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For Starters... To get involved with this site you'll have to toddle off to www.itipi.com and register. Registration is your usual process of entering name, address, telephone number etc. and log-in details, boring, but you'll only have to do it once so just get on with it! Once registered you will need to download the Itipi Browser which you will ONLY need to use during the web tests. I thought it might be an Internet Explorer plug-in when I first heard of it but it's not, so nothing to worry about there. Download this small program, less than 1MB in size, install and you're all set to start doing the tests. Sometimes you'll need to upgrade the Itipi browser but you will be told well in advance about this. How It Works Every Monday, once registered, you will get an email reminding you of the upcoming weekly tests and requesting those interested in taking part in this particular round to register their interest on the site. You MUST log in and reserve your interest in the upcoming tests before they are scheduled to begin or you will not be able to take part. If you forget to do this(as I have twice now!) you will find that when you open the browser software expecting a test to appear it will sit there looking blankly back at you instead. If you do remember to reserve your place in the tests (do it as soon as you get the email or you'll forget) then you must open up the itipi browser around 10 minutes before the first test is scheduled to begin and when the time comes it will (slowly) connect to the website you will be testing. You'll have two windows, one large with the site in you'll be testing and a smaller one with instruction on what you are required to do in each test. So far all I've been asked to do is click a few links and at the end of the test to say if any were broken, how fast the site was and how it compares to others I have used. It's not exactly taxing! At the end of the test you return to the start screen and wait until it is time for the next one to become available. You are given a 20 minute window in which to complete each test but invariably they only take a couple of minutes so you have to wait until the next time slot arrives. I tend to read a few opinions, write a couple of emails whilst waiting so it doesn't really encroach upon my time for more than say, 15 minutes out of the hour. The Pay You pay nothing to join up, I suppose I ought to say that just in case anyone was wondering. If you have to pay for anything like this online then it's a scam and should be avoided. That goes for surveys as well by the way, I've seen a lot of sites requesting £20 for a list of paying survey companies recently and frankly you'll get all the information you need on a free survey site so don't get sucked in. Anyhoo, I digress as usual. You pay nothing to join up, they pay you around 60p per test you perform which generally amounts to £1.80 per hourly testing session. Not bad when the actual tests take around 15 minutes I find. You actually get Itipi points but these are converted into English smackeroonies at the end of the month if your account balance surpasses a certain level. You'll be pleased to know that this level is set very low indeed so you're not looking at waiting 3 years for a payout like with some sites...yougov.com take note please. You will also find the cheques come rather quickly as well which is also something other internet sites could take note of... Anything Else? Nothing you can't find out for yourself at the site. Go here: Itipi if you've still got questions. My Opinion I like this idea and I like how regular and easy it is. I have signed up for other similar things in the past and have never heard anything back from them, or have been given one test a year which is pointless. Visitor Friendly is a similar idea people used to rave about but after two years, I hadn't heard anything and had forgotten all about them until I finally got my first test back in January lol. Itipi isn't like that. You get regular assignments sent out weekly and it is well worth your time and effort to get involved. The tests are easy to perform, it pays well and it pays promptly. I also think it's a great idea to support this kind of site because anywhere which is basically promoting making the web more user-friendly has got to be a good thing. I suppose I ought to have a grumble or two as well. There are times when I have not found it possible to be around at the time the tests are scheduled, or have forgotten to turn up or, as I mentioned before, forgot to reserve a place in the testing schedule. I find that being forced to be around at a particular time as opposed to choosing your own time is very restrictive and means that I've participated in less than half of the tests I have so far been elligible for. Also, I'd rather not have had to download their software into my system to take part but can of course understand their reasoning behind it as it's all too easy to cheat at this kind of thing - especially when they often send the same site week in, week out to be tested! Oh yes and you need to have Internet Explorer installed which immediately shafts all Mac users. Sorry! :oP~ I suppose they are minor grumbles however and all in all this is a great idea and something I would recommend to anyone to get involved in. Well, almost anyone, it's probably not really going to be worth you time if you are on one of those internet plans where you pay for the time you are online as opposed to a monthly flat rate. Everyone else, go check it out. © wampyrii 2003 Address: Itipi
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