What are Threads?

Threads are members' comments, similar to postings to USENET groups or mailing lists. Threads are divided into different topics. Topics are composed of posts -- individual messages submitted by members. Threads can also have links in them, which are hyperlinked to other places on the Net.

There are two types of Threads available:

• HotWired Internal Content, which correspond to every subject area, and
• Open Forum, covering various topics of interest to HotWired users

Where can I find Threads?

Threads are found throughout HotWired. You can access all of them from this page or by clicking the Threads icon at the bottom of each section. Most threads contain topics that are directly related to the art and journalism on HotWired. However, threads in HotWired's Open Forum can be devoted to any topic.

What are links?

In addition to posting your own comments in a Thread, you can also create links to other places on the Net. Links go to related topics or areas of interest reachable on the World Wide Web. Just as HotWired's editorial content contains links, the material contributed by HotWired's users can also contain links.

How do I add a link?

Click the words 'suggest one' at the bottom of the Threads page. Or, click the 'Add A Link' button at the bottom of the links page.

What are posts?

Threads are composed of posts -- single messages.

How can I see posts in a Thread?

Go to the list at the bottom of the Threads main page. Every program of HotWired is listed here. You will see a statement of how many topics and links relating to each program have been created by HotWired's users. To view the list of topics or links, click on the highlighted words that says how many topics or links there are. There are many ways to view these topics and links. Your options are:

posts: shows all posts first: shows the first post only previous: shows last post only next: shows next post only since: shows all posts submitted in a specific time period. Enter the number of hours in the blank field and click the "show posts" button. index: shows an index of all posts in that topic topics: shows a list of all topics in that topic

If you want to see the HotWired program that gave birth to the topic you are reading, click on the highlighted program name at the top of the topic window.

How can I send email to somebody about their post?

Some members will include a link to an email form in their post. To send email to the author of a post, check and see if the author's name is highlighted. If it is, you can click this link to send an email message.

How can I add a post?

To add a post, click the 'posts' link to go to the posts page, then click the 'Add Post' button. Enter your comment in the form that appears. When you are finished, click on the 'Preview Text and Layout' button to see your post as it will appear on HotWired. If you are satisfied with the content and layout of your post, click on the button that says "Post and Return to Posts" and it will be added to the page. You may need to use the "Reload" command on your browser to see your post after it is added.

If you know how to write an HTML document, you can include links in your post. If you write an HTML post, check over it carefully before submitting it -- one misplaced double-quote or unclosed tag can wreck the display. For a concise guide to writing good HTML documents, see Brian Behlendorf's article "Authoring HTML for Fun and Profit" in WIRED 2.11.

Your membership must be verified before you can add a post. If you have not verified your account, go back to the HotWired main page and click the 'verify your membership' link beneath the graphic.

How can I suggest a new topic?

If there are no topics, click the 'Start One' textlink found in the listing of each Thread. Or, if there are already topics, go to the topics page and click the 'Start Topic' button at the bottom of that page. You will be prompted for a subject and a message.