A portal is a centralized point for accessing applications, information, and other resources using the Internet. This Portal provides a desktop view of applications and information mainly from Windsor and Essex County. Learn more about the main differences between a true portal and a web site by clicking here.

Users must be on a vendor-supported operating system and browser. (Note: Beta versions are not supported for use of the Portal).

To access the Portal from your computer, use one of the following:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 6 or higher.
• Depending on the content available on the Portal, it might be possible to use Mozilla-based browsers (Netscape 7, Mozilla, Firefox), but they are not recommended.
  Some services may not be functional.

For more information on the process of becoming a Registered User of the Portal, please visit the Registration Tutorials page.

If you are interested in accessing the Portal as a Registered User from multiple computers, please visit the Additional Access page.

If you have observed that some part of the Portal is not functioning correctly or is unavailable, please follow the Service Availability page, or contact a Portal Manager.

Content in the Portal is organized into major Theme Areas. Each Theme Area contains a number of pages which link you to information, content and online applications from across the community. The Theme Areas can be navigated using the left hand menu.

• To access a Theme Areas, click on the appropriate Theme Area menu at the left side of the page.
  
  
  
  
  
• If you are unable to view the movie in the centre of the homepage, please install the Adobe Flash plug-in for your browser ( http://www.macromedia.com/go/flashplayer ).
  
  
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The Portal has a number of online applications to give you direct access to information and community resources. These applications are accessed through the links located in the shaded area below the topic links. These applications include:

Weather Information

Weather information is provided through a link to an approved content provider.

• By clicking on the Weather icon, detailed forecasts will be displayed in a new browser window.
• To get back to the Connecting Windsor-Essex™ Portal Home Page, click on the home button link at the bottom right of the new browser window.

Quicklinks

Relevant, timely local information is provided in the Quicklinks section. The links in this area may change from time-to-time, depending on the needs of the community.

• To get back to the Connecting Windsor-Essex™ Portal Home Page, close the browser window containing the Quicklink information.

Search

• Clicking on "Search" will take you to the search homepage that will connect you with a number of valuable search resources.

Announcements

• Clicking on "Announcements" will take to you to important local stories. Clicking on any of the links takes you to the story detail. Click on "more Announcements..." to get the complete announcement listings. These listings will include news stories relating to activities in the region that may not be showcased by conventional media outlets.
• Organizations may submit stories for consideration to a Portal Manager. (Please note: Content will be approved in accordance with the Acceptable Delivery Policy).

The Events Calendar

The Events Calendar is an online application that allows you to view upcoming events and to submit events for listing in the Events Calendar.

• The complete calendar can be accessed from the Welcome page of the Portal, as well as in the Play and Live sections.
• The purpose of the Events Calendar is to provide a free listing service for events of community interest. This event calendar is open for submissions from all organizations within the City of Windsor and the County of Essex in accordance with the Acceptable Delivery Policy.
• You can submit your event, provided it is not a personal or commercial sales event in accordance with the Acceptable Delivery Policy.
• Such events can include: a fundraising event, recreation event, sports event, or a community-oriented function.
• To submit an event for listing, click on the "Submit Event" link and say yes to any pop-ups that come up. You will then get an online form, similar to an e-mail. Fill in the required information and click on the "Submit for approval" button at the top left.

Viewing the Events Calendar

The Events Calendar lists current events in the information box. By clicking on any of the events, the event details are displayed.

• If you click on "more Events..." you will get the entire Community Events Calendar listings. Clicking on any of the events listed gives you the event details.
• Clicking on "previous" or "next" allows you to get weekly listings.
• Clicking on the month, gives you all of the listings in a monthly form. Clicking on "previous" or "next" gives you the adjacent monthly calendars.

One of the unique aspects of the Connecting Windsor-Essex™ Portal is the Community Connector™.

The Community Connector™ allows groups and community members the ability to collaborate and share information and manage community projects online. You must be logged in to the Portal to get access to this information.

Logging in to Portal

1. To Log In, click on the "Log in" link in the upper right hand corner.
   
   
   
   
2. When prompted, select your digital certificate.
3. Select the identity you wish to use from the drop-down.
4. Enter your password and click "Login".

Once logged in, click on the "Community Connector" button.

You will now be in the Community Connector™ Collaboration space.

• The "CWE Demo Place" is a sample Community Connector™ Collaboration place. Each place has the ability to have discussion forums, an online library of documents and other digital records, a group calendar, a task management area and the index.
• Feel free to explore the CWE Demo Place to see how they look.
• For detailed information and information on how to have a Community Connector™ room set up for your group, contact a Portal Manager, or get information about upcoming portal training opportunities in the Community Calendar.

Please note that several features of the Community Connector™ require the use of Sun's Java Virtual Machine running on Internet Explorer on Windows. If you do not have the Sun JVM installed, you may download and install it from here. After the install, you may need to restart your computer.

The Portal allows users to do many advanced applications. If you are interested in learning more about how to use the Portal, contact a Portal Manager for training or a group presentation.