What is RIPL?

Get RIPL and expose yourself to new music and video from your friends and favorite artists, delivered to you on your computer desktop, in your screen saver, or on MySpace. When you play music and video in RIPL it goes to your friends automatically. If they like it, it goes to their friends... and to their friends after that. That's the RIPL effect.

RIPL is currently in beta release, so you might encounter a bug here and there. Don't get mad, just let us know by emailing us at help@ripl.com. You can also visit RIPL Tips and Tricks profile to see a list of the issues we're currently working on.

Where is RIPL available?

RIPL is available on your computer desktop, on your RIPL screen saver, and with your RIPL MySpace App. That said, there are three ways to view content. The first is by downloading RIPL, which allows you to get content on your computer desktop based on your friend network and the settings you choose for your content stream. The second way to receive friends' content is by viewing your RIPL screen saver. The third way is to view the content stream visible on user profiles and in the RIPL MySpace App.

What are the system requirements for RIPL to work on my computer?

On a PC, you'll need Windows XP SP2+ or Windows Vista* with at least 512MB of RAM and a 1.3 GHz+ processor. On a Mac you'll need Leopard (s10.5.2) with at least 512MB of RAM and a 1.3 GHz+ G4/G5 or Intel processor. You'll also need a broadband Internet connection. When you are ready to install, RIPL will check for (and add if necessary) Adobe Air 1.1+ (MAC/PC) and .NET 2.0 (PC). On a PC, you'll need to have administrator privileges for your computer. *excluding Vista 64.

How do I get my content out to my friends on RIPL?

YouTube videos you post, photos you upload, music you play in iTunes, and blogs you write will automatically RIPL out to your friend network. Make sure you've downloaded RIPL to automatically update your music playlist and activate your RIPL screen saver. You can also change privacy settings on your account if you want to limit who can see your content. Do this by going to “your stuff," and indicating “who can see this."

How do I invite my friends to join RIPL?

Just click the “add friends" button to the right of your content stream and RIPL MySpace App, or at the top of any RIPL page. To make it even easier to get your friends in the mix, you can import email addresses from common web email providers like Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail/Live.

How do I get my friends' and favorite artists' content?

You can add friends a number of different ways. The first way is by Befriending them on RIPL. The second way is to visit another user's profile page…next to the user's profile picture, you will see a “Befriend" button, click this to add that user as a friend. The third way is by clicking the “add friends" button to invite them to join RIPL. Lastly, you can subscribe to your favorite artists to expand your network and receive content from like-minded individuals.

What are these paper clips attached to items in my content stream?

If you see a paper clip in the upper right-hand corner of a piece of content accompanied by a profile picture, it means that a friend of yours has interacted with that content and you might like it. Click on the content to see comments that have been made and to leave your own. Forward it to your friends and see what they think…and give it a rating to let others know what you thought. Don't be afraid to do all three. The more you interact with content, the better RIPL will be able to read your mind and bring content you'll enjoy to your attention.

What does the "green glow" around a person's picture mean?

A green glow means the person who posted or played the content is currently online and available for chat.

Why should I download RIPL?

Downloading RIPL allows you display the music you listen to on iTunes, in real time. Downloading RIPL also lets you view your content stream in a RIPL screen saver so you'll never be out of the loop with what's going on in your network, regardless of whether or not you're browsing the Internet.

What is the RIPL screen saver?

The RIPL screen saver shows your friends' content whenever your computer's screen saver kicks in. To activate the RIPL screen saver, follow these simple directions: for PC users, right click on your desktop background, select “display properties" and choose the “screen saver" tab. For Mac users, click the apple icon in the upper left-hand corner of your screen, choose “system preferences" and select “display and screen saver." Select the RIPL screen saver as your default, sit back, and watch as it delivers pre-approved content from your friends and favorite artists.

I've tried downloading RIPL on my MAC but nothing happens when I click the link. How can I fix this?

Try uninstalling the Adobe Air platform then re-installing it (info at http://www.adobe.com/products/air/). Then, try and download RIPL again.

Can I use RIPL with multiple Windows users? Can we see different content?

The short answer is yes. If different people using your computer have different accounts on RIPL, they can sign in to RIPL as different people and see different content. For now though, all those users need to be logged into Windows itself as the original user who created the account. For example, if you have different Windows login names for you, your roommate, and your sister, you'll want to be logged in as the original person who downloaded RIPL.

What is the RIPL MySpace App?

The RIPL MySpace App is a feature that can be displayed on your MySpace profile page exhibiting your videos, photos, music and blogs. The RIPL MySpace App is directly connected to your RIPL account…so if you upload content, or interact with content from friends', it will RIPL out to your network and be displayed in your content stream (both throughout RIPL and on MySpace). You can set your RIPL MySpace content mix to show any combination of content you want, whether it's your own stuff, your friends' content, artist's you've subscribed to, or maybe a little bit of everything. It's completely legal and free, so go ahead and have fun with it!

What does the MySpace App do?

Videos and photos you upload, music you listen to on iTunes, and the blogs you post on RIPL will automatically be displayed in your RIPL MySpace App. Anyone who views your MySpace page will see your content and be able to interact with it dynamically. What that means is that your friends will be able to click on a video, photo, music or blog they see in your content stream and watch it, listen to it, read it, or see it – instantly!

How do I add a RIPL MySpace App to my MySpace profile?

There are two ways you can go about adding a RIPL MySpace App…
1. From a friend or artist who already has it. If you click the "Get MySpace App" tab in the lower right-hand corner of their RIPL MySpace App, you can follow the steps and get one of your own. Once you've successfully followed these steps and have downloaded RIPL, you're set to unleash your content.
2. You can add the App by visiting the RIPL MySpace App profile page at http://www.myspace.com/ripleffect and clicking “Get this App". Once you're there, simply install the RIPL MySpace App and watch as your content from RIPL automatically flows onto your MySpace page.

How do I get content to show up in my RIPL MySpace App?

Your RIPL profile and MySpace App are linked to each other…so when you upload videos and photos, play music in your iTunes, and post blogs on your RIPL profile, they will automatically flow through your content stream displayed on your MySpace profile.

Can I transfer my content directly from MySpace to RIPL?

For right now, you must manually upload the content you would like to share with your friends on RIPL.

How do I control the content I see in my RIPL MySpace App?

You can adjust your MySpace content mixer by going to the RIPL MySpace App. Use the sliders to determine what content you want to show up in your RIPL MySpace App (up is more, down is less). You can balance the mix between subscriptions, your own stuff, your friends, your extended network (friends of friends) and all of RIPL – whatever you want. Have fun with it and show your friends what you got.

How do I add my friends from MySpace to RIPL?

Add your friends to RIPL by clicking on “add friends" on the top of any RIPL page. Just enter their email addresses, or import entire friend lists from Yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail/Live, and we'll take it from there. Unfortunately, right now we're unable to directly add your MySpace friends to RIPL, but we're working on it…until then, don't be shy about spreading the joy of free content to your friends.

How do I uninstall the MySpace App?

If you decide you no longer want to display the RIPL MySpace App on your MySpace profile, you can uninstall the application by visiting the RIPL MySpace App page at http://www.myspace.com/ripleffect and clicking “uninstall."

How can I get rid of the square box around my RIPL MySpace App? I like it to be floating instead.

All MySpace applications have a thin box around them by default, but you can add some sneaky code into your About Me section to make it go away. If you have edited a MySpace profile before this should sound familiar. On MySpace, click “Edit Profile" and click to edit your “About Me" section. Paste in the code below and click Save. Poof! The lines are gone. (Note: This may not work if you've already modified your MySpace profile using other themes or code)

How do I upload music onto RIPL?

If you have downloaded and installed RIPL, the music you're listening to in iTunes will automatically update on your RIPL profile page and RIPL out to your friends. If for some reason this does not work then here are a few solutions to try:

1. Make sure you have the latest RIPL software downloaded. Re-download RIPL by clicking “Get RIPL" which is found on most pages.
2. Don't forget to make sure that RIPL is running and that you are signed in. This goes beyond merely signing in on the RIPL website. You must open the RIPL icon on your desktop and sign in there as well.
3. Make sure that you have the most recent version of iTunes downloaded from http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
4. Play the last 15 seconds of a song and make sure that the song appears in the "recently played" playlist.
5. If steps 1-4 are complete, the song should appear on your profile page within 3-5 minutes.
6. Try restarting your computer, which can fix unpredictable issues (example: iTunes has crashed etc.)
7. If all else fails, you can always contact help@ripl.com and we'll be happy to help you out.

How do I listen to music on RIPL?

RIPL makes it easy to listen to the music your friends are listening to. Music appears as a CD cover on user profile pages, as well as in the many variations of content streams you have access to…whether it's in full screen or screen saver mode, on a friend's RIPL or MySpace profile page, or in your own content stream. Music comes attached with information about the artist, track, title and your friend who listened to it. Songs that are playable will have a play button pictured on top of the CD cover. Just click the button and it will bring you to a page where you can listen to it. Not all songs are playable (so it's not your fault if one won't play for you).

How do I add YouTube videos?

Make sure there's a video box on your profile page. If there isn't, add one by clicking “Edit Profile" found below your profile picture and dragging a video box onto your page. Next, click the “Add a YouTube Video" button and paste the YouTube URL or video ID there. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_PZvXN6zIA or Q_PZvXN6zIA

How do I add photos?

You can add photos on any RIPL page: Just follow these easy steps…
1. Click on the "Upload" option at the top of your RIPL profile page and select the photos tab.
2. Click the "Add Photos" button to browse your computer for images. You can select multiple photos by holding down shift key and selecting multiple items.
3. Set tags and categorize photos, or set privacy limits by indicating “who can see this." You can alter who can see photographs and tags you've set individually from the “Photos" section in “your stuff."
4. Click "Upload Photos" to start the transfer of files.

How do I write a blog?

First, make sure there's a blog box on your profile page. If there isn't, add one by clicking “Edit Profile" found below your profile picture and dragging the blog box onto your page. Now unleash your inner writer…when you've finished, click “Post" and your blog will automatically RIPL out to your friends. Edit your blogs or control who can see them by clicking on the “your stuff" tab…from there, select the “blogs" tab.

Where can I edit the information associated with my content?

Go to “your stuff" to edit the title, description, tags or people who are allowed to see your content. Click on a content tab (either videos, photos, music or blogs) and select any content item. Edit what you will, but remember to save your changes. Any changes you make will take effect immediately.

How do I Befriend someone?

Click the “Befriend" link just to the right of their profile picture. When you are friends, their content will automatically flow into your content stream.

How do I Subscribe to someone's content?

Click the “Subscribe" link just to the right of their profile picture. Similarly, once you are subscribed, you can click "Unsubscribe" to no longer receive their content.

What is the difference between Befriending and Subscribing?

When you Befriend someone, RIPL will notify them by email and in their message inbox. When you Subscribe to other people, their content will just start appearing in your content stream, but they will not be notified.

How do I manage my friends and subscriptions?

Click on “your stuff" on the top of any RIPL page and select Subscriptions or Contacts. Select the contact or subscription you want to manage, then choose the action you would like to take

How do I Defriend someone?

Click on the “Defriend" link just to the right of their profile picture. You can only do this if you are already friends with them. Once you are no longer friends, their content automatically stop flowing into your content stream.

How do I Block someone?

Click the “Block" link to the right of their profile picture.

What's the difference between Defriending and Blocking?

When you Defriend someone, they will be removed from your friend list and you won't see their content as part of your friends' content stream. When you Block someone, they will no longer be your friend (if they were…) and they won't be able to send you content, leave a comment on your page, chat with you, or ask you to be their friend again. You also won't see their content in your content stream.

How do I instant message my friends?

A: You can chat with people by clicking "Chat" when you see content from that user in the content stream on your computer desktop or on your RIPL screen saver. Alternately, you can go to their profile and leave them a comment.

How do I get my content to show up on my RIPL profile?

YouTube videos you post, photos you upload, music you play in iTunes, and blogs you write will automatically show up on your RIPL profile. Similarly, when you add content it will RIPL out to your friend network.

How do I change my profile picture?

Click on your profile picture. You'll get a dialog box that allows you to upload a new picture.

How do I change my profile background image?

Click the “Edit Profile" found below your profile picture and click “upload a picture" under the “page background" settings.

How do I control whose content appears in my content stream?

You can control the content you receive based on the relationships you create on RIPL. On your profile page, there will be a gear-icon on the bottom of your content stream. Click on it and use the sliders to determine what content you want to see (up is more, down is less). You can balance the mix between subscriptions, your own stuff, your friends, your extended network (friends of friends) and all of RIPL. You can also alter the content you receive in your RIPL MySpace App, screen saver, and desktop version this way. Each content stream can be set to different levels, so play around with it and get in the mix.

How do I make photo albums?

We know you want this feature. It's coming soon! But for now, there's a tiny loop-hole you can slip through to make photo albums. Add a new photo box by clicking “Edit Profile" found below your profile picture and dragging a new photo box onto your page. Photo albums can be made by tagging your photos. It's easiest to give your photos tag names when you upload them, but you can also do it later in “your stuff." On your profile, click the “edit" button in your new photo box and select to show only photos with whatever tag you gave them. Presto! You have an album!

Can I use HTML in RIPL text fields?

Yes, but with some limitations. You can put certain HTML in all comment or description fields as long as it is properly formed. Two cases are supported: links and images. Copy the URL of the link or image you would like to post in this manner:

1. Links: <a href="URL-TO-LINK-TO"></a>
2. Images: <img src="URL-OF-THE-PICTURE" />

If the HTML isn't correct, it will automatically be rewritten so that it is no longer HTML.

How do I change the layout of my page?

Most boxes on your profile page can be dragged around to different positions. The only content boxes you can't move are the boxes with your name & profile picture, your content stream, and the box with your friends list. You can click “Edit Profile" found below your profile picture to see what content boxes can be added to your page.

When I click on the content stream on a profile, nothing happens.

Clicking the content stream on the top of a profile launches a new browser window or tab to see details about the item. Sometimes pop-up blockers will prevent this. Pop-up blockers are built into IE7, Firefox and the Google Toolbar. When this happens, click on the message to allow RIPL.com to use pop-ups. Note: Firefox 3.0 adds the ability block pop-ups silently. If you're using FF3.0 and clicking content seems to do nothing, look in the lower right corner of the browser for a "pop-up blocked" icon and click it to see information about how Firefox handles pop-ups.

How do I make videos, photos, music or blogs private so only certain people can see them?

Click on “your stuff" and select the content you want to limit access to. On the right side of the page there's a “who can see this" section, which allows you to choose who can see your content.

How do I stop people from forwarding content to me?

If you are a RIPL member, you can go to their profile and block the user. There is also an opt-out link at the bottom of every forward email. We don't want to bother you if you want to leave the party!

How do I report offensive content like pornography, spam or obvious copyright violations?

Click on the “report" link near the content you wish to report, or the "report" link on the profile of the person in question. You can also send an email to abuse@ripl.com letting us know who is ruining the party for everyone.