Quick tips: reading, referring-to and replying-to entries...
The bottom line: click the 'permalink' to open an entry for full viewing of the entry and its comments, or to reply to it. Use the permalink when telling other people about an entry.
Click the links below to read more about...
Please note (Feb 10, 2006) that this content is slightly out-of-date, and will be re-written shortly- What is the 'permalink' for?
- ...why you should use the permalinks of entries to link to them and to read them in full
- How do I reply to an entry here?
- ...how to reply to entries, join the site, log-in etc...
What is the 'permalink' for?
Each entry to this weblog has its own individual URL or 'permalink'. The main view for a weblog displays several of the most recent entries - more than one entry is shown at a time, and the entries shown will change over time. There are also some ways of viewing groups of entries from this weblog: by category, by month or day posted, by author, but if you want to tell someone where to look for a particular entry, use the permalink for the entry, not the main weblog URL.
Some entries have 'extended text; extended text is only displayed when you view the entry by itself. Some other features are only available when you view an entry by itself. Of course, the main reason to use the permalink is that it is 'permananent' - it will always point to that entry no matter how many other entries have been posted afterwards. If you use the main weblog URL when telling other people about an entry, chances are that they will not see that entry when they come to the weblog.
'Trackback' is a very useful feature of weblogs that automatically makes two-way links. If you link to one of our entries using its permalink, a 'trackback' link here can be shown (this only works if your own system supports trackback).
How do you find these 'permalinks'? There is a link cvalled 'permalink' in the posted-info area beneath each post. Click that to view the entry in full. Copy that link location for linking to the entry or pasting into email messages etc. The title of each entry displayed is also a 'permalink' link.
How do I reply to an entry here?
Depending on how this weblog has been set up, there are several ways to reply to an entry. You may need to register as a member of this site first, or you may be able to reply without registering.
- Anonymous Reply
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Some weblogs are set up so that non-members can reply to a post. If so, you will see an 'Anonymous Reply' link in the 'posted' area below each entry. If you are not a member of this site, and do not want to register here, just click that link when you want to reply to an entry in this weblog. You will be asked to enter a subject (title), a lead-in (description) and a reply body, and will also be rewuested to type in your full name and email address. Only the title is mandatory, though; the rest of the fields can be filled in at your own discretion. Please note that registering on the site is probably worth doing anyway - it only takes a minute and it means that you can develop a profile here if you want to.
- Registering as a member
If you are not already a member if this site, it is very easy to join. Just click the 'join' link near the top-right of every page in the weblog. You will be asked to fill in a brief form with your name and email address, and to choose a username to use on the site. Depending on how this site is set up, you will either be sent an email with an initial password to log in with (this is to ensure that you have entered a valid email address), or mighgt be able to choose your own password to begin with.
- If you are a member
I you are already a member of the site, but are not preserntly logged in, you can either click the 'Login & Reply' link below each entry to login and reply in one smooth action, or you can click the 'login' link near the top-right of every page to login without directly replying to any entry.
- If you are logged in
If you are a member and have already logged in, you will see a toolbar below each entry. There should be a button for replying in that toolbar. Depending on whether you are also allowed to edit the entry you may see other tools buttons in the toolbar.
- Some weblogs and entries are closed to comments
The managers of thi weblog may have set it up so that only a closed group of members are allowed to comment on the entries here. If that is the case, only members of that group will be able to reply. I you feel you have something valuable to contribute about an entry in any case, we suggest that you post an entry about this entry to a weblog you are allowed to contribute to and make a trackback link to the entry here which you want to discuss. Alternatively, you could email the managers of this weblog to ask to become a member of the particvipants group.
