, in your privacy preferences, you elect to receive e-mail or other communications, IBM or an affiliate may use information you provide about yourself, such as your name, e-mail address, residence, or other personal data, to send you relevant information about IBM products, services, or other offerings. To learn more, read about IBM's general privacy practices on the Web.
